EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
TOP 10 PUERTO RICO
CA
SAN JOSÉ
EBAS SAN S
CRIS
n
Parque de las Palomas
La Princesa
10 10 10 10
PLAZA DE ARMAS R AFAEL
RO CORDE
F O R TA
LEZA
TO
La Fortaleza
JOSÉ
O OESTE RECINT
Museo del Niño
S
LU
O
AS L AS MON J
SAN
LA ROGATIVA
Pablo Casals
Catedral de San Juan Bautista
DEL
RD CO PLAZUELA DE
TIAN
CRUZ
SOL
O ER
LE
RO
ENC IA
L
La Muralla
BE NE FI C
PLAZA DE LA BENEFICENCIA
Casa Blanca
JUST
DE
OR
CAL
PO M
ITA HOSP
M L
SAN
de Cultura Puertorriqueña
TETU
AN
10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Fabulous beaches Unspoiled nature trails Colourful festivals & national holidays Best outdoor activities Fascinating museums & art galleries Most fun places for children Best hotels for every budget Liveliest bars Top restaurants in each area Insider tips for every visitor
YOUR GUIDE TO THE 10 BEST OF EVERYTHING
TOP 10
PUERTO RICO
CHRISTOPHER P BAKER
EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
Contents
Left Old San Juan Centre Bacardi Rum’s logo Right Parque Ceremonial Indígena Caguana
Contents Puerto Rico’s Top 10 Design, Editorial and Picture Research by Quadrum Solutions, Krishnamai, 33B, Sir Pochkanwala Road, Worli, Mumbai, India Reproduced by Colourscan, Singapore Printed and bound in China by Leo Paper Products Ltd First published in Great Britain in 2009 by Dorling Kindersley Limited, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, A Penguin Company 11 12 13 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Reprinted with revisions 2011 Copyright 2009, 2011 © Dorling Kindersley Limited, London All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. A CIP catalogue record is available from the British Library. ISBN 978 1 4053 6101 9 Within each Top 10 list in this book, no hierarchy of quality or popularity is implied. All 10 are, in the editor’s opinion, of roughly equal merit. Floors are referred to throughout in accordance with American usage, ie the “first floor” is at ground level.
Old San Juan
8
Castillo de San Cristóbal
10
Condado
12
El Yunque
14
Vieques
16
Culebra
18
Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy
20
Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes
22
San Germán
24
Museo de Arte de Ponce 26 Moments in History
30
Museums
32
Musicians
34
Outdoor Activities
36
Beaches
38
Festivals and Holidays
42
The information in this DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide is checked regularly. Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is as up-to-date as possible at the time of going to press. Some details, however, such as telephone numbers, opening hours, prices, gallery hanging arrangements and travel information are liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this book, nor for any material on third party websites, and cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will be a suitable source of travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our readers very highly. Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, or email:
[email protected]. Cover: Front - Alamy Images: Mark Bacon bl; Photolibrary: age fotostock/S Murphy-Larronde main. Spine - DK Images: Linda Whitwam b. Back - DK Images: Linda Whitwam tc, tl, tr.
2
Children’s Attractions
44
Arriving in Puerto Rico
104
Places to Shop
46
Getting Around
105
Restaurants
48
Sources of Information
106
Puerto Rican Dishes
50
Trees and Flowers
52
Animal Life
54
Around Puerto Rico San Juan
58
North Coast
66
West Coast
72
South Coast
Banking and Communications
107
Security and Health
108
Things to Avoid
109
Tours and Special Interests
110
82
Budget Tips
111
The Cordillera
88
Eating and
East Coast & Islands
94
Accommodation Tips
112
Places to Stay
113
Streetsmart
Contents
Left Arecibo Observatory Centre Museo Indígena Cemí Right Castillo de San Cristóbal’s entrance
Planning Your Trip
102
General Index
118
General Information
103
Phrase Book
126
Left Scenic Playa Flamenco Right Vejigantes, Carnaval Ponceño Key to abbreviations Adm admission charge
3
PUERTO RICO’S TOP 10
Old San Juan 8–9 Castillo de San Cristóbal 10–11 Condado 12–13 El Yunque 14–15 Vieques 16–17 Culebra 18–19 Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy 20–21 Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes 22–23 San Germán 24–25 Museo de Arte de Ponce 26–27 Top Ten of Everything 30–55
PUERTO RICO’S TOP 10
Puerto Rico’s Highlights 6–7
Puerto Rico’s Top 10
Puerto Rico’s Highlights Puerto Rico packs tremendous diversity into a relatively small space. From exquisite coral reefs and white-sand beaches to lush rain forests, desert-dry coastal plains, and a rugged mountain spine, this isle enraptures with physical beauty. Past and present intertwine too, as pre-Columbian sites, massive castles, and charming colonial buildings contrast with hip restaurants, hotels, and nightclubs. Spanish-speaking yet inarguably American in style, the people are equally diverse, reflecting a potpourri of bloodlines – indigenous, African, and European – and a creativity expressed in colorful culture and arts. San Juan ! Old This blue-cobbled historic district of restored colonial buildings is the jewel in the capital city’s crown. Its delightful plazas, centuries-old cathedrals, and dramatic castles are wellpreserved reminders of a bygone era (see pp8–9). ,VDEHOD
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