Holiday in San Juan
City in Puerto Rico — tips, highlights & best time to visit
Country
Puerto Rico
Type
City
Best time to travel
December to April (dry season, 25-30 °C). June-November hurricane season (but cheaper).
Budget/day
100-180 €
Getting there from Germany
Flight to San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín (SJU, approx. 11-14 h with layover in Miami, New York, or Madrid). ESTA required (U.S. territory).
Deals for San Juan:
What makes San Juan special as a destination?
San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, is the oldest settlement founded by Europeans on U.S. territory (1521) and offers a unique blend of Spanish colonial heritage and Caribbean lifestyle. Viejo San Juan (Old San Juan) with its colorful houses, cobblestone streets, and massive Spanish fortresses is one of the best-preserved colonial districts in the entire Caribbean. El Morro (Castillo San Felipe del Morro), the massive six-story fortress at the harbor entrance, is the landmark: started in 1539 and expanded over 250 years, it protected San Juan from pirates, the English, and the Dutch. Together with Castillo San Cristóbal, it forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site La Fortaleza y Sitio Histórico Nacional de San Juan. Condado and Isla Verde offer a Caribbean beach atmosphere with high-rise hotels, turquoise waters, and surfing opportunities. Santurce, once a rundown neighborhood, is now an arts district with galleries, street art, craft cocktail bars, and Puerto Rico's best gastronomy. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, making travel easy for Americans — no passport needed, dollar as currency. For Germans, it is a gateway to the Caribbean with U.S. infrastructure, the El Yunque rainforest (the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Park Service), and bioluminescent bays.
What are the top highlights in San Juan?
The top highlights in San Juan include El Morro (UNESCO), Viejo San Juan, El Yunque Rainforest, Bioluminescent Bays, Santurce Arts District.
The places you absolutely must not miss.
El Morro (UNESCO)
Massive Spanish fortress from 1539 at the harbor entrance: six floors, tunnels, and 360-degree sea views — Caribbean history to touch.
Viejo San Juan
Colorful colonial houses, cobblestone streets, and fortress walls: one of the best-preserved colonial districts in the Caribbean.
El Yunque Rainforest
The only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Park Service: waterfalls, hiking trails, and the rare Puerto Rican parrot — 45 minutes east.
Bioluminescent Bays
Mosquito Bay (Vieques) and Laguna Grande (Fajardo): microscopic organisms make the water glow blue at night — magical.
Santurce Arts District
Street art, galleries, craft cocktails, and Puerto Rico's best restaurants: the creative heart of the new San Juan.
Hotels in San Juan
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Reise-SIM für San Juan
Günstig surfen im Urlaub mit travSIM
Pauschalreisen & Rundreisen
Berge & Meer – 170 Tage Cookie
When is the best time to visit San Juan?
The best time to visit San Juan is December to April (dry season, 25-30 °C). June-November hurricane season (but cheaper).. 28-33 °C, warm and humid, occasional tropical showers In winter: 24-29 °C, pleasantly dry, perfect travel weather
Recommended travel time
December to April (dry season, 25-30 °C). June-November hurricane season (but cheaper).
Summer
28-33 °C, warm and humid, occasional tropical showers
Winter
24-29 °C, pleasantly dry, perfect travel weather
How much does a holiday in San Juan cost?
Budget travellers: 50-80 €/day, mid-range: 100-180 €/day, luxury: 250-600 €/day.
Average costs per person per day
Budget
50-80 €
Hostel, Street food, Public transport
Mid-range
100-180 €
Hotel, Restaurant, Excursions
Luxury
250-600 €
Boutique hotel, Fine dining
How do I get from Germany to San Juan?
Flight to San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín (SJU, approx. 11-14 h with layover in Miami, New York, or Madrid). ESTA required (U.S. territory).
Book a package holiday to San Juan
Compare thousands of package holidays to San Juan and find the best deals with flight & hotel.
Compare package holidays nowWhat travel tips are there for San Juan?
Insider knowledge that makes your holiday better.
ESTA required — Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. Germans need ESTA (21 USD, online). U.S. dollar as currency.
Viejo San Juan on foot — the old town is compact and best explored on foot. Free trolleys run up the hills.
Bioluminescence at new moon — the glowing bays are most spectacular in darkness. Book tours at new moon.
Visit El Yunque early — the rainforest is often clouded in the afternoon. Go in the morning for the best views and waterfalls.
Piña Colada was invented here — at Barrachina restaurant in Old San Juan (1963). Try the original Piña Colada there.
What should you eat in San Juan?
Typical specialities in San Juan: Mofongo — fried and mashed plantains with garlic, filled with meat or seafood: Puerto Rico's iconic dish., Lechón Asado — spit-roasted pig: juicy, crispy, and the feast of weekends in Guavate., Piña Colada — invented here in 1963: rum, coconut milk, and pineapple — try the original at Barrachina., Alcapurrias — fried dumplings made from plantain and yautía with meat filling: street food on every corner., Tembleque — coconut pudding with cinnamon: creamy, wobbly, and the perfect dessert after a mofongo..
These specialties you must try!
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