Cultural sightseeing in Puerto Rico. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Daytime Puerto Rico is good for leisurely walks. Those for whom it's not enough just to walk through the streets and observe the bustling Puerto Rican everyday life should pay attention to castles and museums of this country with a complicated history. In San Juan, there is Castillo San Cristóbal, a large fort, the construction of which began in 1634 and was completed in the late 17th century. Dark tunnels, cannon embrasures, a quiet courtyard, a three-level fortress with a viewing platform and ocean views take visitors back to the militant past of this building on the shore.

Serrallés Castle Museum is a magnificent Spanish Renaissance building in Ponce originally built for the Serrallés family. The castle erected in the 30's of the 20th century is so beautiful that recently it has become a popular place for holding weddings. Its quiet Japanese garden is full of flowers and butterflies, and the castle’s interior with a terrace and beautiful bedrooms is cozy and elegant. The museum hosts temporary art and historical exhibitions, group and individual tours are organized in the castle and garden.

The small Museum of Transportation in Guaynabo invites you to admire the railroad mock-up and vintage cars, get acquainted with the history of land and air transport of the country, and try yourself as a pilot and racer with the help of modern simulators. "Rincon Art Walk", a wonderful exhibition of paintings by local artists, is organized in Rincon every Thursday. Visiting this exhibition is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with modern Puerto Rican art, see the images written by artists not through the prism of opinions but with your own eyes. Here you can find artworks by artists of all ages and buy some as keepsakes. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Ponce Museum of Art contains art and history - ancient paintings and sculptures, some of which are more than five hundred years old. After walking through the museum, you can think on the masterpieces you've seen in a wonderful quiet garden. While in San Germán, be sure to explore the Museum of the History of San German, a beautiful pink and purple two-story building hiding behind its walls all faces of five centuries of life and history of the city. Archaeological finds, ancient musical instruments, the life of the indigenous Taino people, money from the beginning of the 20th century, and much more await curious visitors.

The Arecibo Observatory located in the municipality of the same name with one of the largest radio telescopes on the planet has been operating since 1963. It is a popular object among space lovers. It hosts exciting tours, and views from the mountain are really breathtaking. The Museum of History on Culebra Island is a small cozy building full of history and memories. Here you can watch a movie with the stories of the island's oldest inhabitants about life and fighting with the American army, about naval bombardments and how the residents defended Culebra.

Coffee lovers must visit the city of Ciales with the Coffee Museum right in its heart. Here you can watch how coffee beans are roasted, have a cup of coffee with a dessert, buy a fragrant drink, get tips on its brewing, enjoy the atmosphere, and inspect coffee machines of the past. Cemi Museum in the municipality of Jayuya introduces visitors to the history of the indigenous people of Taino. The architecture of the museum located in the mountains is unusual, visitors get inside through the mouth of a huge head. Many documents and artifacts, as well as a half-hour video, tell about the life before the arrival of Europeans.

The Maritime Museum in San Juan is a place that should not be missed by those in love with the sea waves. This is a small building filled with ship models, cannons, antique coins, lifebuoys, sea maps, and objects from old ships. The Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art in the capital fully justifies its name. It is housed in an old school building, galleries are organized in former classrooms. A great collection of works by modern Puerto Rican artists is an incredible mix that surprises and delights visitors. Wedding ceremonies are often held in the museum's courtyard.