San Juan

San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, is a Caribbean city with a proud Spanish colonial heritage — the pastel-coloured fortifications, plazas and narrow cobblestone streets of Old San Juan are among the finest examples of colonial architecture in the Americas, and the combination of Caribbean warmth, excellent food, vibrant music culture and US-territory infrastructure makes it one of the most accessible Caribbean destinations. Old San Juan, on an islet connected to the mainland by bridges, is the historical heart — El Morro (Castillo San Felipe del Morro), the 16th-century Spanish fortification at the tip of the islet, with its massive grassy esplanade perfect for kite-flying, is UNESCO World Heritage and magnificent. The nearby Castillo San Cristóbal is even larger. The pastel houses of the old city, the blue cobblestones (ballast stones from Spanish ships), the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista and the colourful streets of Calle del Cristo are all excellent for walking. The Condado and Isla Verde are the beach resort areas. The El Yunque National Forest (1 hour east), the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest system, is excellent hiking. The food scene has transformed dramatically — chefs like José Enrique, Wilo Benet and Mario Pagán have put Puerto Rican cuisine on the global map. Bomba and plena music, salsa and the rum culture (Bacardí is made here) are central to Puerto Rican identity.