Fine travel san juan: 5 Days in San Juan, Puerto Rico: The Perfect Itinerary

What to Do With Just 24 Hours in San Juan, Puerto Rico

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There’s a reason that Puerto Rico has been coined the “Island of Enchantment.” Over a year after being devastated by Hurricane Maria, which left the island in disarray, the destination has been reborn—and is more vibrant than ever before. The resorts, hotels, and restaurants are back in full-swing with absolutely breathtaking renovations and totally new offerings, the sparkling shores have been restored to their raw beauty, and the cultural provenances are more accessible with over 100 flights from the mainland daily (plus, no passport required from the States!). And while the Puerto Rican deserted sands—Flamenco in Culebra, Esperanza in Vieques, Ocean Park in San Juan—are always a safe bet for a sun- and sangria-filled, palm tree-lined beach day, the Caribbean island, particularly its capital city, has so many other attractive offerings. Here’s how you should spend a day there.

9:00 a.m.: First stop, Caficultura for delicious bites and local vibes. Located in the heart of the historic colonial section of the city, this charming café features open, floor-to-ceiling passageways, as well as an extensive coffee selection (virgin, and otherwise)—partially responsible for why you’ll be hard pressed to find a Dunkin’ Donuts on island.

10:30 a.m.: Old San Juan (one of the earliest European outposts in the New World with beginnings in 1509) has an uncanny ability to translate North American influences into Latin and Caribbean cultures. Along with its impeccably preserved architecture and laid-back charm, its ocean-blue cobblestones are meant to guide wanderlusts. Some must-sees include the cathedral on Cristo Street, as well as the central Plaza de Armas on San Francisco Street. Continue along Fortaleza Street until you reach the governor’s mansion on the western end—and be sure to leave time to stumble into the boutiques that are scattered along the town’s long, narrow streets for souvenir shopping.

12:30 p.m.: Owned and run by chef Mario Ormaza, a Jean-Georges veteran, Sabrina (inspired by the classic Audrey Hepburn film) offers traditional dishes with a tropical twist. Think: eggs benedict paired with mashed plantains or pancakes topped with bits of pineapple and mango. The effect is a total oasis.

2:00 p.m.: After you’ve refueled, head to two of the city’s major art museums (which happen to be within walking distance of each other) to discover both antique and contemporary local art. Begin with the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico where the history of the island’s art is spread throughout two floors worth of galleries, including a room dedicated to the 18th-century painter considered the first notable Puerto Rican artist, José Campeche. Then, take a 10-minute stroll to the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico, a former school building that now houses exhibitions honoring works by local and locally born artists.

5:00 p. m.: Just before sunset, visit the historic fortress, the Castillo San Felipe del Morro at the north end intersection of Del Morro Street and Norzagaray Street. The structure takes on a soft glow as the sun falls over the horizon (it’s open daily until 6 p.m.) and offers views of the bay and the ocean that are best savored when pink and orange bands of light begin to settle over the water. Construction on the castle began in 1539, when Spain was in control of San Juan. It’s from here that the Spanish forces fended off various maritime attacks, and you can peek through windows where cannons once stood.

7:00 p.m.: In the heart of Condado, Chloé serves international fare with an utterly Puerto Rican vibe. Opt for the classic margarita and sit on the rooftop patio for exceptional sunset views over the water.

9:00 p.m.: After dinner, take a walk down the Condado strip to Oceana, a hotel known for its popular restaurant and patio bar just inches from the beach. Order a fresh cocktail and partake in some great people-watching.

Where to Stay

The St. Regis Bahia Beach

Reopened at the beginning of the year after a massive, multi-million dollar renovation, American Express Fine Hotel & Resort property, Bahia Beach is nothing short of impressive. Be sure to take advantage of the complimentary kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes available throughout the resort’s massive complex (which also includes a premier golf course)—and catch the ceremonial champagne sabering in the evening, overlooking the stunning, unobstructed view of the ocean. Beyond the resort and amenities, the customer service is top notch—you’ll be lucky if you encounter Francisco, one of the butlers, who is as good as they come.

Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

The difference between a Ritz-Carlton and a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is the property’s historical relevance. And Dorado Beach (one of only three Reserve’s worldwide and another American Express Fine Hotel & Resort property) certainly has a place in history—it was once the private property of female pilot Clara Livingston (whose former five-bedroom mansion, Su Casa, is available as one of the resorts private residences) before the land was purchased and preserved by Laurance Rockefeller and later transformed into a hotel. Each room (the ocean-facing suites with personal infinity pools are by far superior) comes with a personal butler and sounds of the island’s signature frog, the Coquí. Perhaps most notable within the acres upon acres of property is the Spa Botánico, or better described as total sanctuary—even just the signature 60-minute Manos Santas Massage worked wonders.

San Juan Hotels Near Carli’s Fine Bistro & Piano- GDS Codes & Agent Commissions, San Juan Downtown Hotels- Hotel Search by Hotel & Travel Index: Travel Weekly

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San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, great place to stay

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is located in the Biscay town of Bermeo. , in the Basque Country. It is one of those places that stand out for its impressive natural beauty, a place that feels epic and timeless. He is so epic that he was chosen to represent Dragonstone Castle in the famous Game of Thrones series. But besides the fashion series, this place was already a tourist enclave that we couldn’t miss when visiting the Basque Country.

In this post we will see how to get to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe , who will also travel more and more because of the fame that the series has brought him. We will learn a little more about what we can see in and around this great rock, so the visit will be very complete.

Postcode

• 1 How to get to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
• 2 Visiting San Juan de Gaztelugatxe
• 3 Dragonstone in the Basque Country
• 4 Visits nearby

How to get to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

San Juan de Gaztelugatxe can be reached from Bermeo via Bermeo and Bakio road, BI-631 . This route is short, about 9 kilometers, although it is a secondary road, so it takes about twenty minutes. The nearest city is Bilbao if we want to fly in and then go to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. There are buses or we can take the same road, BI-631, if we go by car.

When it comes to parking, there are different tips, as you can usually park near the bridge, but sometimes they don’t leave, so you need to park further away, for example, a kilometer away. In any case, anyone can take a walk, and it’s worth it. When visiting the place, we must also take into account the fact that at in summer the place is quite busy and becomes a little more oppressive than in autumn or spring. Winter is also not the best time due to bad weather on the coast.

Visit San Juan de Gaztelugatxe

San Juan de Gaztelugache is an island that is connected to the mainland a footbridge with stone arches that you can walk on Yes, it leads to the hermitage on the island by walking over 200 steps. Those who are not in such good shape can just relax, as they usually stop to admire the beautiful scenery of the surroundings. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, you can step on the supposed footprint that St. John the Baptist left there. Climbing to the top, you will find a hermitage dedicated to Degollacion de San Juan dating back to the XNUMXth century. Tradition says that when you climb to the top, you need to ring the bell three times and make a wish. Without a doubt, this is a historical place full of stories and traditions.

Dragonstone in the Basque Country

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, this place is sure to look familiar despite the computer editing. Several locations in the Basque Country were chosen for to film in the seventh season and to represent Dragonstone . One of these places is the beach of Zumaya, also on the Basque coast, and the other is the islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, which is the place where the castle is located, merging in series with the beach area, which he believes they are together, and this is where Daenerys arrives in the final season. Today, this is another reason to visit this area of ​​the Basque Country, not only because of its beauty and traditions, but also because this is the place where the cult series of the moment was filmed. Fans of the series, of which there are many, will love to relive scenes from the series.

Visits nearby

Although this enclave is far from everything, the truth is that by car we can reach several places of interest in a short time. By just 35 km from the city of Bilbao. . In this city, we can visit the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Plaza Nueva or the Old Town of the city. This is the perfect place to stay as we will have a great offer. On the other hand, we can go to Bermeo, which is only 10 kilometers from San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. This coastal town is quiet and very beautiful, close to the famous Mundaka Beach and the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, Nature Reserve and River Estuary, another scenery worth adding to our trip.

