Travel to Puerto Rico with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Puerto Rico with single trip travel insurance from Essential Travel

Surrounded by the sparkling Caribbean Sea, Puerto Rico has something for everyone. Its beaches, national parks and historic towns attract millions of visitors each year.

Favourite Cities

Known as the ‘Pearl of the South’, the attractive 17th century city of Ponce is the island’s principal port. Must-see sights in Ponce include the Teatro La Perla, which boasts a neoclassical façade. It is the oldest and most historic theatre in the Caribbean and still holds productions today. Nearby is Casa Salazaar, an Arab-inspired building which houses the Puerto Rico Museum of History.

Ponce’s city hall is another building with an interesting past. Formerly used as a prison, it later became the provincial seat of government. From its balcony, Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt made speeches to the crowds below. The courtyard was formerly used for public executions. For entertainment in Ponce, head to the Fox-Delicias Mall. Its pink 1930s art deco walls now contain discos, cafés and restaurants.

San Juan is the island’s capital and economic and cultural centre, and is by far its biggest city. It is the Caribbean’s second oldest city and has a delightful walled old town that is thronged with visitors. A visit to the old town should begin at Plaza de la Marina, the 19th century piazza where the gentry used to stroll in the tropical evenings. Nowadays, people come here to eat at the numerous al fresco seafood restaurants

San German has been described as a living museum. The 16th century town’s colourful past, when it was the haunt of pirates, smugglers and adventurers, is still in evidence. The city retains a Spanish flavour, with its small courtyards and classical buildings.

Getting There

American Airlines uses San Juan as its Caribbean hub and has daily flights from Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Hartford, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, New York (JFK), Orlando, Philadelphia, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Washington, DC. From Europe, British Airways flies weekly from London, as does Lufthansa from Frankfurt, and Iberia flies twice weekly from Madrid.

Another popular way to get to Puerto Rico is by cruise ship. The Port of San Juan is the busiest ocean terminal in the West Indies, with an estimated half of the Caribbeans trade passing through here. There are about 710 cruise ship arrivals every year, bringing some 850,000 passengers.

Safety

Caution should be advised in some areas of the cities after dark and be especially aware of pickpockets. Additionally, visitors should be careful when swimming or sailing along the coast. Water sports can put you at additional risk of accident or injury. We highly recommend taking out travel insurance for you and your family when visiting Puerto Rico

Weather in Puerto Rico

The climate in Puerto Rico is as close to perfect as you can get. Winter temperatures average 22.7C and in summer it reaches 29.4C. So it always semms like summer. Trade winds cool the coastal towns and the temperature goes decrease as you go higher into the mountains.

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