The grand edifice with a red-roofed dome, arches and porticos across from El Morro was an insane asylum during the 19th century; now it's a prestigious school of art and design. It's not open to the public but it holds regular exhibitions of the students' work.
Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño
San Juan
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.99 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…
0.27 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…
0.7 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…
0.09 MILES
This museum presents an impressive overview of cultural development in the Americas, including indigenous, African and European influences. Four permanent…
2.06 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…
23.42 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…
3.86 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…
6.57 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
1. Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña
0.08 MILES
Constructed in the mid-19th century as a shelter for the poor, this bright-yellow building houses the executive offices of this institute that organizes a…
0.09 MILES
This museum presents an impressive overview of cultural development in the Americas, including indigenous, African and European influences. Four permanent…
0.11 MILES
Built in 1854 as a military barracks, the cuartel is an impressive three-story edifice with large gates on two ends, a series of arches and a large…
0.11 MILES
Built in 1812, this tropical pink villa first served as barracks for Spanish troops. In 1881, it was converted into officers’ quarters. The building has…
0.14 MILES
First constructed in 1521 as a residence for Puerto Rico’s pioneering governor, Juan Ponce de León (who died before he could move in), Casa Blanca is the…
6. Cementerio Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis
0.14 MILES
This 19th-century cemetery sits just outside the old city's northern fortifications, backed by dazzlingly blue ocean. The colony’s earliest citizens are…
7. Plaza del Quinto Centenario
0.16 MILES
This modern square is shoehorned in among several architectural landmarks and offers great views over El Morro and the ocean beyond. Built in 1992 to…
0.21 MILES
This diminutive gem of a square with lovely views over the bay is home to an interesting, stylized bronze sculpture of a former bishop of San Juan and…