On the point called La Puntilla, this low fortress is a former Spanish naval station, and the last place to house Spanish forces after the US victory in the Spanish-American War. Today it is home to the fine- and decorative-arts divisions of the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, and hosts periodic exhibitions in three galleries.
El Arsenal
San Juan
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.48 MILES
El Yunque National Forest is one of Puerto Rico’s crown jewels with nearly 29,000 acres of lush, mountainous terrain scattered with waterfalls, rushing…
0.82 MILES
A star of Old San Juan, brooding El Morro sits atop a headland, deterring would-be attackers. The 140ft walls (some up to 15ft thick) date to 1539 and it…
0.55 MILES
The city's second major fort is one of the largest Spanish-built military installations in the Americas. In its prime, it covered 27 acres with a maze of…
0.49 MILES
This museum presents an impressive overview of cultural development in the Americas, including indigenous, African and European influences. Four permanent…
1.76 MILES
This sheltered arc's raked sand, decent surf breaks, local action and a 17th-century Spanish fort shimmering in the distance are the hallmarks of what's…
23.2 MILES
The St Christopher canyon is so unexpected – both in location and appearance – that it takes many a breath away. The deep green chasm seemingly drops out…
3.41 MILES
San Juan boasts one of the largest and most celebrated art museums in the Caribbean. Housed in a splendid neoclassical building that was once the city’s…
6.14 MILES
With countless tanned bodies lounging or flexing their biceps around the volleyball net, this urban beach basks in its reputation as the Copacabana of…
Nearby San Juan attractions
0.14 MILES
Conjuring up a distinctly European feel, broad Paseo de la Princesa is a 19th-century esplanade just outside the city walls. Lined with antique…
0.17 MILES
Built against the outside wall of the city, this long, gray and white building, once a jail, now houses the headquarters of the Puerto Rico Tourism…
0.18 MILES
Once the residence of a political reformer and Puerto Rico’s first representative to the Spanish court, this 18th-century house is now the headquarters of…
0.2 MILES
At the waterfront end of Paseo de la Princesa, this fountain was built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Spain's 'discovery' of the New World. The…
0.2 MILES
On the southern end of Calle del Cristo, the pigeon-filled Parque de las Palomas is in a tree-shaded cobblestone courtyard on the top of the city wall,…
0.2 MILES
Bibliophiles will enjoy this tiny but worthwhile collection of more than 5000 manuscripts and texts that date back 2000 years. The collection includes one…
0.21 MILES
Since 1780, tens of thousands of penitents have come to pray for miracles at the Capilla del Cristo, the tiny sanctuary at the end of a pedestrian street…
0.23 MILES
A two-story Baroque building dating from 1792, Palacio Rojo once served as the living quarters for Spanish commanding officers. Today it houses…