San Juan cruise port. What hotels in San Juan have nice views? Top things to do in and around the Port of San Juan
Helpful information for tourists about San Juan in Argentina - geographical position, tourist infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.
San Juan is the capital of the province of the same name, which is located in western Argentina. The city was originally founded on the banks of the San Juan River by conquistador Juan Jufre in 1562, and named after John the Baptist. The city was moved 2.5 km south in 1593 after it was flooded. The 1944 Sanjuan earthquake was the main Argentine tragedy of the 20th century. More than 10 thousand people died, some cathedrals and many other buildings were destroyed. The new Cathedral of St. John opened in 1979, and immediately became one of the main attractions of San Juan. And later the famous Felix Aguilar Observatory was created. Argentine President D.F. Sarmiento was born in this city. An airport, a theater and a local radio station are named after him, and the city also has a monument and house museum dedicated to him. This modern city with wide streets, with big amount various types of trees irrigated by canals, which is why it is also called an oasis city.
Tourism in San Juan is centered around wine production and tasting. The city is also popular for its unusual rock formations in places like national park Ischigualasto National Park, including Valle de la Luna. Tourists are also attracted to this city by the chronicles of the Triassic period located here, which are considered one of the most significant in the world. Another attraction is the Sanctuary of Difunta Correa, located 64 km from San Juan. The city has several interesting museums. The Archaeological Museum is located in La Laya, about 25 km from the city center. The culture of the many peoples who lived in San Juan before the arrival of the Spaniards in 1560 is represented here. You will be able to see a priceless collection of Indian artifacts, rock paintings and other history of the Tulum Valley, covering the last 8,500 years. The Franklin Rawson Museum of Fine Art is located in the city center. There you can see collections of paintings and sculptures, engravings and drawings made by the greatest masters. IN historical museum Agustina Gnecco presents objects made in the 18th and 19th centuries, Creole silverware and also historical collections of numismatics and philately. The Museum of Natural Sciences is located in the former railway station and is famous for its collection of dinosaur fossils, found mainly in the Ischigualasto Valley. There is even a Tango House where you can see the history and development of Argentine tango in the 20th century.
Serafina Beach Hotel is located in San Juan, 6 km from Fort San Felipe del Morro. This hotel features a terrace and is close to Condado Lagoon and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Let's start from the beginning: we were greeted very friendly and checked in quickly. The view from the room is cool (everything matches the photo :)). the room is clean. it was quiet and calm (which is what I wanted). I liked that they provide free water. The breakfasts are delicious, filling and the portions are simply huge. I didn’t manage to swim on the beach and I don’t think it’s impossible because of the rocks nearby (the waves hit them hard), but you can safely swim in the pool. Special thanks to the staff for their friendliness and willingness to always help.
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Average price/night: RUB 15,488.
9.1 Excellent 189 reviews
San Juan
Hyatt House San Juan is located just 5 minutes' drive from historic San Juan and Condado Beach. It features free Wi-Fi, an outdoor swimming pool and a restaurant. Great place to stay just a few minutes of bus/taxi ride to the Old San Juan. Very clean and great staff, giving good service and make the stay fantastic. Really great breakfast.
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Average price/night: RUB 9,856.
9.0 Excellent 885 reviews
Ocean Park, San Juan
Dream Inn PR is a 5-minute walk from Barbosa Park and Ocean Park Beach. It features a swimming pool and a beautiful indoor fountain. Extremely friendly and helpful staff, lovely place to stay! Breakfast is in the form of vouchers for the nearby (and famous) Kasalta Bakery. Also it's very close to a Walgreens and there are many restaurants and bars nearby.
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Average price/night: RUB 9,409.
9.2 Excellent 118 reviews
Hotel in Condado, San Juan
AC Hotel by Marriott San Juan Condado is located in the Condado district of San Juan, 6 km from Fort San Felipe del Morro. It features a year-round outdoor pool, spa and restaurant. Probably the prettiest hotel we’ve ever stayed at! Everything was excellent. The pool area was beautiful and clean. Our room was absolutely perfect! Everything is so modern and beautiful.
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Average price/night: RUB 9,655.
9.1 Excellent 510 reviews
Featuring local art and a cozy terrace, Hotel Old San Juan is located less than 3 km from Castillo de San Cristobal. The hotel also has a bar fridge. Location of the property is amazing, right in the center of old San Juan. The hotel is artistic and very nicely decorated, small and well managed. staff is very friendly and helpful. The room we stayed in was very romantic and spacious, it has windows but they are facing the courtyard so u can"t really open them, so it"s dark, it that gives the mood and at the end u re not there all day . there is a beautiful terrace on top of the building so u can go and enjoy ur drink with the view.
