We spent two days exploring, doing all the best things to do in Old San Juan before boarding our Virgin Voyages Caribbean cruise and it ended up being one of our favourite parts of the trip. Two days was just enough to see all of Old San Juan and experience the culture of the city. We enjoyed the foodie scene with a walking tour and a cocktail making class in a rum distillery! San Juan was an easy pre-cruise destination, there was so much to do, if you’re cruising from San Juan, arrive at least 2 nights early to enjoy it. In our Old San Juan Itinerary we give you everything you need to have a fantastic time.
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Quick Answer: Is 2 Days Enough in Old San Juan?
Two days is enough to enjoy Old San Juan and even get to do a tour. We loved visiting the historic sites, walking the colourful streets, soaking up the culture and doing a food tour and a rum experience! It was a perfect pre-cruise location. Our itinerary has all the best things to do in Old San Juan and suits:
- Cruise passengers
- First timer visitors
- Couples
- Food travellers
Old San Juan At A Glance
We spent 2 days in Old San Juan but could have spent up to 4 to experience the beaches and other tours. The best place to stay is in the old city and visiting between mid-April- to June for the best weather. The city is super walkable, we felt safe wandering around as a tourist. The main language is Spanish and English and the currency is the USD.
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Map: Our 2 Day Old San Juan Itinerary, the best things to do in Old San Juan
Can You Do Old San Juan in One Day?
Yes you can see Old San Juan in just one day, however you would stick to the town only and explore this area. Our one day compressed route would include:
- Explore the town and streets, seeing all the main sights and shopping in stores
- El Morrow Fort or food tour or rum experience.
- Sunset at El Morrow and dinner in town.
Our Old San Juan Itinerary:
This is everything we did with 2 days in Old San Juan, we loved our time here and think this is a perfect introduction to Puerto Rico.
Day 1: Explore Historic Old San Juan + Cruise Prep
We absolutely loved exploring Old San Juan, the streets were colourful and full of activity. There are bars and restaurants to check out as well as stores and boutiques. These are all the best things to do in Old San Juan.
Walk Through Old San Juan’s Colourful Streets
There are so many beautiful streets to wander through, the colourful buildings, tiles and cobblestones create a really pretty backdrop for photos. Walking around in the morning before the streets get busy is best for photos but the vibe is great once it fills up.
Join A Food Tour In Old San Juan
We joined a walking food tour in Old San Juan and think it was one of the best things to do in Old San Juan. The tour included walking the streets with a local guide, tasting excellent local foods and drinks while learning a lot about the culture and history of the island and capital city from a locals point of view.
We really recommend doing this tour it was really well organised and covered a great range of locations and foods. Check out our full review of the tour to see why we think it should be on everyones Old San Juan itinerary.
Tiny house La Casa Estrecha
This tiny double story house was once an unused alley way which was turned into a very thin home! The bright yellow and green front is as eye catching as the unique size.
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Plaza Colón
This tree lined square has a central plaza with a statue of Christopher Colombus. There is a lot of activity here, it is a good people watching spot. The I love SJ sign is close by here to take some pictures with as well.
Cuartel de Ballajá, Museo de las Americas & Galería Nacional
This large square is surrounded by buildings that now hold museums, cafes, restaurants and stores. Head here to learn about the history and culture of the city.
Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista
The second oldest cathedral in the Americas, built in 1540 it has the holding tomb of city founder Ponce de León.
Plaza de Armas
The oldest plaza in San Juan, it was originally the city’s main town square and central market. It was impractical as it was built on a slope and fruit and veg would roll away if dropped. Now it is a leafy space with large fountain and benches to sit and realax while watching the passing people. It is considered the heart of the old city and located on Calle de San Francisco.
Plaza de San José
This is an old plaza and located on one of the highest points of the city. In the centre there is a famous statue of Juan Ponce de León.
Parque de las Palomas
A park with views over the harbour and lots of pigeons to feed.
Souvenir Shopping
If you are in Old San Juan and looking for very cheap souvenirs you can head to All Ways 99 which has lots of household goods but also a small selection of souvenirs. There are other souvenir shops that line the streets and have some really good souvenirs, half the fun is wandering and discovering the shops.
Sunset In Old San Juan
The sunset over the water from Old San Juan is gorgeous, the soft light gets thrown over the city and waterfront, creating a magical atmosphere. One of the best places to watch sunset is from El Morro, you can go around to the left and find a spot along the wall or grass to take it in. Lots of people head here, kids playing on the grass and picnic rugs out.
