OLD SAN JUAN. San Juan's city hall design was inspired by the city hall in Madrid, Spain. The building was constructed in stages beginning in 1604 and finishing in 1789. A small information center is located near the entrance and there is an art gallery on the first floor. Like many other buildings of the picturesque old city, it has its own tiled courtyard and overhanging balcony.

CATAÑO. Sanjuaneros have Fidel Castro to thank for the world's largest rum distillery calling Puerto Rico home. Bacardi built their first distillery in Cuba in 1862. When the Castro regime confiscated the factory in the 1960s the family moved operations to Cataño, across San Juan Bay from the heart of the city. A short drive brings you to the "Cathedral of Rum" where you can take a free 45-minute guided tour of the facility. You will learn what it takes to produce 100,000 gallons per day of the heady concoction. A gift shop sells souvenirs and rare drinks bottled under the Bacardi label. There is also a small museum about the history of the Bacardi family.

PUERTA DE TIERRA. This building is home to the 1952 Constitution, the Senate and the House of Representatives. First built in the 1920s, the building is still a marvel with its intricate friezes, colorful mosaics and spacious gallery. You can identify the large white building by its enormous dome (over 100 feet high inside!) and distinctive white columns. Seven doors on the north and south facades represent the seven districts of Puerto Rico at the time of completion.

OLD SAN JUAN. This beautiful cathedral was begun in 1540 to serve as the Catholic center of the city. Its original wooden walls and thatched roof were blown apart by a hurricane in 1529. After a subsequent looting and another hurricane, it was well into the 19th century before the building gained the graceful gothic vaults and the central spiral staircase you see today. In 1908 the remains of the island's first governor, Juan Ponce de Leon, were moved here. Mass is still celebrated daily.

OLD SAN JUAN. El Morro is as awe-inspiring as it sounds: the largest fortification in the Caribbean and named a World Heritage Site by the United Nations. It was built by the Spaniards between 1540 and 1783 to honor King Phillip II. Located on a rocky point on San Juan Bay, the fortress rises 180 feet above the sea and features 18-foot thick walls. Inside, a web of corridors, dungeons, ramps and vaults provide plenty of opportunity for exploring. Your ticket here will also get you into Fuerte San Cristobel if you go on the same day.