Puerto Rico is considered almost the 51st state of America, i.e. is under the control of the United States, but is not an integral part of it (the validity of the US Constitution on the territory is limited, the supreme power belongs to the US Congress, but the territory has its own system of self-government).
In short, American visas (or, as we have, ESTA permits) had to be shown before visiting this state. Because of this, before disembarking, a huge queue lined up along the entire length of the boardwalk of our Independence.
Coming ashore, we were greeted by a very good weather. My friends and I decided to visit a real tropical forest, which is located an hour’s drive from the capital in the El-Yunque National Park. As the guide promised, a real tropical jungle with waterfalls awaited us.
We immediately formed our mini-group at the port. This is what always usually happens - while we are finding out the prices and proposed routes, several people from the ship themselves come up to us and ask where we are going and if they can come with us. We are always happy to share our journey with the district residents.
We rented a minibus for 8 people, the price was slightly reduced - at first it was offered at $50, but we agreed on $45 per person. After the forest, they also promised to take us around the city, take us to the beach and show us Old San Juan.
On the way to the reserve we drove through the capital. San Juan is a city of contrasts, there are high-rise buildings, and there are also not very brilliant, to put it mildly, neighborhoods.
After some time we found ourselves in the rain forest of El Yunque National Park. Mount El Yunque, where the reserve itself is located, rises 575m above sea level. Of course, here you can get acquainted with all the variety of extraordinary Caribbean plants. There are even thousand-year-old trees and exotic plants. The bus climbed a steep road, surrounded on all sides by centuries-old tropical plants. The guide told us in detail what the tree is called.
There were several stops during the tour. The first stop introduced us to one of the many waterfalls in this park. Not Iguassu, of course, but still quite interesting to see the local attractions.
You can find small waterfalls everywhere in the park, so it’s very pleasant to be in the forest, cool and fresh from them. But there is also frequent rain, so it is recommended to take something with you to cover yourself. We were lucky, not a drop fell!
Nature appears here in its original form - lush vegetation all around. Not a bad setting for any movie about ancient world, about dinosaurs. By the way, no poisonous reptiles are found in these tropical forests.
Next we climbed Yokahu Observation Tower, which offers a breathtaking view of the entire surrounding forest and even the coast can be seen in the distance.
Such an easy, pleasant walk around tropical forest It turned out that it was quite interesting to visit the centuries-old trees and plants, and visit the local waterfalls.
After the jungle we headed back towards the city and stopped at one of the beaches to look at the powerful waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
We admired the ocean for a bit and continued sightseeing tour according to San Juan. We didn’t get off the bus because we had already walked through the tropical forest and just wanted to follow the pictures from the window. We saw the Capitol (Capitolio de Puerto Rico) - Legislative Assembly Puerto Rico, home of the Senate and House of Representatives.
Fort San Felipe del Morro (Castillo San Felipe del Morro), named after the Spanish king Philip II (Felipe II; 1527-1598), is a powerful fortified fortress located on the northwestern tip of the island.
The Telurico Totem, a giant column of black granite and ceramics by Puerto Rican artist Jaime Suárez, was erected in 1992 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of the New World.
After the end of the excursion, as per tradition, we went onto the ship to have lunch and then went out for another 1.5 hours to stroll through the streets of San Juan before sailing. A cute town with ancient architecture. Merchants are not asleep - they offer souvenirs right on the road, not far from the liners. We just wandered along the streets and took in the atmosphere, so to speak. We accidentally wandered into an interesting salon of fashionable designer clothes. We met the owner, a very nice girl.
Those who do not like to travel on foot can choose another method of transportation, for example, by horse-drawn carriage or mini-train.
And we're back on board, thanks for the ride! Nice island, interesting.
Where is San Juan Cruise Port?
San Juan Cruise Port is the largest in the Caribbean and has 2 cruise terminals.
Transit ships moor at the Old San Juan Cruise Terminal, which is located in the city center and has 6 berths. Liners whose route starts from San Juan, except Carnival Victory, use the Pan American Pier terminal. Its location is a little worse, but it is closer to the airport.
How to get to San Juan Cruise Port
There is a direct connection between the airport and the Old San Juan Cruise Terminal. At the airport you need to take the T5 bus at stop No. 1022. Bus fare is $0.75. Children under 2 years old are free. Entrance to the bus is only through the front door, payment at the entrance, the driver does not give change. Travel time is 53 minutes, the bus leaves every half hour. Please note that this route does not operate on Sundays. Getting from the airport to the cruise port will only be possible by making 3 transfers; the travel time will take about 2 hours. We strongly recommend taking a taxi on this day. The taxi ride from one area to another is fixed. Drivers turn on the meter only when driving in one area. A taxi ride from the airport to the cruise port will cost around $30-35.
