Old San Juan

— A few years ago, to celebrate our 20th anniversary, we spent a few days exploring Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. We walked around the city, visited some churches, toured historical sites, experienced the local cuisine, shopped, and of course, spent time on the beach. Old San Juan is the oldest settlement in Puerto Rico, as the name implies, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The original settlement dates back to 1508, when Juan Ponce de León founded Caparra. After a few years and several changes, that original site became Puerto Rico, and in 1521, the name San Juan was added, thus creating the formal name of San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico. The city elegance is present in every corner of Old San Juan. Beautiful tree-lined streets and colorful buildings bring back an era of glory to San Juan. According to the National Park Service, “Old San Juan’s historic architecture reflects four centuries of development that shaped the historic urban landscape,” and “it is the nation’s most complete Spanish urban center with its Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture.”