Discover Puerto Rico’s hidden hotels, lively local watering holes, and one-of-a-kind experiences most of the city’s visitors never know. And you don’t have to spend anything to have fun!
An iconic bank’s secret museum
Many people don’t know but the 11-story art deco Banco Popular building, a popular landmark in Old San Juan for 70 years, has a museum actually on its 3rd floor. The Sala de Exhibiciones Rafael Carrión Pacheco features island-centric exhibits, such as an exploration of area coffee plantations and a 38-foot scalemodel of the old city. Free on Tuesdays through Sundays from 10am to 5pm.
A picturesque resting place
San Juan’s most exclusive stretch of coastline isn’t part of some expensive resort—it’s the Cementerio Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis, a nearly 200-year-old burial ground tucked between the ruins of the El Morro fortress and the Atlantic Ocean. A peach-colored chapel stands among hundreds of elaborate tombs, which inter prominent islanders such as singer Gilberto Monroig and actor (and uncle of George Clooney) José Ferrer. Open from Onday to Frinday, 7 am –3 pm and Saturday to Sunday, 8 am – 12 noon.
A high-flying show
Get entertained by beautiful kites. During the weekends, Puerto Ricans chill at the lawn in front of El Morro for an impressive array of kites. The real spectacle is on Sundays, when families come from inland to launch their elaborate fliers, made from old fabrics and papier-mâché. Visit El Morro, nps.gov/saju.
A market that turns into a party place after dark
During the day, Plaza del Mercado in Santurce, about half a mile south of Condado, brims with plantains, avocados, mangoes, and folks cooling off with coco frío (coconut water). But when it gets dark, after the market shuts down, the bars that line the plaza throw open their metal grates to a young, dressed-up crowd that turns the square into an informal block party. Fun occurs on Thursdays and Fridays.
