The seven-block walled town on the western tip of the San Juan islet — what most travellers come for. Blue-cobblestone streets laid in a regular grid, two-storey colonial townhouses painted in faded pastels, the great forts at the north and west ends, and a coastal promenade running the whole length of the south side. Old San Juan is small enough to walk end-to-end in twenty minutes and dense enough to keep you busy for two days.
The action is on Calles Fortaleza, San Francisco, and del Cristo — restaurants, bars, ice cream shops, art galleries, and the small boutiques that have replaced most of the old neighbourhood stores. North of the cathedral, the streets are quieter and residential; the western edge along the bay is the most photogenic. Sunday mornings, when the cruise ships have not yet docked, are the best time to walk it.