Explore Puerto Rico's splendid art and history during this picturesque tour of the Art Museum and City of San Juan.
Depart from the pier for the drive into New San Juan, and on to the San Juan Art Museum. This important non-profit museum opened in Spring 2000, and features spectacular paintings, sculptures, graphics, ceramics, folk art, photography, and other contemporary media produced by Puerto Rico's world-class artists over the past 500 years.
Upon arrival at the Art Museum, you will take a docent-guided tour. Along the way, you will see a permanent collection of Puerto Rican art from colonial to modern times and others on loan from other exhibitions. The highlight of your visit will be a stroll along the winding path of the picturesque 5-acre garden. You will pass by 100,000 plants and 16 tree species, as well as 14 beautiful sculptures commissioned from Puerto Rican artists.
Next, your drive will continue through portions of New San Juan en route to Old San Juan, an island connected by bridges to mainland Puerto Rico. Upon arrival, you will drive past Fort San Geronimo to charming Old San Juan, then on to Fort San Cristobal to explore this centuries-old fort. Visit the dungeon and Plaza Mayor with your driver/guide and then self explore the many displays available. After approximately 40 minutes you will re-board your vehicle for a city overview seeing many historic sites, including El Morro Fort, the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, San Jose Church, and Capilla de Cristo. Along the way, you will also see beautiful 17th-century Spanish ironwork on the restored old homes, and blue-black glazed cobblestones lining the narrow streets of the Old City. You will be dropped off at Plaza de Armas, the colorful central plaza of the Old City, located in front of City Hall. Then receive a shopper's map of Old San Juan, and have some free time to browse the interesting shops, boutiques and art galleries or you can also walk to some of the many interesting historical spots inaccessible by vehicle such La Fortaleza, San Juan Cathedral, the door of San Juan or La Rogativa. Following your visit to Old San Juan, you may opt to re-board the coach and return to the ship, or stay a little longer and return to the ship at your own expense.
Please note: The museum is constantly changing its exhibits; this may cause some sections of the museum to be inaccessible. The walking portion of the tour in Old San Juan involves travel over some uneven pavement and steep inclines, especially within the fortress. This tour is not recommended for guests with limited mobility or guests who utilize a wheelchair.