{"id":25431,"date":"2021-02-22T09:04:07","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T08:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travelandkeepfit.com\/2021\/02\/01\/puerto-rico-practical-guide\/"},"modified":"2023-03-30T14:21:23","modified_gmt":"2023-03-30T12:21:23","slug":"puerto-rico-practical-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travelandkeepfit.com\/en\/2021\/02\/22\/puerto-rico-practical-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Puerto Rico \u2013 practical guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Puerto Rico brings together elements of Latin and American culture. It is one of the centers where salsa was developed and it is the birthplace of reggaeton music popular in Latin American countries, but not only. Puerto Rico is a place of beautiful beaches, a tropical climate, and colonial architecture that provides many opportunities to spend time actively.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Puerto Rico – the most important information<\/strong><\/h2>

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Puerto Rico<\/strong> is a Caribbean island<\/strong> – part of the Greater Antilles archipelago<\/strong> – situated between the Caribbean Sea<\/strong> and the Atlantic Ocean<\/strong>. Geographically, it is part of North America<\/strong> and its region – Central America<\/strong>, the Caribbean. Culturally, it is part of Latin America<\/strong>. When it comes to the political affiliation of the island it is quite complicated – it is an unincorporated organized territory of the United States with the status of the commonwealth. Long story short, Puerto Rico is under the jurisdiction of the United States<\/strong>, but only selected elements of the American constitution are valid here. The official languages of the island are English and Spanish.<\/p>

The territory of Puerto Rico is 9104 km\u00b2<\/strong> with a population of approx. 3.35 million people<\/strong>. The capital and largest city of the island is San Juan<\/strong>, with a population of about 381,000 people, with a beautiful old town and colonial architecture. Other important cities include Bayam\u00f3n, Carolina, Ponce, Caguas, Guaynabo, Mayag\u00fcez, Trujillo Alto, Arecibo. The territory of Puerto Rico also includes smaller islands, such as Culebra, Vieques, and Mona.<\/p>

In 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island for Europe<\/strong>. At the beginning of the 16th century, that is, the year 1508 – the Spanish settlement began. At the end of the 19th century, the independence movement was established. In 1897, the island received extensive autonomy from Spain, but a year later, as a result of the American-Spanish war, it was taken over by the United States. In 1917, the island was granted autonomy, and its inhabitants – American citizenship<\/strong>. Puerto Rico in Spanish means rich port. The islanders call themselves Boricua.<\/p>

The shoreline is uniform and poorly developed. Only on the western and southern coasts, you can find small peninsulas and bays. On the coast, there are picturesque beaches, and in the south – lagoons. The ‘inside’ of the island is mountainous and upland. The most important mountain range is the Cordillera Central<\/strong> and the highest peak of these mountains and the whole island is the Cerro de Punta<\/strong> (1,388 m above sea level). In the north-eastern part is the Sierra de Luquillo range with the highest peak, El Yunque (1,065 m above sea level). Another range is the Sierra de Cayey. The lowlands are located mainly in the coastal zone.<\/p>

The natural vegetation on the island includes tropical, subtropical, and palm forests. A lot of vegetation on the island was destroyed, and a large part of the island was dedicated to agriculture. On the southern shores, there are also savannah areas and coral reefs. Mangrove vegetation can also be found on the coast. The animal world is rich here. Among mammals, there are bats, and off the coast, you can see dolphins and whales. The island is inhabited by 349 species of birds, 18 of which are endemic. Reptiles and crustaceans are also common.<\/p>

Read how to prepare before going to Puerto Rico: What you need to know before visiting Puerto Rico<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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What is the best time to visit Puerto Rico<\/h2>

Puerto Rico is located in the humid equatorial climate zone. The island is flooded with warm sea currents, which means that the temperature is high all year round, but without extremes. There are northeastern trade winds, which bring heavy rainfall. Metaphorically speaking, Puerto Rico is on the route of the tropical cyclones. There are two seasons here – dry and rainy.<\/strong> The average annual temperature is 26\u00b0C, so Puerto Rico can be visited practically all year round. However, the best months to travel to Puerto Rico are December, January, February, March, April, June, and July<\/strong> – due to less rainfall than in other months.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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How to get to Puerto Rico<\/strong><\/h2>

The island is easily accessible by airplane from the continental United States. Many US cities (and major European ports) have ongoing connections to San Juan International Airport (SJU), also known as Luis Mu\u00f1oz Mar\u00edn International.<\/p>

If you’re in Miami, consider a weekend trip to Puerto Rico. Flights from Florida are cheap and take approx. 2.5 hours one way, so the destination is perfect for a short trip.<\/p>

Another popular way to get to Puerto Rico is the cruise ship, which is the slower – but more scenic – way of reaching the island. Cruise ships depart from Florida and the southeast coast of the United States on regular basis.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Transport in Puerto Rico<\/h2>\n

Despite the fact that Puerto Rico has an extensive road network, bus connections between the cities are unfortunately barely existing. In San Juan, public transport works well – there are buses and a subway. To get to other parts of the island it’s best to rent a car. There are many options because there are branches of all major car rental companies on the island such as Hertz, Avis, and Charlie Car, etc.<\/p>\n

Another option is to fly between major cities such as San Juan, Ponce, Mayag\u00fcez, and Arecibo. When deciding on a taxi, it’s best to ask for the price first.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Puerto Rico – where to stay<\/h2>

I spent the first few days in San Juan at the flagship San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino<\/strong><\/a>. It is definitely a hotel for people who like comfort, space, and access to all amenities within the reach of a hand.<\/p>

If you are looking for a romantic, relaxing, or comfortable base to explore San Juan and its surroundings, the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino has it all. A stay in a resort can be intimate, focused on chilling and luxurious relaxation, but also active and full of entertainment. The hotel offers a little bit of everything therefore is perfect for both families and couples.<\/p>

Read more about this place here: Weekend getaway in Puerto Rico and Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino experience<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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What to eat in Puerto Rico? Puerto Rican cuisine<\/h2>\n

Puerto Rican cuisine was influenced by other cultures and culinary traditions including the Caribbean, Latin American, and also from the United States, Europe, mainly Spain, as well as African and indigenous Ta\u00ednos. The islanders call their cuisine cocina criolla, which means Creole cuisine. Puerto Rico is called the gastronomic capital of the Caribbean.<\/p>\n

Dishes most often contain ingredients such as grains and legumes (for example, black, red, and white beans, chickpeas, peas, corn, rice). Coffee, sesame, tropical fruits, herbs, and vegetables (chokeberry, asparagus, cabbage, gourd, carrot, cauliflower, eggplant) are also popular. Puerto Ricans use potatoes, sweet potatoes, yucca for many dishes. Meat, fish, and seafood are also often served.<\/p>\n

The most popular traditional dishes in Puerto Rico include:<\/p>\n