Shops and cuisine of San Juan
The main streets for shopping in the old town are Christ, Fortaleza and San Francisco streets. Here you can buy souvenirs popular among tourists: wooden figurines of saints, coca frogs, carnival masks made of coconut and papier-mâché, lace, musical instruments and, of course, excellent Bacardi, Barrilito and Don Qu rum. Pay attention to the local coffee, which has been supplied to the Vatican since the 19th century.
The modern and very large Plaza las Americas shopping center is 15 minutes' drive from the cruise terminal. This is one of the best shopping centers throughout the Caribbean! There are a lot of different stores, a good selection, constant promotions and discounts, and very polite staff. You can get there by taxi or bus with one change.
We recommend trying the roasted pig Lechon. Before roasting on a spit, it is marinated for 24 hours, due to which it acquires an absolutely delicious taste. The staple food in Puerto Rico is soups. One of the most famous soups is black bean soup. Another classic soup is chicken with rice. It may taste slightly different depending on the restaurant. The third classic soup is fish soup, prepared with fish heads and tails.
Try also all kinds of fruits: mango, guava, papaya, avocado, acerola (Barbados cherry), star fruit. Bananas are the most popular side dish served in any restaurant. Moreover, this is not just a raw fruit, but fried green bananas. The national drink in Puerto Rico is, of course, rum. 80% of all rum consumed in the United States comes from this island.
Routes, excursions, transport in the port of San Juan
A tourist train runs through the old town. Interestingly, you can ride it completely free of charge. Opening hours are from Monday to Friday from 7 am to 7 pm, and from Saturday to Sunday from 9 am to 7 pm. The train has 3 different routes, all of which start from stop number 1, which is located across the street from the cruise terminal. The route name is located on the front of the cart under glass.
What to see in the vicinity of San Juan
The largest rum factory in the world, Bacardi, is located 18 km from the capital. Here you can see the entire manufacturing process, visit the Bacardi Family Museum, and also taste and buy the rum you like. Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 09:30 to 16:30, Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00. Cost from $15 per person. You can get there from ferry pier No. 4.
25 km east of the capital is the country's best reserve, El Yunque - the Caribbean National Forest.
The most best beaches near San Juan are located 6 km from the pier to the east - Cornado and Ocean Park. They can be reached by public transport. Cornado beach is located a little closer to the terminal, you can get there by buses T3 or T21 every day, except on Sundays, the travel time is about 50 minutes. Ocean Park Beach can be reached by buses T5, T21, D53 or T3 every day except Sunday. Travel time is about an hour.
Currency of San Juan
The national currency of Puerto Rico is the US dollar. The US dollar is often called "peso" on Puerto Rican price tags.
In all major populated areas There are many automated teller machines (ATMs), and some of them, designated ATH ("a todas horas" - "at any hour"), are located in banks, supermarkets, casinos and most large hotels) operate around the clock. Stores with sales tax refund ( tax free) not in the country.
Where to stay before and after your cruise?
To stop at the port before your cruise, try Airbnb, where you can rent a full-fledged apartment for the price hotel room. By registering using our link you will receive coupon for 2100 rub. for your first stay from RUB 4,500!
Top things to do in and around the Port of San Juan
These hotels have been selected by us based on own experience, and the experiences of other cruise travelers. Determining factors when choosing: proximity to the San Juan cruise terminal, the ability to quickly and easily get to the ship, as well as the airport or train station.
The city of San Juan is the administrative center of the province of San Juan, which is located in the westArgentina. The province is surrounded by two mountain ranges:Andes-in the west andSierra de Valle –in the east.On the west, the province of San Juan bordersChile, on other sides the province is surroundedLa Rioja,San Luis, Mendoza.
How to get to San Juan
There are no direct flights to Argentina from Russia. To get to the citySan Juanyou need to fly to Buenos Aires and then fly to the city on local airlinesSan Juan. Most often flightsto Argentina are carried out with a transfer or connection in Europe. 5 km fromSan Juanlocated aairportSan Juan (codeIATA: UAQ). From Buenos Airesbefore San JuanYou can fly by direct flight in 2 hours.
Air ticket search engineAviasaleshelpbarksto buy cheap tickets for your clients by comparing the cost of air tickets toSan Juanin 45 agencies, 5 reservation systems and 728 airlines. You decide which airline to buy plane tickets to the city from San Juan, Argentina. To find out the cost of tickets and plane schedules, use the search form.
Attractions San Juan
Ischigualasto National Park (Parque de Ischigualasto)
The park is locatedin the northern part of the province of San Juan.More200 million years ago in these placesliveddinosaurs whose traces were found in the park. In 1941, the first skull of a huge lizard was found here. Still at archaeological excavations they find the remains of the most ancient known dinosaurs on the planet. Besides the remains The dinosaur park attracts stupid people with unreal landscapes. The Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna) is extremely popular. From north to national park adjoins.