Another place to take it in is from the rooftop bars in the town or by the waterfront. We watched it fall over the cemetery next to El Morro on our way to the front and the light was really lovely.
Dinner at Metropol Restaurant
We decided to head to dinner in the new T Mobile District. It is out of the old city and has lots of restaurants and activities, it is a cool place to check out. The Metropol has a great selection of local Caribbean style food and wine. We really enjoyed our dinner here and highly recommend it. It is located under the Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort which is a great place to stay in this area.
Cruise Prep
We got this out of the way while we had the time. Find a grocery store, if you are staying in town there is the smaller SuperMax store that has groceries and liquor so you can buy anything you may have forgotten for your cruise. Double check sunscreen, toiletries and if you are going on Virgin Voyages then you can bring 2 bottles of wine per cabin. We grabbed our wine and extra toiletries from a bigger supermarket called Supermercados Pueblo which was out of the old town but had a very large range of everything. Both supermarkets close at 10pm so we did this after dinner on our way back to our room.
Day 2: Forts & Ron Barrilito Rum Experience
Visit Castillo San Felipe del Morro
There are two forts to visit in town and both are worth it. Your entry ticket is for both forts, just show it at the counter when you arrive to the second one and they will wave you through. Castillo San Felipe del Morro is quite large and you would spend about an hour to see it once inside. There is not too much shade so wear a hat and sunscreen and bring water, there are toilets available.
Walking around this fort was great, there was a lot of information to read which was in english and explained all the history of the fort but also the uses of each room and space. We learnt a lot and thought it was well worth the ticket price. There are some good photo opportunities here but I really loved learning about the history.
La Perla Neigbourhood
La Perla is a local neighbourhood located on the waterfront which can be accessed from an entry in the cemetery behind El Morro and exited through a staircase on the way to San Cristóbal. It is a historic and colourful neighbourhood that hugs the coastline.
While it is not a tourist attraction it is a community area that should be respected. Is a nice walk to check out the many murals and support the locals stores or bars. We walked through with no problem, sticking to the main road and stopping into a bar for a beer to support the locals. There is lots of information on the area, I would research to decide before you go to make the decision for you and I would not go in the late afternoon/evening.
Walk To Castillo San Cristóbal
This is the second fort that is a little more out of town, but an easy 1.5km walk along the waterfront. The information here is quite similar so you will already be able to spot some of the features. You can walk this fort to explore its areas and take in the different viewpoints. There is a movie about San Juan that you can watch at either fort as it is the same at both, watch it at San Cristóbal as there is an air conditioned room to watch it in. At El Morro it is an open air room which is hot when we were there in February.
Is The Ron Barrilito Rum Distillery Worth Visiting?
We did the Ron Barrilito Rum Distillery Tour and absolutely loved it! It was one of the highlights of our time in Old San Juan. The tour was really interesting and we were able to learn about the process. Then we did the tasting which taught us a lot about the different rum flavour profiles and how best to experience them. It was a really fun tour and even included a welcome drink. We have written a full review up on our experience and you can check availability here.
Cocktail Making Class Experience
Straight after our tasting tour we went into the cocktail making experience which was the perfect complement to our tasting. Now we understood the rum differences we could see how they used them in drinks. We went in to a seperate room with our guide who walked us through making 3 different cocktails which we were then able to drink at our own pace in the main bar area. This was the best fun, we loved learning which flavours to use and how to combine them. I can confirm that all three cocktails were delicious and so unique. I have written up our whole experience in our Ron Barrilito review, you can check out availability here.
Where To Stay In Old San Juan
You have a couple of areas that most people will choose to stay, however we think the best choices are the old centre, the beach or the T-Mobile Area. These are our top picks in each:
Old San Juan City Centre
This is our pick of the areas to stay in, it is central to everything and you can soak up the atmosphere of the town before and after day trippers have vistied.
Luxury stays in Old San Juan:
Hotel El Convento – excellent rooms, great breakfast, wonderful staff and afternoon hors d’oeuvres and wine on the patio. All set in a historic, restored convent located right in the centre of town.
Palacio Provincial San Juan – beautiful hotel and rooms, clean, comfortable and has a rooftop pool.
Mid-Range Stays in Old San Juan:
Casa Las Ruinas Boutique Hotel – great rooms, excellent location and lovely staff.
