Puerto Rico

Scented by slow-roasted pork and sea breezes, colored by swashbuckling history, this sun-washed medley of Spanish and American influences is a fusion of Caribbean delights.

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El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque
El Yunque National Forest is one of Puerto Rico’s crown jewels with nearly 29,000 acres of lush, mountainous terrain scattered with waterfalls, rushing…
Playa Flamenco
Culebra
Stretching for a mile around a sheltered, horseshoe-shaped bay, Playa Flamenco (Flamenco Beach) is not only one of Culebra’s best beaches, it also makes a…
Isla Culebrita
Culebra
If you need a reason to hire a water taxi, Isla Culebrita (Culebrita Island) is it. This small island, just east of Playa Zoni, is part of the national…
Bahía Mosquito
Vieques
Locals claim that the magnificent Bahía Mosquito (Mosquito Bay), a designated wildlife preserve located on the island of Vieques, about 2 miles east of…
Gozalandia
Central Mountains
Sometimes a little piece of paradise lies in store in the least obvious of locales, and Gozalandia is San Sebastián's: a flurry of dramatic cascades,…
Cabezas de San Juan Reserva Natural
El Yunque & East Coast
A nodule of land on Puerto Rico’s northeast tip, this Para La Naturaleza–run reserve protects the Laguna Grande bioluminescent bay, rare flora and fauna,…
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
San Juan
A star of Old San Juan, brooding El Morro sits atop a headland, deterring would-be attackers. The 140ft walls (some up to 15ft thick) date to 1539 and it…
Castillo San Cristóbal
San Juan
The city's second major fort is one of the largest Spanish-built military installations in the Americas. In its prime, it covered 27 acres with a maze of…

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Attractions

Top picks from our travel experts

The 12 best things to do in Puerto Rico

Curated by Amaya García

Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes
Ponce
The ancient ceremonial center of Tibes is one of the Caribbean's most important archaeological sites, due largely to evidence found here of pre-Taíno…
Cañón de San Cristóbal
Central Mountains
The St Christopher canyon is so unexpected – both in location and appearance – that it takes many a breath away. The deep green chasm seemingly drops out…
La Taberna Lúpulo
San Juan
This beautiful old corner bar has been updated with Puerto Rico's best selection of artisan beers, including Ocean Lab and Boxlab. Pull up a stool to…
El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque
El Yunque National Forest is one of Puerto Rico’s crown jewels with nearly 29,000 acres of lush, mountainous terrain scattered with waterfalls, rushing…
Casa Blanca
San Juan
First constructed in 1521 as a residence for Puerto Rico’s pioneering governor, Juan Ponce de León (who died before he could move in), Casa Blanca is the…
Hacienda San Pedro
Central Mountains
San Pedro is a small working coffee farm with an attached museum and cafe/tasting room where you can get a fascinating insight into the coffee-making…
Playa Isla Verde
San Juan
With countless tanned bodies lounging or flexing their biceps around the volleyball net, this urban beach basks in its reputation as the Copacabana of…
La Factoría
San Juan
The so-named Hijos de Borinquen (or Sons of Puerto Rico) has three distinct zones in one shabby-chic space – a cool cocktail lounge, wine bar and swinging…

11 free things to do in Puerto Rico

Curated by Amaya García

Plaza Las Delicias
Ponce
Within this elegant square you’ll discover Ponce's heart as well as two of the city’s landmark buildings, Parque de Bombas and Catedral Nuestra Señora…
Balneario Boquerón
Puerto Rico
Fanning out immediately south of Boquerón town, the Balneario Boquerón arguably ranks among the best public beach facilities in Puerto Rico. The mile-long…
La Princesa
San Juan
Built against the outside wall of the city, this long, gray and white building, once a jail, now houses the headquarters of the Puerto Rico Tourism…
Playa Ocean Park
San Juan
Protected by offshore reefs and caressed by cooling seasonal trade winds, this wide sweep of diamond-dust sand is a favorite of locals. But this…
Plazuela de la Rogativa
San Juan
This diminutive gem of a square with lovely views over the bay is home to an interesting, stylized bronze sculpture of a former bishop of San Juan and…
Paseo de la Princesa
San Juan
Conjuring up a distinctly European feel, broad Paseo de la Princesa is a 19th-century esplanade just outside the city walls. Lined with antique…
Puerta de San Juan
San Juan
One of the three remaining gates into the old city, the lofty red portal known as the Puerta de San Juan is a popular photo stop. Spanish ships once…
El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque
El Yunque National Forest is one of Puerto Rico’s crown jewels with nearly 29,000 acres of lush, mountainous terrain scattered with waterfalls, rushing…
Casa Blanca
San Juan
First constructed in 1521 as a residence for Puerto Rico’s pioneering governor, Juan Ponce de León (who died before he could move in), Casa Blanca is the…
Catedral de San Juan Bautista
San Juan
While San Juan's cathedral is smaller and less flamboyant than many Spanish churches, it retains a simple elegance. The first church on this site was…
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
San Juan
A star of Old San Juan, brooding El Morro sits atop a headland, deterring would-be attackers. The 140ft walls (some up to 15ft thick) date to 1539 and it…
Faro de los Morrillos
North Coast
Within the Parque Histórico de Arecibo complex, this lighthouse dates from 1897 and is an excellent example of Spanish neoclassical architecture. There's…
La Fortaleza
San Juan
Guarded iron gates mark the imposing La Fortaleza. Dating from 1533, it's the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the western hemisphere. The…