San Juan

San Juan is a place to park the car and walk. The terrain is hilly and the sidewalks steep, but walking is safer than driving under these conditions, and there is so much to see! There are many charming cafés at which to stop, rest and enjoy a cup of fine Puerto Rican coffee or a meal along the way.

The newer part of San Juan is a thoroughly modern, bustling city of more than a million people. A series of bridges link the inlet with the resort areas of Condado and Isla Verde as well as the residential communities of Santurce and the suburbs of Hato Rey and Rio Piedras.

Music is a special source of Puerto Rican pride, and the bold Latin beat is best characterized by the music and dance form known as salsa, which shares not only its name with the Spanish word for "hot sauce" but also a zesty, hot flavour. This fusion of West African percussion, jazz (especially swing) and big band and other Latin beats produces mambo, merengue, flamenco, cha-cha, and rumba.

San Juan is also home to more cerebral culture including ballet, fine drama and symphony orchestra performances. It is also the scene of many lively and colourful festivals, which can take place at any time due to the warm, sunny weather that is present year round. Government regulated casinos operate in the larger hotels, and provide enjoyment to many visitors. Most are open 20- 24 hours a day. Horse racing is another favourite sport on which to wager.

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