Catedral De San Juan
153 Calle Cristo
787/722-0861
Weekdays 8:30-4; Masses Sat. 7 pm, Sun. 9 am; 11 am, Weekdays 12:15
Built in the 16th century but extensively restored in the 19th and 20th. the remains of Ponce de León are in a marble tomb near the transept. The Catholic shrine of Puerto Rico had humble beginnings in the early 1520s as a thatch-topped wooden structure.

Centro Ceremonial Indígena De Tibes
787/840-2255 Or 787/840-5685
Tibes Indian Ceremonial Center. At Tibes, are found pre-Taíno ruins and burials dating from ad 300 to ad 700. Some archaeologists, noting the symmetrical arrangement of stone pillars, surmise the cemetery may have been of great religious significance.

Castillo Serrallés
17 El Vigía Hill, 787/259-1774.
A splendid Spanish revival mansion perched on El Vigía Hill that recalls the era of the sugar barons.

Fuerte San Felipe Del Morro/Fuerte San Cristóbal
San Felipe Del Morro was built in 1591 to defend the entrance to the harbour, and the 11-hectare fort san cristóbal was completed in 1772 to support El Morro and to defend the landward side of the city. The massive six-level fortress covers enough territory to accommodate a nine-hole golf course.

Cuartel De Ballajá
724-5052
Once the barracks for Spanish Troops and their families, was also inaugurated 12 October 1992 with the museum of the americas on the second floor tracing the cultural development of the history of the new world.

Iglesia De San José
Calle San Sebastián, Plaza De San José, 787/725-7501.
With its vaulted ceilings, this is a splendid example of 16th-century Spanish Gothic architecture. The church, one of the oldest in the western hemisphere, was built in 1532 under the supervision of Dominican friars. The body of Ponce de León was buried here for almost 300 years before being moved in 1913 to the Catedral De San Juan.

Casa Blanca
1 Calle San Sebastián
724-4102
Built in 1523 by the family of Ponce De León, who lived in it for 250 years until it became the residence of the Spanish and then the US military Commander-in-Chief. It is now a historical museum which is well worth a visit.

The Naval Arsenal
724-5949
Wed-Sun 9:00-12:00, 1:00-4:30
The last place in Puerto Rico to be evacuated by the Spanish in 1898, exhibitions are held in three galleries.

Jardín Botánico (Botanical Garden)
Intersection Of Rtes. 1 and 847 at entrance to Barrio Venezuela, Río Piedras
787/767-1710.
The main attraction at the University of Puerto Rico is the lush 75-acre forest of more than 200 species of tropical and subtropical vegetation. Gravel footpaths lead to a graceful lotus lagoon, a bamboo promenade, an orchid garden with some 30,000 plants, and a palm garden. Signs are in Spanish and English.

Miramar
A residential area having several moderately priced hotels as well as some expensive ones. Miramar is separated from the Atlantic coast by the Condado Lagoon and the Condado Beach area, where the luxury hotels, casinos, nightclubs and restaurants are concentrated. From Condado the beach front is built up eastwards through Ocean Park, Santa Teresita, Punta Las Marías and Isla Verde. Building is expanding along the narrow strip beyond Isla Verde, between the Sea and the airport. Along this road, Avenida Boca De Cangrejos, there are lots of food trucks selling barbecued specialties.

Scuba Diving And Snorkeling
The diving is excellent off Puerto Rico's south, east, and west coasts as well as its offshore islands. it's best to choose specific locations with the help of a guide or outfitter, who will know current conditions and safety concerns.