Game of Thrones fans who have been to the Basque Country won’t be able to miss another visit. We are referring to Zumaya Beach, where another area of ​​Dragonstone was filmed. . This completes the trip to get acquainted with the setting of the world famous series. In addition, this beach is another landscape of extraordinary beauty, with a rocky landscape that leaves no one indifferent.

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San Juan Chamula – sacred Coke | Traveling in Mexico | stories and reports of travelers

H and at first glance San Juan Chamula is an ordinary village. Hills strewn with clay houses, everywhere women in thick black fleece skirts, belted with colored belts, and with pillows on their heads, men in white or black ponchos, also with fleece and in indispensable hats … However, the parallels with the ordinary world end here .

D San Juan Chamula’s main square is under shelling all the time. If they can’t stand the saints, then they definitely celebrate something, and in honor of this, a myriad of pyrotechnics are blown up. This time they carried out the saints. Firecrackers were not spared, some were torn right under their feet. Around the priests carrying the figures of saints, attendants paraded with white gladioli and firecrackers. Behind the procession, a gigantic crowd of parishioners flowed in orderly rows. It seemed to be another planet.

O The sensation intensified in the church of Templo de San Juan (San Juan, revered here, is none other than John the Baptist). To the left of the entrance is the light half, masculine, day, life and all that is good, and to the right is half the night, evil, feminine and dark forces. On the female half there are two windows, from which the light always falls on the day side, illuminating all that beauty that is associated with the masculine. We couldn’t help feeling that it was some kind of mystical horror film. Hundreds of candles were burning everywhere, Indians were sitting on the floor in the twilight, at the entrance others were strumming guitars and unfamiliar instruments with might and main.

T ut It should be noted that over the past twenty years, 30 thousand inhabitants, i. almost a third of the population were expelled from the communities of Chamula for “heresy, idolatry and disrespect for tradition”. They were evangelicals, Adventists, non-believers and other Catholics who simply considered their patron not San Juan, but some other saint. This is the basic principle of the religious policy of the Chamula authorities: now there is only one church. All the rest were destroyed, the houses of the Gentiles were burned, and they themselves and their families were expelled. This Indian people speaks the Tzotzil language, their beliefs are a mixture of Baptism, Catholicism, shamanism, pre-Hispanic traditions and their own inventions. Such, for example, as the deification of Coca-Cola (as well as Pepsi and other carbonated drinks) … This magical drink is everywhere here – even on the altars in front of kneeling parishioners.

K eye-cola – sacred. People believe that with a burp the evil spirit leaves the body. They used to drink something like pineapple mash for the same effect. But then civilization came and brought spirits in a bottle. I wonder if the management of the Coca-Cola Company knows that 60,000 people worship soda? The man who bought the soda franchise has millions here and the best house in the village, with columns and flowers at the entrance, while the rest have mud huts. Although some managed to get rich by selling candles, which are used here by the hundreds for rituals.

By , when a villager falls ill, he goes to the curandero shaman and asks him to cure him. The shaman stocks up on posh (local alcohol), eggs, three different sodas, candles and a live chicken, and they go to the church to perform the rite of exorcism.

In church , several such healing rites took place at the same time. Candles were lit on the floor. The shaman poured some posh and began to move the pile over the fire, speaking the disease. Gave a drink to the patient (and he did not lag behind). For one ritual, depending on the severity of the disease, one drinks from half to a whole bottle of posha (strength 35 degrees). Then the shaman inquired about the condition of the patient. The man complained of pain in his stomach, and the rite continued. After Posh, it’s time for Coke. When there was no relief after three bottles of soda, eggs were used (they smeared the patient), after which there was only one thing left – a chicken sacrifice: the disease had to go away with the death of the bird. Right here, in front of the images?! But at that moment the patient had a magical eructation, and he felt much better. The mission of the shaman was completed, and both, noticeably tipsy and with a surviving chicken under their arms, went home.

D The village left a strange and terrible feeling. As if we were shown how our world could develop. It’s good that we are different.

Travel tips:

Mexico is a Catholic country, processions gather millions of believers.