Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ar, tobacco and coffee flowed into the city.
Jíbaros
(country people) flocked to the shipping
terminals for work and old villages like Río Piedras were swallowed up.
WWII brought more capital and development as the US beefed up its military defense
of the island and the Caribbean. After the war, the monumental economic initiative called
Operation Bootstrap began changing Puerto Rico from an agricultural to a manufacturing-
based economy, and hundreds of US factories relocated to San Juan to take advantage of
tax breaks after the island gained commonwealth status in 1951. Foreign and US banks ar-
rived en masse, the first high-rise buildings went up and the tourist zones took shape along
the beachfront of the burgeoning city.
The unchecked growth surge was a nightmare for city planners, who struggled to provide
services, roads and housing. By the 1980s, franchises of US fast-food restaurants were
everywhere, but there were few places to get a gourmet meal featuring the island's
com-
ida criolla
(traditional Puerto Rican cuisine). Housing developments blighted much of the
area.
Unemployment was rampant, and crime was high. Ironically, Old San Juan was con-
sidered the epicenter of all that was wrong with the city. Tourists kept to the overdeveloped
beaches of Condado, Isla Verde and Miramar.
In 1992, the world marked the 500-year anniversary of Columbus' 'discovery' of the
Americas. That celebration gave city leaders the impetus needed to focus on the historic
restoration of Old San Juan. The energy and finesse that characterized that effort waned
slightly as the decade ended. However, the new century has brought several successful urb-
an regeneration projects such as the super-efficient Tren Urbano (metro) that opened in
2005, a space-age convention center situated in the neighborhood of Miramar, and a clutch
of redeveloped hotels in revitalized Condado.
Sights
Most of San Juan's major attractions, including museums and art galleries, are in Old San
Juan.
There are a few sights worth visiting in Condado, Santurce and Río Piedras, but schedule
serious time for the old town. Be aware that most museums are closed on Mondays.
SAN JUAN NEIGHBORHOODS
Metro San Juan, in common with many great cities, is an amalgamation of its neigh-
borhoods, with each area exhibiting its own vicissitudes, atmosphere and charms.
Here's a quick rundown of what to expect.
