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PUERTO RICO | San Juan, Puerto Rico Travel Guide
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
5 Of 7
Hato Rey & Río Piedras
Hato Rey
Southeast of Old San Juan onHwy. 1 (Avenida Luis Muñoz Rivera) orHwy. 25 (Avenida Ponce de León), the city’s financial district, Hato Rey, gleams with high-rise glass buildings. There is little to do here except lunch at one of the swanky eateries and watch businessmen talk money into their cell phones. The Plaza Las Américas shopping mall here is just like its US counterparts, with most of the same retail outlets and a cinema complex showing Hollywood blockbusters.
Río Piedras
Farther south, Río Piedras is home to the University of Puerto Rico. The large student population has given rise to a few trendy bars and nightclubs, and daytime highlights include a trip to the Jardín Botánico, 787-250-0000, ext. 6580, or 767-1710/763-4408, a lush, 75-acre botanical garden on Avenida Luis Muñoz Rivera. Part of the Estación Experimental Agricola in Mayagüez (and therefore part of the University of Puerto Rico), the gardens are well suited for visitors interested in tropical greenery. Walkways and a small trolley connect areas landscaped with ponds, oriental bridges and hundreds of species of tropical and subtropical plants and trees. Stop for a picnic (alcoholic beverages are not permitted on the grounds) under the shade of a cinnamon or nutmeg tree. Be sure to check out the awe-inspiring, giant lobster-claw plants and the Jardín Monet. Orchid lovers may phone ahead for access to a protected orchid garden housing more than 30,000 of the delicate flowers. Also in the university district, the biggest, freshest fruit and vegetable market in San Juan, Mercado de Río Piedras, has entirely taken over Paseo José de Diego, and is a fun place to haggle over bananas and zeppelin-sized watermelon. Afterwards, head to the Museo de Antropología, Historia y Arte, 787-764-0000, at the university, where all the treasures unearthed during archaeological digs end up if they don’t find their way into permanent collections elsewhere. Opening hours are fairly erratic, so call in advance.
Last updated November 26, 2007
Posted in Puerto Rico | San Juan
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