El Morro sits at the far end of Old San Juan and is easy to reach on foot from the historic center. We walked out along the path by the water, a pleasant route that’s manageable even in the heat and gives a strong sense of how the fortress is positioned in the landscape.

Along the way, we spotted several iguanas, including one impressively large specimen. It’s reassuring to know they’re herbivores and generally peaceful by nature.

El Morro’s official name is Castillo San Felipe del Morro. It was built by the Spanish in the late 1500s as part of the defense of San Juan and the entrance to the bay. The location is strategic and leaves little doubt about its purpose. Perched on a rocky headland with sweeping views of the Atlantic, the fortress served for centuries as the city’s primary line of defense against attacks from the sea. For long periods, it played a central role in Spain’s colonial military presence in the Caribbean.

From the outside, El Morro feels massive and uncompromising. Thick stone walls rise directly from the cliffs, signaling function over aesthetics. This is a structure designed to endure. As you get closer, the scale becomes clear. The walls are high, the angles sharp, and the fortress presents itself as closed and deliberate in its design.

We chose to walk all the way around the fortress rather than go inside. That turned out to be more than sufficient, as the exterior alone gives a clear impression of both its scale and its purpose.

El Morro was part of a larger defensive system that included other fortifications in San Juan. Over the centuries, it was expanded and adapted in response to changing military needs. As a result, the fortress today appears layered yet cohesive, with multiple historical periods embedded within the same structure.

In front of the fortress are large grassy fields that are now used by both locals and visitors. People stroll, fly kites, and take breaks with views of the ocean. It’s a striking contrast to the site’s original function, but it also shows how the area has evolved without losing its significance.

El Morro can be visited from the inside, but I don’t think it’s necessary to get much out of the experience. If time is limited, seeing the fortress from the outside is entirely sufficient. If you’re especially interested in fortifications and short on time, I’d recommend going inside the other major fortress instead, San Cristóbal, where there’s more to explore.

El Morro, 501 Calle Norzagaray, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico

Catedral Basílica Menor de San Juan Bautista sits in the heart of Old San Juan, facing Plaza de Armas. It’s directly across from Cafe Caleta, where we had breakfast, so stopping by afterward felt like the natural next step.

From the outside, the cathedral is surprisingly understated. The facade is simple and doesn’t draw attention in the same way as the colorful colonial buildings surrounding the plaza. Compared to many European cathedrals, it lacks both monumental scale and ornate decoration. It doesn’t project power or grandeur, but instead appears restrained and functional within the urban landscape.

Inside, the atmosphere shifts immediately. The temperature drops, the light softens, and the space feels unexpectedly intimate. There’s no dramatic architecture or lavish ornamentation. Instead, the interior is calm and almost austere. The decoration consists of religious paintings, side chapels, and a few striking focal points.

The cathedral was originally built in the early 1500s, shortly after the Spanish arrived in Puerto Rico, and is considered one of the oldest cathedrals in the Americas. Over the centuries, it has been damaged by hurricanes, fires, and the wear of time, and has undergone numerous restorations. As a result, the building does not represent a single architectural style or period, but rather a layered expression shaped by necessity and continuity. Durability and function have often taken precedence over display.

Compared to many other Catholic cathedrals, Catedral Basílica Menor de San Juan Bautista is notably modest. While European cathedrals today often function primarily as historical monuments and tourist attractions, this cathedral remains very much an active church. It’s used by locals, and there’s no clear divide between congregation and visitors. You might stop by while preparations for Mass are underway, or while people sit quietly in the pews.

One of the most striking elements inside the cathedral is the memorial to Carlos Manuel Rodríguez. He was a layman rather than a priest, but played a significant role in the Catholic Church in Puerto Rico in the mid 20th century, particularly through teaching and religious education. In the cathedral, he is depicted wearing a suit rather than clerical robes. It stands out in a space where religious figures are typically shown in ecclesiastical dress. His presence underscores that church life here has been shaped not only by clergy, but also by deeply committed laypeople. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez was later beatified as the first person from Puerto Rico to receive that honor.

Part of what makes the cathedral compelling is precisely that it doesn’t try to impress. It lacks the visual drama many associate with grand Catholic churches, and instead feels like a place that has quietly been part of the city’s daily life for centuries.

Catedral Basílica Menor de San Juan Bautista is an easy stop when walking through Old San Juan. It requires little time and no preparation, and offers a clear sense of the city’s history and the role the church has played within it. Very much worth a visit.

2026: You don’t pay an admission fee. Catedral Basílica Menor de San Juan Bautista is free to enter, but there is a suggested donation, not a requirement. When you go inside, you’ll see a donation box near the entrance.

Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista, 151 Calle del Cristo, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico

We stayed in an Airbnb on Calle San Francisco, right in the heart of Old San Juan, and it turned out to be an excellent base, especially for a first visit to Puerto Rico. Everything is close by. Beaches within walking distance, a wide selection of restaurants, bars, and cafés, and a neighborhood that’s easy to navigate on foot. Prices are generally higher here than elsewhere on the island, and the most popular restaurants often have long lines, which can make getting a table a challenge, but the location more than makes up for it.

Old San Juan is also the most compact part of the city. The neighborhood sits on a small peninsula, surrounded by the sea on three sides, and is made up of narrow cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings, and massive fortifications that reflect Spain’s early presence in the Caribbean.

Founded in the early 1500s, Old San Juan served for centuries as a strategic hub for trade and defense. That history is still clearly visible in the cityscape, where the large forts frame the town and overlook the ocean. Inside the walls, the pace shifts. Streets are narrow, buildings stand close together, and the area is best experienced on foot.

Today, Old San Juan is a mix of everyday life and tourism. Locals still live here, but many businesses cater to the cruise ship passengers who arrive daily at the port. As a result, the neighborhood changes character throughout the day. Early mornings and late afternoons are calmer, while midday can feel crowded and intense, especially when several large ships are in port at the same time.

The architecture is a big part of the appeal. Houses are painted in bold colors, balconies are narrow, and small plazas, churches, and hidden courtyards appear if you take the time to look for them. It’s a neighborhood that invites slow exploration, with breaks along the way for coffee, something cold to drink, or a bite to eat. Distances are short, the ocean is never far from view, and even when the streets are busy, the area still feels manageable. It’s the combination of history, scale, and setting that makes it easy to settle into life in Old San Juan.

We woke up around ten to clear skies and bright sunshine, so we jumped out of bed and headed out to find breakfast. We ended up at Cafe Caleta and arrived just before the daily wave of cruise ship tourists rolled into San Juan, so we were lucky to get a table.

Our original plan was just a pastry and a coffee, but the menu leaned more toward sandwiches than sweets, so we shared a jerk chicken sandwich with papaya slaw and sweet plantains. The flavors worked well together, and it tasted delicious although Steve would have wanted the chicken to have more flavor. I had an iced latte, Steve chose a cappuccino, and after that, we were ready to head out and start exploring Puerto Rico.

Cafe Caleta, Antigua Casa Cabildo, 78 Caleta de San Juan, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico