San Juan itinerary: 1 to 3 days
Plans for one to three days in San Juan, day by day: Castillo San Cristóbal, the Plaza de Armas, La Fortaleza, the Cathedral, the Puerta de San Juan, the Iglesia de San José and El Morro first, then La Placita de Santurce, Condado Beach, the Capitol and the Ballajá Barracks, and El Yunque National Forest, Casa Blanca and the Museum of Art as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
San Juan in 1 day
Day 1
Castillo San Cristóbal
The largest Spanish fort in the Americas, guarding the land approach to Old San Juan, with tunnels and wide views.
Plaza de Armas, San Juan
Old San Juan's main square, with the city hall, a fountain of four statues and cafes around it.
La Fortaleza
Sixteenth-century fortress that has been the governor's residence for centuries, the oldest such residence in use in the Americas.
Cathedral of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old San Juan's cathedral, founded in the 1520s, holding the tomb of the explorer Juan Ponce de León.
Puerta de San Juan
The red city gate in the old wall, once the formal entrance for arriving ships and visitors.
Iglesia de San José
One of the oldest churches in the Americas, a 16th-century Gothic church on Plaza San José in Old San Juan.
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Huge 16th-century Spanish fortress on the headland guarding the entrance to San Juan Bay, with a wide lawn in front.
San Juan in 2 days
Day 1
La Placita de Santurce
Old market square in Santurce, with a market hall by day and busy bars and music at night.
Condado Beach
City beach in the Condado district, lined with hotels and restaurants, a short ride from Old San Juan.
Capitol of Puerto Rico
White marble seat of the island's Legislative Assembly, with a domed rotunda that holds the Puerto Rico constitution.
Castillo San Cristóbal
The largest Spanish fort in the Americas, guarding the land approach to Old San Juan, with tunnels and wide views.
Plaza de Armas, San Juan
Old San Juan's main square, with the city hall, a fountain of four statues and cafes around it.
Cathedral of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old San Juan's cathedral, founded in the 1520s, holding the tomb of the explorer Juan Ponce de León.
Puerta de San Juan
The red city gate in the old wall, once the formal entrance for arriving ships and visitors.
Day 2
La Fortaleza
Sixteenth-century fortress that has been the governor's residence for centuries, the oldest such residence in use in the Americas.
Iglesia de San José
One of the oldest churches in the Americas, a 16th-century Gothic church on Plaza San José in Old San Juan.
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Huge 16th-century Spanish fortress on the headland guarding the entrance to San Juan Bay, with a wide lawn in front.
Ballajá Barracks (Museo de las Américas)
Large 19th-century Spanish military barracks around a courtyard, now home to the Museo de las Américas.
San Juan in 3 days
Day 1
El Yunque National Forest
Tropical rainforest in the Luquillo Mountains, the only one in the US national forest system, with waterfalls and trails.
Day 2
Castillo San Cristóbal
The largest Spanish fort in the Americas, guarding the land approach to Old San Juan, with tunnels and wide views.
Plaza de Armas, San Juan
Old San Juan's main square, with the city hall, a fountain of four statues and cafes around it.
La Fortaleza
Sixteenth-century fortress that has been the governor's residence for centuries, the oldest such residence in use in the Americas.
Cathedral of San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old San Juan's cathedral, founded in the 1520s, holding the tomb of the explorer Juan Ponce de León.
Ballajá Barracks (Museo de las Américas)
Large 19th-century Spanish military barracks around a courtyard, now home to the Museo de las Américas.
Iglesia de San José
One of the oldest churches in the Americas, a 16th-century Gothic church on Plaza San José in Old San Juan.
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Huge 16th-century Spanish fortress on the headland guarding the entrance to San Juan Bay, with a wide lawn in front.
Day 3
Casa Blanca (San Juan)
House built for Juan Ponce de León's family in the 1520s, now a museum with gardens near El Morro.
Puerta de San Juan
The red city gate in the old wall, once the formal entrance for arriving ships and visitors.
Capitol of Puerto Rico
White marble seat of the island's Legislative Assembly, with a domed rotunda that holds the Puerto Rico constitution.
Condado Beach
City beach in the Condado district, lined with hotels and restaurants, a short ride from Old San Juan.
Museum of Art of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico's largest art museum, in a former hospital in Santurce, with island art from colonial times to today and a garden.
La Placita de Santurce
Old market square in Santurce, with a market hall by day and busy bars and music at night.
Watch: San Juan
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to San Juan
December to April is the driest and most popular time, with warm sunny days and many cruise ships. It is warm all year, but June to November is the Atlantic hurricane season, with more rain and humidity, and August to October carry the highest risk. The Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián fill Old San Juan in January.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in San Juan on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in San Juan on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in San Juan on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Puerto Rico from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for San Juan
- El Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal form one National Park Service site, and one ticket covers both forts on the same day.
- The forts and the walls have little shade; bring water, a hat and sun protection, and visit early or late in the day.
- La Fortaleza is the governor's working residence, so visits are by guided tour only and can be limited.
- El Yunque is about an hour's drive east of San Juan; some areas have needed timed-entry reservations in recent years, so check before going.
- Old San Juan's blue cobblestone streets are steep in places; wear comfortable shoes and expect crowds on cruise ship days.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Ballajá Barracks (Museo de las Américas): Daderot, Public domain
- Capitol of Puerto Rico: Brad Clinesmith from Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Casa Blanca (San Juan): Ligocsicnarf89, CC BY 4.0
- Castillo San Cristóbal: Peter McKay, CC0
- Castillo San Felipe del Morro: Chad Sparkes from Kissimmee,Florida, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Cathedral of San Juan, Puerto Rico: https://www.flickr.com/people/oquendo/, CC BY 2.0
- Condado Beach: Ktorrespr, CC BY-SA 4.0
- El Yunque National Forest: Harvey Barrison, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Iglesia de San José: OliverZena, Public domain
- La Fortaleza: Steam Pipe Trunk Distribution Venue, CC BY 2.0
- La Placita de Santurce: Moebiusuibeom-en, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museum of Art of Puerto Rico: Šarūnas Burdulis, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Plaza de Armas, San Juan: Thief12, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Puerta de San Juan: Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz), CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
