"San Juan" a San Juan Travel Page by steph4867

The capital of Puerto Rico is a spirited modern metropolis with high-rise beach strips, a major commercial center and a justly famous historic colonial core. It dates from the early 16th century, making it the second oldest city in the Americas (after granddaddy Cuzco, Peru). Today it's the engine of the island's economic and political life and the cultural beachhead for US influence in the Caribbean.

For an old timer, San Juan can seem pretty spry - nothing like strips of high-rise hotels and heaps of hardbodies littered about the beaches to make a town look young. Even Old San Juan seems strangely fresh and well-preserved given that it's getting on for 500 years old. Many Caribbean adventurers never make it past San Juan: there's a lot to be said for being able to lay a towel down on an unmistakably white Caribbean beach, while having the culture and quaintness of a historic city and the convenience of a modern metropolis just minutes away. But if daytripping appeals, the capital also makes a good base from which to explore the compact island.