San Juan

Houses in Old San Juan

San Juan is the capital of, and at two million the largest city in, Puerto Rico. It has one of the best harbors in the Caribbean. The city will celebrate its 5th Century in 2008 or 2021, depending if they count from the founding of Caparra or the act of moving the Caparra settlement to Puerto Rico isle (Old San Juan)

[edit]Districts

• Old San Juan - The historic part of the city, home to most historic attractions, galleries, museums, and tourist traps.

• Puerta de Tierra - Situated right in the middle of Old San Juan and Condado, this largely residential area is home to a few hotels and attractions.

• El Condado - This upscale residential neighborhood is also the beach resort part of the city and has many hotels and restaurants along its main drag, Ashford Ave.

• Isla Verde - This area of San Juan, more in the city of Carolina than of San Juan itself, is closest to the international airport and has nice beaches and parks.

• International Convention Center District - now has the new Convention Center, which has a fountain that plays both typical and classical music, and in near-future will have a Sheraton Hotel, among restaurants and shopping centers

• Hato Rey - the business center, hosting the main banks, the Plaza las Americas (a mall with over 300 stores, featuring a lot of American chains including the worlds largest Sears and JC Penny's), the Hiram Bithor Stadium, Roberto Clemente Colosseum and Coliseo de Puerto Rico

• Rio Piedras - home of the main campus of the University of Puerto Rico

• Santurce - a historical part of Puerto Rico and the cultural capital, having two art museums and a performing arts center

• Miramar - near El Condado, known for expensive and historical housesUnderstand

  [edit]Location

  

  

  A watchtower in the fort of El Morro, guarding San Juan

  San Juan is the oldest city under the United States dominion. San Juan is located in the north-east of Puerto Rico, and features distinctly century-old architecture, such as Spanish military forts built from the 1540s to 1800s, an active harbor, and a very active economic area in the Hato Rey district. San Juan boasts magnificent beaches, hotels, plazas, historic sites, museums, etc.

  San Juan has a land area of 122 sq km and a water area of 29.11 sq miles. The population of San Juan is around 442,000.

  [edit]Climate

  San Juan is a tropical city, with temperature that ranges in winter from 67˚F to 97˚F (19˚C to 36˚C) in summer. San Juan is normally sunny, but has a tendency to receive rain from April to November in the afternoon. Be also mindful that San Juan and the rest of Puerto Rico have the possibility of having tropical systems such as hurricanes from July to November. Cooler temperatures are found inland in the mountains.

  [edit]Culture

  San Juan is a Latin American city with Spanish-based culture, mixed with African traditions and Taíno culture. Museums of modern art exist abroad. The citizens of San Juan (called Sanjuaneros) are very festive, as on the rest of the island. San Juan has bars and discotheques all-around the city, from Old San Juan to even the southern part of the city that stay open to 3:00-4:00 AM. San Juan has become very modernized as of late, with its first Metro line (called Tren Urbano) and buses. Like most large cities, however, there is a small population of vagrants and beggars lining the streets.

  San Juan is the financial capital of Puerto Rico. There are facilities for petroleum and sugar refining, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals.

  [edit]Get in

  [edit]By plane

  San Juan is served by Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (ICAO: SJU), a large international hub airport about 9 miles away. Airlines with domestic flights include:

  • Air Culebra (from Culebra)
  • Cape Air (from Ponce)
  • Vieques Air Link (from Culebra, Fajardo and Vieques).

  Most travellers opt to rent a car here or take a taxi (fixed fares of $10-16 to most points in the city). If you have more time than money, you can take public bus B-40 to Rio Piedras and connect onward to your destination in the city with another local bus or elsewhere on the island with a público (best only attempted in the morning).

  See

  

  

  El Morro from San Cristóbal
  • El Castillo San Felipe del Morro "El Morro" : is a sixteenth-century citadel that lies on the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is part of San Juan National Historic Site and was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1983.
  • El Castillo de San Cristóbal, (787) 729-6960. A Spanish fort in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was built by the Spaniards to protect against land based attacks on the city of San Juan. It is part of San Juan National Historic Site. It covers 27 acres of land and is 150 ft tall. Open every day from 9:00 am to 6PM.
  • Palacio de Santa Catalina "La Fortaleza" (or The Fortress in English) is the official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico, who is Puerto Rico's head of Government. It was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the harbor of San Juan. The structure is also known as El Palacio de Santa Catalina (or Palace of Santa Catalina). It is the oldest executive mansion in the New World. La Fortaleza was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
  • El Catedral de San Juan Bautista: contains the tomb of the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León. It was built in the 1520's, soon to be wrecked by a hurricane, and then rebuilt in 1540. After being rebuilt, it was robbed in the late 1500's, and then, in 1615, it was damaged by a hurricane. In 1917, a lot of changes were made to restore the building. Tours are given daily from 8:30AM-4PM.
  • Castillo de San Jerónimo is a small fort located in the entrance to what is known today as Condado, Puerto Rico lagoon in San Juan. The fort defended San Juan from attacks by Sir Francis Drake in 1595, Sir George Clifford "Earl of Cumberland" in 1598 and Sir Ralph Abercromby.
  • Iglesia de San Jose dates back to 1523. This building was originally called the Church and Monastery of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Before Ponce de Leon was moved to the San Juan Catedral, his body was buried here for 300 years.
  • Ayuntamiento or Alcaldia or City Hall.
  • The municipal cemetery of Santa María Madgalena de Pazzis, located just outside the city walls.
  • Fuerte San Geronimo is a fort that was built to tighten defense within the city. There is a small museum inside.
  • Centro de Bellas Artes is the largest fine arts center in the Caribbean. Concerts, Plays, and Operas are hosted here. This fine arts center opened in 1981.
  • Bacardi Rum Factory, (787)788-8400, [3]. M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM, Sunday from 10AM-3:30PM. Also called the "Cathedral of Rum" and covers 127 acres. Free tour, including a trolley ride around the premises.

