Puerto Rico
– a state located on the island of the same name in the Caribbean Sea. Translated from Spanish, its name means “rich port,” and although it originally meant something completely different, these days it clearly explains the popularity of Puerto Rico among tourists from all over the world. Resorts for every taste and ideal beach holidays are just the tip of the iceberg; Today we’ll tell you about the treasures of Puerto Rico – places you can’t help but fall in love with.
1. Living history
New generations of island residents respect the heritage of their ancestors, so in Puerto Rico, modern hotels peacefully and organically coexist with centuries-old buildings. San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, was built in layers, so that within the city limits you can see any of the historical eras. Thus, the famous Spanish restaurant La Mallorquina opened 150 years ago. The best paella on the island is served, as it was a century and a half ago, in walls painted with paintings of elegant ladies of the 19th century. The city itself is surrounded by the wall of Fort Fuerte San Felipe del Moro, which is close to 500 years old. The first Christian church in the Western Hemisphere was also built here. The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista, which adorns the center of the old city, was built of wood in 1521 and later restored with stone. A gem of a trip back in time is the Tibs Indian Ceremonial Center in Ponce, a restored village of the Arawak Indians who lived in the Caribbean in 25 BC. This center will soon turn 2000 years old!
2. Festivals for any occasion
No matter what time of year you decide to visit Puerto Rico, you are sure to find some colorful festival. The easy-going nature and cheerful disposition of Puerto Ricans make even a modest event a holiday. Parades and performances take place here for any occasion, be it a festival of orchids or pineapples, beer or sugar cane and… the list is still very far from ending! The street festival of San Sebastian is celebrated on a large scale, during which a colorful parade is held, dances are held, and tents are set up with traditional treats and works of art by local craftsmen. Every year since the 1970s, thousands of tourists flock to the old town of San Juan in mid-January to be part of the loudest and most fun festival in Puerto Rico.
3. Traditional crafts
During colonial times, Puerto Rico was a rich port in terms of exports, with coffee, sugar and tobacco being grown extensively on the island. Nowadays, farms and plantations have passed to private owners and continue to produce excellent quality goods using traditional technologies. Excursions to cane and coffee plantations will be especially interesting for families, since here children will be able to get acquainted with real rural life and see with their own eyes that sugar and coffee do not grow in a supermarket. And in the city of Vega Baja there is a farm where horses are bred and trained, where you can communicate with these smart and kind animals.
4. Dancing until the morning
Salsa is the hallmark of Puerto Rico. Everyone always dances here, as if they were born on the dance floor. In the evenings, catchy rhythms can be heard from cafes and restaurants, musicians perform here and there, and dressed-up people dance until the morning. If you don’t feel confident getting on the dance floor, you can start by taking a lesson; Many cafes and clubs host special training evenings for beginners. Well, if your interest in salsa goes beyond night dancing, take a tour of San Juan called the Salsa Route. The tour passes through old music stores, themed monuments, bars and restaurants, gradually revealing the history of the development of salsa as an integral part of Puerto Rican culture.
5. Rum and pastries
Puerto Rican rum is the main ingredient in many local cocktails, including the famous Pina Colada, which was invented here. Instead of the well-known Bacardi, be sure to try local rums that you are unlikely to find anywhere else, such as DonQ, Palo Viejo, Ron Llave or Ron del Barrilito.
After a night of adventure, the most enjoyable morning activity is a leisurely brunch at Panadería. This is the name given to street bakeries in Puerto Rico that are open in the morning. They serve excellent coffee, fresh pastries, hearty breakfasts and lunches. There are dozens of these bakeries all over the island, in every city.
6. Nature
It’s worth driving a little further from the beaches into the interior of the island, and wild landscapes will open up before you, striking in their beauty. The main natural attractions of Puerto Rico are the Camuy River Cave Park, which is a long cave with an underground river, the Parguera Nature Reserve with a complex system of coral reefs, and the tropical forest of the El Yunque National Reserve. The island of Puerto Rico is relatively small, you can travel around it by car in one day, so sightseeing tours are popular here, where in one trip you can see caves, mangroves, coral reefs, manatees, Puerto Rican frogs and rare birds.
7. Vieques and Culebra
These two strange words are the names of small satellite islands located east of Puerto Rico, which can be reached by ferry from Fajardo or by small plane from San Juan. On the island of Culebra there is Flamenco Beach, where old rusty tanks can be seen from the sand, abandoned here forty years ago – a surreal setting for memorable photographs. And Zoni Beach is favored by sea turtles, who crawl here to lay eggs. On the island of Vieques, you need to stay the night and spend it in Mosquito Bay, a bay full of bioluminescent plankton that glows with bright neon lights at night. During the day, you should go to Sun Bay Beach to watch wild horses. Both islands have beautiful beaches, hotels and restaurants, so you can stay there for a few days and have a relaxing holiday while on vacation.
You remember that it is best to buy travel in a “package”.
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