|
Along Calle de Cristo, heading towards Paseo de la Princesa, you'll find plenty of restaurants and cafes, several of them in El Convento , a gorgeous hotel that was once a nunnery, before you reach the Catedral de San Juan on the corner of Caleta de San Juan (daily 8am-5pm; Mass Mon-Fri 12.15pm, Sat 7pm, Sun 9am & 11am). Built around 1535 and restored in the nineteenth century, this Spanish colonial cathedral includes pieces of its original Gothic-style balustrades, archways, ceiling and stairwell. While it's not especially beautiful, it houses the remains of Ponce de Leon, as well as an eerie vestige of the Roman era - a mummy of the early Christian martyr San Pio. Across from the cathedral, the Museo del Nino , 150 Calle de Cristo (Tues-Thurs 9am-3.30pm, Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 12.30-5pm; US$2.50; tel 787/722-3791), offers hands-on fun for kids, who can play dress up or pretend to work at a barbershop, construction site and more. A few blocks south, the Casa del Libro , 255 Calle de Cristo (Tues-Sat 11am-4.30pm; US$2; tel 787/723-0354), is dedicated to the art of bookmaking, and boasts a collection of 6000 books - including 200 that predate the sixteenth century. The Capilla de Cristo lies at the end of Calle de Cristo (Mon, Wed & Fri 10.30am-3.30pm), a dainty stone chapel erected in 1753 at the foot of a precipice overlooking San Juan Bay. The reason for its construction is the subject of much dispute. Some believe it was built to celebrate a miracle after a young man raced up the hill on horseback, plummeted over the city wall into the sea, and survived. Others maintain that both horse and rider died, and the chapel was erected to ward off future mishaps. Next door is La Parque de las Palomas , home to flocks of what must be the Caribbean's best-loved pigeons, and regarded by Puerto Ricans as some sort of magical place. Locals not only feed the pigeons (a vendor sells bird feed on site), but they allow the normally bothersome birds to land on them, which they regard as a good omen. Even if birds are not your cup of tea, the park affords wonderful views of the bay and port.
Your Tip for Calle de Cristo
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Calle de Cristo - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Calle de Cristo - visit the main Calle de Cristo forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Calle de Cristo webguide section below! Thanks.
|
