One of the excursions on my recent Holland America Line cruise was to San Juan, Puerto Rico, a place I (as a Floridian) have heard so much about and yet never had the chance to visit until now. The boat pulling up past Castillo San Felipe del Morro reminded me of Castillo de San Marco in St. Augustine, Florida.

Its walls and towers were similar to the St. Augustine one, and even walking some of the streets of Old San Juan reminded me of St. Augustine, thanks to brightly colored buildings, balconies hanging over the streets from the second and third floors, and narrow streets. Of course, I got to see all of this and more thanks to a walking and food tour of the old city.

We popped into a restaurant on the second floor of a historic building where exposed wood beams sat above our heads and narrow windows looked down on to the streets below. There we enjoyed an authentic mojito, mashed our own cassava with garlic, and tasted a delicious pastry while the chef explained the different components that went into each dish.

We really lucked out with the weather in San Juan; it was sunny, breezy and not too warm. I also loved seeing many cats lounging in the streets, basking either beneath the sun or enjoying the shade. Some even lay beneath some iconic statues and monuments.

The tour brought us past the pigeon park, where countless pigeons waddled along the cobblestone or sat above in the trees. There’s even a wall in this park with little alcoves for the pigeons to rest.

Old gates, historic walls, statues, tower lookouts and more comprised the rest of the tour. When the tour ended, it was too late to go into Castillo San Felipe del Morro, as the fort closes in the early evening and our tour ended around the same time. That said, we still made our way over to the fort to see it up close. The best part was sitting on the grassy hill and watching the sunset, all with the historic fort behind us. I was amazed how popular the site was, especially with young people. Whether it was because it’s spring break or just a popular spot for Americans, many enjoyed the beautiful views and weather.

Before heading back to the ship, we all craved a tropical drink and found a spot with outdoor seating. There we each got sangria and soaked up the final hour of our time in Old San Juan.

I would have loved to stay longer, and it will definitely be a place I hope to visit again so I can head to El Yunque National Forest and some of the other sites beyond San Juan. It’s actually amazing just how big Puerto Rico is. One might not think it looking at the small speck on a map, but it’s vast and varies in terrain. Its history is rich, and my time here was some of my favorite from the trip.

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor