Puerto Rico · best-of list
11 Top Things to Do in Puerto Rico
All 11 things to do our route editors picked in Puerto Rico, across 2 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect sights and experiences, with Ponce contributing the most (6).
Our curated picks
11 things to do in Puerto Rico, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Ponce 6 picks
Castillo Serralles
Ponce · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
1930s Spanish Revival mansion of the Don Q rum family on El Vigia hill, with gardens and views over the city.
Tip: Combine it with the Cruceta del Vigia lookout tower next door.
Photo: Ian Poellet · CC BY-SA 4.0
Catedral de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe
Ponce · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
Ponce's cathedral with twin silver-domed towers, standing in the middle of Plaza Las Delicias.
Photo: Ligocsicnarf89 · CC BY 4.0Cruceta del Vigia
Ponce · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
Cross-shaped observation tower on the hill where lookouts once watched for ships, with views of Ponce and the Caribbean.
Museo de Arte de Ponce
Ponce · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
Edward Durell Stone building holding one of the Caribbean's best European art collections, including Leighton's Flaming June.
Tip: Check opening days before you go; it is closed on some weekdays and holidays.
Photo: Jami430 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Parque de Bombas
Ponce · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
Red-and-black striped 1882 firehouse in the plaza, now a free museum of the city's fire brigade.
Photo: Ian Poellet · CC BY-SA 4.0
Plaza Las Delicias
Ponce · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
Ponce's main square, with the Fuente de los Leones, the cathedral, the firehouse and City Hall, all lit up in December.
Tip: Evenings in the plaza are the local ritual; come after dinner for the lights.
Photo: Katharine Liang · CC BY-SA 4.0
Old San Juan 5 picks
Castillo San Cristobal
Old San Juan · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
The largest Spanish fort in the Americas, completed in 1783, guarding the land approach to the old city.
Tip: Your El Morro ticket covers entry here too.
Photo: P. Hughes · CC BY 4.0
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Old San Juan · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
Six-level Spanish citadel begun in 1539 on the headland guarding San Juan Bay, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Tip: Go early before the heat; the lawn in front is where families fly kites in the late afternoon.
Photo: Nils Huenerfuerst · CC BY 4.0
Catedral de San Juan Bautista
Old San Juan · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
One of the oldest cathedrals in the Americas, rebuilt in the 1800s, holding the tomb of Juan Ponce de Leon.
Tip: Midnight Mass (Misa de Gallo) on Christmas Eve is held here.
Photo: Daderot · Public domain
Paseo de la Princesa
Old San Juan · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
Tree-lined 19th-century promenade along the bay under the city walls, ending at the Raices fountain.
Tip: Walk it at sunset and continue through the San Juan Gate into the old city.
Photo: P. Hughes · CC BY-SA 4.0
Plaza de Armas
Old San Juan · On our Old San Juan & Ponce route
Main square of the old city, in front of City Hall, with the island's Christmas tree and lit trees in December.
Photo: pasa47 · CC BY 2.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Puerto Rico?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 11 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Puerto Rico has the most things to do on this list?
Ponce has the most (6 of 11), followed by Old San Juan (5).
Are any of these free?
6 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Plaza Las Delicias, Catedral de San Juan Bautista, Paseo de la Princesa, Catedral de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Plaza de Armas, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Puerto Rico
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Ponce 6 on this list
- Old San Juan 5 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.