One of our first scenic sites was Parque de las Palomas, also known as “pigeon park.” This was the original main square for the city and is now a place where locals gather to relax with the morning paper, walk their dogs, or share an ice cream from one of the nearby street vendors.Ĭlose to Parque de las Palomas is a restaurant called La Barrachina, where we headed for lunch. I had no idea that this quaint city had such a European feel to it, enhanced by it’s own vibrant Caribbean charm. We enjoyed a couple of cappuccinos and snacked on some guava sticks, a tangy cookie that’s sort of like shortbread, but made with guava.Īfter coffee, we began our walking tour through the cobblestone streets and colorful historic architecture of Old San Juan. They have a microroaster in the center of the room and the relaxed farm-to-table vibe was the perfect place to start our morning.

Walking into the cafe, just the sharp, nutty scent of freshly roasted coffee was enough to wake us up even before taking our first sip. She knows I’m a big fan of great coffee, and this lovely place makes delightful artisan coffee drinks with beans grown and roasted right on the island. The first thing on our agenda was coffee at Cafe Cuatro Sombras, recommended by my friend Julie who used to live in San Juan.

All those great suggestions on social media helped us put together a fun day full of delicious foods, scenic sites, and a bit of shopping. While there were several fun excursions offered, my friend, Suzie, and I were most interested in trying out a few restaurants that had been recommended to us by friends on Facebook and Twitter. We used Carnival’s wifi to download a map and a self-guided walking tour of San Juan and we also asked our friends on Twitter and Facebook for recommendations about what to see and do. It was my first time ever visiting Puerto Rico and I was pretty excited to spend a whole day exploring this historic city. On my recent Carnival cruise, one of our destinations was San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Self guided walking tour san juan