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golden gate

golden gate

The iconic Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate area is in the northern section of San Francisco. It is made up of two National Historic Landmarks — The Presidio and Fort Mason — as well as several upscale neighborhoods including Pacific Heights, Cow Hollow, and the Marina District. It has some of the most beautiful scenery and intact natural environments in the city. It is roughly bounded by the San Francisco Bay to the north and west, Lake and California Sts to the south, and Van Ness Ave to the east. The Golden Gate Bridge connects this district with Marin County across the Bay to the north.

Understand

[]Pacific Heights

Pacific Heights, located 370 feet above sea-level and overlooking the Bay, was little more than a sandy hill until 1870, when the Cable-Car line was extended and connected the area to downtown. Today, it's favored by visitors for its impressive panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay and the Presidio, its abundance of opulent Victorian mansions, historic chateaus, foreign embassies, and finally its many upscale restaurants. The three blocks on Broadway St, between Lyon St and Divisadero St, have particularly good vistas and are known as the "Gold Coast." Some of the buildings date back as far as 1853, with the majority being constructed after the 1906 earthquake. Considered today to be the home of "old money" families and young urban professionals, it was first settled by the "nouveau riche" of the late 1800s. The neighborhood is predominantly peaceful and residential with most of its activities centered around Fillmore St. It was also the backdrop for the 1990 movie "Pacific Heights" starring Melanie Griffith.

[edit]Cow Hollow

Cow Hollow derived its name from the many dairy farms that were established there in the mid-1800s. However, with the advent of the Gold Rush, the neighborhood flourished. Prominent San Franciscans began to settle the area and erected grandiose well-appointed Victorian, and then later Edwardian mansions. By 1891, the area had become so popular that all the dairy farms were closed down. Today, this once luscious grazing land is more renowned for its impressive mansions and its eclectic mix of antique stores, art galleries, bars, and restaurants. Union St is the main drag, where the Union St. Festival is held annually.

[edit]The Marina District

The Marina district was built on landfill — some of it wreckage of the 1906 earthquake — in the early 20th century to provide a fairgrounds for the 1915World's Fair (also called the Panama-Pacific Exhibition). Its poor foundation made it the focus of most of the damage (and media attention) in the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989. Today it is an affluent, residential neighborhood with well trimmed hedges and colorful flower window boxes. Bounded by the Bay, the neighborhood actually has an impressive marina, which is home to a couple of prestigious yacht clubs. Marina Green, an 8 block stretch of grass running along the edge of the Bay, is a favorite place for jogging, strolling, picnicking, and kite flying. Only a few blocks away, Chestnut St. is where shoppers can peruse boutiques or people watch while sipping on a latte. "Culture vultures" circle round Fort Mason, with its array of museums, art galleries and quirky theaters.

[edit]Fort Mason and the Presidio

Fort Mason and the Presidio are two former military posts on the northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula. Today, both are national historic landmarks and come under the remit of the Golden Gate National Recreational Area. Fort Mason is smaller and has a world class youth hostel as well as several museums and theaters. The Presidio is huge, with 1,480 acres of rolling hills, forests, hiking trails, historic buildings, architecture, beaches, and marsh lands. It has one of the most intact natural environments you will find on the peninsula and is a must for every itinerary.

[edit]Get in

Golden Gate Map

[edit]By car

The main entryways are Van Ness Ave from the south and Bay St from the east. From the north and west, take Highway 101 through the Presidio to Lombard St. Chestnut St, one of the main shopping and restaurant streets, is one block north of Lombard St — parking is scarce and can sometimes take up to an hour to find. The best choice for parking may be the free area in Fort Mason, at Beach and Buchanan Sts, another 4 short blocks north of Chestnut. Union St, being Cow Hollow's main street, is three blocks south of Lombard St.

[edit]By bus

Public transportation, provided by MUNI [1], is plentiful and frequent.

