Old San Juan History Walking Tour: Discover Puerto Rico's Vibrant Past with Historians
4.6
14 Ratings
San Juan
Explore the vibrant history of Old San Juan on a guided walking tour led by certified historians. Discover the colonial architecture, fortified walls, and cultural landmarks while enjoying delicious local treats.
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Plaza Colon - Our experienced tour guide will meet you at Plaza Colón, you will learn about the history and stories behind this 500-year-old cobblestoned city.
  • Casa Museo Felisa Rincon de Gautier - Learn about the life and works of the first female mayor of San Juan, Doña Fela. Also visitors will have the opportunity to see up close a typical colonial San Juan house.
  • Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista - Explore the second oldest cathedral in the Americas and the first cathedral built in Puerto Rico.
  • Cuartel de Ballaja - Visit the last massive building made by the Spanish in Puerto Rico. Walk through its hallways and savor a delicious cup of coffee at Cafe Don Ruiz
  • La Casa Estrecha - Take a photo op at San Juan’s narrowest house and its view
  • Cuartel de Ballaja - Explore the last massive building made by the Spanish in Puerto Rico. Be amazed by the largest courtyard of Old San Juan.
  • Iglesia de San Jose - Visit San Juan’s oldest church. Your tour guide will take you through all the details that decorate this church. Learn about the history of this church during the Spanish American War’s attack to San Juan.
  • Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud - Learn about the urban legend of La Capilla del Cristo. Learn about the miracle that took place in this street.
  • Castillo San Felipe del Morro - Be amazed by the history of the fortifications that once bordered the whole city. Your tour guide will give you free time to visit the fort’s surroundings.
What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • Snacks
Additional Information

El Viejo San Juan isn’t just an average location, it’s akin to an open-air historical showcase. Join us for our engaging Old San Juan Historical Walking Tour, where you’ll be guided by either Laura or Miguel, esteemed historians and certified tour guides. These professionals possess a passionate interest in history, with advanced degrees in Puerto Rican and Caribbean history. As you explore our city, half a millennium in age, you’ll gain insight into its rich past and vibrant culture. Your journey will take you down narrow, color-splashed lanes and past significant landmarks, soaking up the city’s unique colonial architecture and marvelling at the protective walls that once shielded the islet from foreign invasions. Of course, no visit would be complete without savoring a delightful limber and indulging in some Puerto Rican coffee at one of the finest establishments in town, Cafelab.

Please be informed that our tour is wheelchair-friendly. If you require this accommodation, please specify while booking so our tour guides can make necessary arrangements.

