3 Best Sights in San Juan, Puerto Rico

A statue of Christopher Columbus stands atop a soaring column and fountain in this bustling Old San Juan square, catercorner to Castillo San Cristóbal. Once called St. James Square, it was renamed in 1893 to honor the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in Puerto Rico; bronze plaques on the statue's base relate episodes in his life. Local artisans often line the plaza, so it's a good place to hunt for souvenirs. Cool off with a fresh fruit frappé or smoothie at the kiosk.

The Old City's original main square was once used as military drilling grounds. Bordered by Calles San Francisco, Rafael Cordero, San José, and Cruz, it has a fountain with 19th-century statues representing the four seasons as well as a bandstand, a small café, and a kiosk selling snacks and fruit frappés. The Alcaldía commands the north side. This is a popular, bustling meeting place, often filled with artists sketching caricatures, pedestrians in line at the food stands, and hundreds of pigeons waiting for handouts.

According to legend, the British, while laying siege to the city in 1797, mistook the flaming torches of a rogativa (religious procession) for Spanish reinforcements and beat a hasty retreat. In this little plaza, a monument of a bishop and three women commemorates the legend. The striking contemporary statue was created in 1971 by the artist Lindsay Daen to mark the Old City's 450th anniversary. The fine view of La Fortaleza and the harbor is a bonus.