• Cross town routes. The 28 bus gets you along Lombard St into Fort Mason from the Daly City BART station, traveling first a long way up 19th Ave and through the Presidio by the Golden Gate Bridge. Buses 29 and 43 traverse much of the western part of San Francisco before terminating in the area, with the 29 stopping in the Presidio and the 43 running through the Presidio before stopping in the Marina district. The 22 Fillmore bus (24-hour service), from the 16th St BART Station, goes north on Fillmore St all the way to the Marina Green.

• From downtown. From the CalTrain station, traveling through downtown past the Montgomery St BART station (outbound) or the Powell St BART station (inbound), the 30 Stockton bus (which runs about every 6 minutes during the day, until 1AM) gets you to Chestnut St and near the Palace of Fine Arts. You can also take the 41, 45 (both serve Union St), 76, and 12. Routes 1, 2, 3, and 4 serve Pacific Heights and Lower Pacific Heights.

In addition to the many MUNI routes, there is also the free PresidiGo shuttle service with two lines: a Downtown line [2] that runs directly between the Transbay Terminal in downtown to the Presidio, and an Around the Park line [3] which runs throughout the Presidio.

On foot

If you enjoy walking, you can take the Historic F-line street car from downtown, along the Embarcadero, to Fisherman's Wharf, and walk along San Francisco Bay past Fort Mason — it's a bit of hill — to the Marina Green. If you're downtown, simply follow Van Ness Ave all the way north and take a left anywhere from California St to Lombard St.

Get around

With six lanes, going east-west, Lombard St is the main road and considered (along with north-south Van Ness) to be part of Highway 101. The winding section of Lombard St is due east, on Russian Hill.

This is a fantastic area to either walk or cycle through as it is predominantly flat (with the obvious exception of Pacific Heights), and also because it's a very safe area. Given the area's popularity with joggers, walkers, power-walkers, and cyclists, you will definitely not be alone. Chestnut St is the business section of the Marina and considered among the poshest of San Francisco's streets. Union St and Fillmore St are the other two main shopping areas in this district. To the north, along San Francisco Bay, runs the 74 acre stretch of Marina Green. Your walk can continue along the bay to the west, through the Presidio, along the restored Crissy field marshes, all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge; or to the east, a short climb through Fort Mason and down into Fisherman's Wharf.

If you are interested in biking around the area — "biking the bridge" is very popular activity — there are several companies that rent bikes out to tourists by the hour or for the day, including Bay City Bike [4], Bike and Roll [5], and Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals [6].

See

There are lots of things to see in this district ranging from the pristine natural landscapes of the Presidio, to man-made marinas, Victorian architecture, and the Golden Gate Bridge. In places like the Presidio and Fort Mason you'll find an interesting blend of both, with modern offices, historical buildings, and museums making their home alongside sandpipers, coyotes, and fox squirrel. "City slickers" should be more at home futher inland where they'll find galleries and museums, architecture, and urban parks. Naturalists will be more at home along the coast line, from Fort Mason all the way along into the Presidio.

• The Six Gallery, 3119 Fillmore St (between Pixley St and Filbert St). On Friday, October 7, 1955, the "Six Gallery reading" took place here. It was a seminal moment in the Beat Generation movement and attracted such poets and writers as Alan Ginsberg, Gary Snyder, Philip Lamantia, Michael McClure, Philip Whalen, and Jack Kerouac. The gallery has since closed but you can still visit the site where this watershed event took place. Free.  edit

• Wave Organ, at the end of Yacht Road (after the Golden Gate Yacht Club). It's best at high-tide — 5:30AM. Designed by George Gonzales and Peter Richards in 1986, the Wave Organ is a system of PVC pipes that harness the power of the ocean to create music... or at least what can be interpreted as music! There is a unique space at the end of a spit of land where you can sit and enjoy the sounds, and even if it's not your kind of music, there are some excellent views and it's also a great place to relax and have a picnic. Free.  edit

Glassy waters and tall masts at the Marina

• Yacht Clubs. You can't come to the Marina district without actually seeing, well... the marina! Here where you will find an impressive flotilla of vessels — both sail and power. There are various "small craft" harbors located at either end of Marina Green, but the two main yacht clubs are:  edit

• Golden Gate Yacht Club, 1 Yacht Road (at the end of Yacht Road), ☎ +1 415 346-2628 (generalmanager@ggyc.com), [7]. Founded in 1939, this club is both a popular destination for pleasure cruises and for competitive regatta racing. It's plainer than its neighbor the SFYC, however it got a major boost of late when Larry Ellison and the Oracle guys signed up and the club became the challenge club of record for the America's Cup.  edit

• St Francis Yacht Club, 700 Marina Blvd (at the end of Baker St), ☎ +1 415 563-6363 (Frontdesk@StFYC.com, fax: +1 415 563-8670), [8]. Founded in 1927, this club has over 2,400 members and is also popular as both a cruise and regatta venue. It is reputedly the most exclusive yacht club in San Francisco and there are some serious vessels docked here.  edit