Location
Plaza Colón
Meeting Place: Colón Square, in the benches next to the Colón statue. Your tour guide will text or call you once he/she arrives to site. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to start time.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(14 Ratings)
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Emily_d
Mar 20, 2024
A perfect taste of Old San Juan - Laura was very knowledgeable, had great answers to questions, and it was the right amount of time to get a good taste of the city.
Review provided by Viator
Doriana_r
Mar 1, 2024
Excellent tour of Old San Juan - My husband and I had an amazing tour of Old San Juan with Miguel Garcia. He was extremely knowledgeable of the city with its incredible history and made it so much fun! We highly recommend using him. You will not be dissappointed.
Review provided by Viator
Sarahfu8786br
Feb 26, 2024
History plus more! - Miguel was awesome! He answered all of our questions and had further expertise about the ecology and botany of the area. His enthusiasm and flexibility are an asset for learning.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Snyderhayes
Feb 20, 2024
Historical walking tour - Miguel was knowledgeable and fun to spend the morning with. He customized the discussion to fit our interests while still providing lots of historical value. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rebekah_s
Feb 13, 2024
Knowledgeable and friendly tour guide - Miguel Garcia was a wonderful tour guide! He is very knowledgeable and personable and answered all our questions, even about the local plants and animals. Old San Juan was even more beautiful and interesting than I expected! Miguel took the time to point out restrooms, a place to buy water for $1, and he recommended great restaurants that we tried. He even explained more about local Puerto Rican food when we asked. I would highly recommend him!
Review provided by Viator
N4604czlindae
Feb 12, 2024
Cultural understandings. - Historic walk of San Juan was the perfect beginning of our winter getaway vacation. Tour guide Miguel shared his knowledge of culture, history, economics, and people of Puerto Rico. His humble yet highly educated approach opened our minds to great curiosity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dreamer41210471139
Jan 31, 2024
Highly recommended! - Our guide was wonderful! He filled the 3 hour tour with fascinating facts about the history of Old San Juan. He answered all our many questions while pointing out buildings, sculptures , and landmarks.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vayo_m
Jan 20, 2024
Great experience - We had the great time with the tour. Especially, Miquel was such an amazing tour guide. He was so nice, passionate and friendly. He explained a lot and answered a lot of our question. I would recommend him. The best guide ever.
Review provided by Viator
Chris
Jan 20, 2024
Great Old San Juan walking tour - The tour was excellent & our guide, Miguel Garcia, was the best. He was very knowledgeable, pleasant, & answered all of our questions. I would highly recommend this tour & Miguel.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan_l
Jan 8, 2024
Friendly, knowledgeable guide but disconnect in description and duration of tour - Our guide Laura was very friendly and happy to answer questions. I would say though that there is a big gap between what is promised in the online tour description and what we actually did. In addition, there was a big time gap as well, as our tour only lasted two hours. I would say the tour either needs to run the full 3 hours, or the price should be lowered to reflect the shorter tour. Per the description and our experiences next to the ** What's included: Bottled water Limbers or the PR version of the snow cone Entry/Admission - Casa Museo Felisa Rincon de Gautier Entry/Admission - Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista Entry/Admission - Cuartel de Ballaja Entry/Admission - La Casa Estrecha What to Expect: Stop At: Plaza Colon, Calle Calz. de los Heroes 908, La Martinica, San Juan 00901 Puerto Rico. Our experienced tour guide will meet you at Plaza Colón, you will learn about the history and stories behind this 500-year-old cobblestoned city.Duration: 20 minutes **We met here and got some overviews of the city and culture. Stop At: Casa Museo Felisa Rincon de Gautier, Caleta de San Juan No. 51, Esquina Clara Lair, San Juan 00901 Puerto Rico. Learn about the life and works of the first female mayor of San Juan, Doña Fela. Also visitors will have the opportunity to see up close a typical colonial San Juan house. Duration: 20 minutes **We did not tour this museum. Stop At: Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista, Calle del Cristo 151-153, San Juan 00901-1521 Puerto Rico. Explore the second oldest cathedral in the Americas and the first cathedral built in Puerto Rico. Duration: 30 minutes **We entered and toured the cathedral. Stop At: Cuartel de Ballaja, Calle Norzagaray Corner Calle del Morro, San Juan 00901 Puerto Rico. Visit the last massive building made by the Spanish in Puerto Rico. Walk through its hallways and savor a delicious cup of coffee at Cafe Don Ruiz. Duration: 15 minutes **We did not enter the barracks or have coffee; we walked through the center of the courtyard and out the other side. Stop At: La Casa Estrecha, 101 Calle de Tetuan Old San Juan, San Juan 00901-1811 Puerto Rico. Take a photo op at San Juan's narrowest house and its view. Duration: 5 minutes. **We did not enter the narrow house; we talked in front of it. Stop At: Cuartel de Ballaja, Calle Norzagaray Corner Calle del Morro, San Juan 00901 Puerto Rico.Explore the last massive building made by the Spanish in Puerto Rico. Be amazed by the largest courtyard of Old San Juan. Duration: 10 minutes **Mentioned above, we walked through the courtyard. Stop At: Iglesia de San Jose, Calle del Cristo Plaza de San José, San Juan 00901 Puerto Rico. Visit San Juan's oldest church. Your tour guide will take you through all the details that decorate this church. Learn about the history of this church during the Spanish American War's attack to San Juan. Duration: 20 minutes. **We did not enter or tour this church. Stop At: Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Salud, 1 Calle Del Cristo, San Juan 00901 Puerto Rico. Learn about the urban legend of La Capilla del Cristo. Learn about the miracle that took place in this street. Duration: 10 minutes **We talked in front of the gates. Stop At: Castillo San Felipe del Morro, 501 Calle Norzagaray, San Juan 00901-1213 Puerto Rico. Be amazed by the history of the fortifications that once bordered the whole city. Your tour guide will give you free time to visit the fort's surroundings. Duration: 30 minutes. **We did not get to explore the fort. We talked about it in the distance as we walked by. This is one stop I especially wish we could have explored in person as described in the tour.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 10 guests
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June 2024
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