My Guide to San Juan
Following her site visit to San Juan last week, Rebecca Teale, Senior Host & Project Manager, gives her top tips on enjoying the city
What else can you do when sitting in an airport but work? Instead of answering the hundreds of emails currently sitting in my inbox I have decided to write about my trip to the idyllic island of Puerto Rico and the city of San Juan.
During my visit, I had the chance to eat and drink some amazing food, do a bit of shopping and get lost in the little cobbled streets of Old San Juan.
If you are a coffee addict, like me, you will love San Juan and its little cafes. I recommend Caficultura located at the edge of the old town for amazing coffee and equally good food. (TIP: A lot of the little bars and restaurants in San Juan only have Facebook pages.) Also recommended is La Factoria on San Sebastian Street for tapas and drinks and The Mezzanine at St Germain, a unique cocktail lounge in an unforgettable setting.
For those of you interested in a bit of retail therapy, try Calle del Cristo, where you can find a number of factory outlet stores with great prices and souvenir shops. Every taxi driver in the city will know how to get you there.
The best way to see Old San Juan is to jump on one of the many free trolleys that roam the streets of the city. The trolley runs every day of the week and it’s free! (TIMETABLE: Monday –Friday, 7am- 6pm; Saturday-Sunday, 9am-7pm. The trolley runs about every 15 minutes. You can hop on and off at every trolley stop. There are three trolley routes: one of them is an open air tram with two cars and the other two are enclosed and air-conditioned. The trolleys are especially useful if you are interested in seeing the forts of San Cristóbal, San Felipe del Morro, San Juan de la Cruz (El Cañuelo) and the city walls.
If you have the opportunity to get up early, the lagoon opposite both the Sheraton and Caribe Hilton is a great location to try a bit of paddle boarding and both hotels have large infinity pools if you fancy a quick swim before the event opens.
I absolutely love this city – it’s so vibrant and full of life you can’t help falling in love with it. I really enjoyed my time in San Juan and I am certain that you will too!
Routes Americas 2016 will take place in San Juan Puerto Rico from Wednesday 17-Friday 19 February, 2016.