Fortaleza Suites Old San Juan – authentic, charm, located in the centre with lovely staff and clean rooms.
CasaBlanca Hotel – comfortable, clean and a rooftop jacuzzi.
Condado Beach & Isla Verde Beach
Caribe Hilton – great rooms, private beach and lovely staff.
Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort – stunning beach access, beautiful grounds, great rooms and staff.
T-Mobile
Sheraton Puerto Rico Resort & Casino – excellent service, great rooms, good location with restaurants close.
Budget Old San Juan Hotel
This is the best Old San Juan budget stay I could find, it is windowless and has a private bathroom and located right in the centre which is the best position. They fill up early so I would book as soon as possible if you are looking for a budget option.
Pre-cruise stay:
The best hotels for a pre-cruise stay are Decanter Hotel and Hotel Rumbao which are in Old San Juan and well equipped for people going to cruises.
Old San Juan Before A Cruise: Is It Worth Arriving Early?
After spending two days exploring Old San Juan before joining our Virgin Voyages cruise we can honestly say it was totally worth it spending time in Old San Juan. There are so many interesting things to do in Old San Juan that you can fill your time easily. We would absolutely stay for two nights in Old San Juan again as there is still so much to see here to fill our time. We loved our Puerto Rico experience and can’t wait to come back. Our Virgin Voyages embarkation was really easy here as well, the port was well organised making it so easy to take a cruise from San Juan. Check out our full Virgin Voyages embarkation guide to see how it works.
Costs For 2 Days In Old San Juan
This is roughly what we spent as mid-range travellers spending two days in Old San Juan and an estimated budget for two people over two days.
- Accommodation ( 2 nights): ~$250 USD per night
- Food Tours: ~$110 USD per person
- Other tours: starting from ~ $20 USD to $200+
- Transport: ~$75 USD (this included getting from the airport and back, to the port and all around the city!)
- Rum experiences: ~$90 USD each tour per person
- Food & Drinks: ~$250-$350 USD
What We Would Do Differently
We would absolutely spend a couple of more days in Old San Juan if we had more time, even a week longer to explore more of the island. We would choose to book our accommodation much earlier so we had more choice of places to stay and lock away our tours as early as possible so we could get the times and days that really suited us best.
FAQ For Old San Juan
Is 2 days enough in Old San Juan?
Two days in Old San Juan is exactly enough to see the town and do a couple of activities. It really filled our time perfeclty. If you want to see beyond the town then you would need a couple more days.
Can you walk everywhere?
Yes, you can definitely walk everywhere inside of the Old San Juan Town. If you want to get further out to the rum distilleries and beaches then you would need to take public transport or use Uber or Lyft apps which both work perfectly.
Is Old San Juan safe?
We felt safe walking everywhere in Old San Juan, there were lots of tourists around and it is very much set up as a tourist friendly place. I would keep my wits about me in the evenings and be cautious of pick pockets and opportunistic crime. Use your regular travel safety precautions always.
Should I stay before a cruise?
We think staying in Old San Juan before a cruise is an excellent idea. It really allowed us time to get organised before the cruise and to settle in rather than arriving in a rush from the airport. Old San Juan is totally worth seeing, we highly recommend it.
Is Ron Barrilito worth it?
Ron Barrilito was a highlight of our time in San Juan. What could be better than experiencing one of the oldest rum distilleries in Puerto Rico and learning how to make pina coladas in the town where they were created! Either the tasting or the mixology class (or both!) are absolutely a must do!
What is the best food tour?
Our food tour with Devour was excellent, the food was delicious and we just loved how our guide shared their information, history, opinions and experience from their local experience. It was such a valuable insight into the culture of the island.
Do you need a car?
You do not need a car for Old San Juan, if you want to explore the island further afield you may find this helpful.
How much money do you need?
This depends on how you like to travel, budget or luxury. We are mid-range travellers and spend approximately $1200 as a couple.
Final Verdict
We loved our time in Old San Juan so much that we would definitely return to explore the area further. It is the perfect place to take a cruise from and combining it with seeing this historic and beautiful city is the perfect vacation! Follow our itinerary above to thoroughly enjoy your time.
Plan your trip:
👉 Read next: Our Virgin Voyages Cruise Experience
👉 Plan your trip: Caribbean Travel Guide & Caribbean Cruise Guide
👉 Don’t miss: Dominican Republic Travel Itinerary
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