Photo: Puerto Rico Tourism

Where to shop in San Juan

By Mark Rogers

San Juan is a transportation hub for the Caribbean, which means people are constantly flowing through the city, arriving either via air or cruise. With all of these visitors it's only natural that a vigorous shopping scene has developed. There's an additional plus — since San Juan is a commonwealth of the United States, visitors don't have to pay duty on their purchases.

San Juan could be thought of as offering two completely different city experiences. Old San Juan is a colorful neighborhood of cobblestone streets and historic Spanish Colonial buildings dating back to the 1500s. Modern San Juan has a Caribbean vibe built along urban lines and travelers from the U.S. will feel right at home among its shopping centers and malls.

Shopping in Old San Juan

Old San Juan is seven square blocks of narrow streets and a seemingly endless array of shops, cafes and restaurants. Streets are tight, so ditch the car and don a pair of comfortable shoes (there's a free trolley if the steep hills prove daunting). Mixed in with local shops are luxe brand-name stores from the likes of Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Coach and Guess. There are scores of shops selling Puerto Rico souvenirs (many of these are made in China) as well as unique stores and galleries selling authentic goods made on the island.

Shop owners display a Caribbean cool and visitors won't have to fend off the hard sell. As far as bargaining goes, San Juan is much like the U.S. In established shops bargaining isn't customary and might even seem rude. Try your bargaining skills with street vendors and in some of the smaller shops.

Hans-Georg Roehrbein, general manager at the San Juan Marriott, is a San Juan insider who recommends the Puerto Rican Arts & Crafts store in Old San Juan. The two-level shop is filled with tons of local artwork oil and acrylic paintings, ceramics and handmade jewelry. If time is an issue, this store could be the ideal choice, since Roehrbein describes it as being "…an ideal one-stop shopping spot."

Truly traditional Puerto Rican handicrafts include devilish-looking papier-mâché masks calledcaretas, worn during Carnival and other special occasions; and carvings of santos, which are religious figurines of patron saints carved out of wood, stone and gold, If shoppers are in search of a fine selection of caretas, they should make tracks for La Calle; while the Puerto Rican Arts & Crafts store is a prime place to browse for santos.

For high-end and fine jewelry, Roehrbein suggests E Barquet, a 74-year old family-owned business selling jewelry and high-end watches from Cartier and Rolex. Another venerable institution is Bared, where shoppers can browse fine crystal and porcelain in addition to jewelry.

Puerto Rico is also famous for the quality of its handmade lace, which is called mundillo. The decorative lace is used for everything from homey items like tablecloths and shower curtains to special creations such as customized wedding dresses. Drop into the Linen House, where the hand-crafted selection is vast and the prices reasonable.

Puerto Rico has a rich tradition in crafting hand-rolled cigars. While strolling through Old San Juan, visitors may happen on street vendors rolling stogies. For the largest selection of cigars, Betsy Mujica, director of sales at the San Juan Water & Beach Club Hotel, recommends The Cigar House, where aficionados can purchase premium cigars, including those aged in rum. Unfortunately, visitors won't be able to buy a Cuban smoke in San Juan.

San Juan is the home of Bacardi and Don Q rums, but if visitors wish to bring back a truly premium spirit, they should search out Trigo Reserva Añeja, which comes in a hand-blown decanter with a wooden champagne-style cork. The rum is produced in small quantities and only a small portion ever makes it off the island.

One way to instantly bring back memories of a San Juan sojourn is to purchase specialty foods and spices sampled during a visit, to then be served at home. Spicy Caribbee is a store offering a wide range of island flavors and unusual products, including tropical jams made of mango, banana or guava and an intriguing pepper sauce whose main ingredient is passion fruit. Coffee freaks will want to try Alto Grande, often referred to as the "coffee of popes and kings." Alto Grande has been grown on the island since 1839 and is considered one of the premier coffees in the world. You can pick it up at Spicy Caribbee, as well as numerous shops in San Juan.

Shopping in Modern San Juan

The malls and shopping centers of San Juan have many of the same stores visitors would patronize in the states — from Lugano to Lacoste. Plaza Las Américas is a huge mall with over 200 shops where it's sometimes possible to get a better deal than you would get back home. Standouts include Banana Republic, Macy's, Hugo Boss, Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Mujica notes that Ashford Avenue in the Condado neighborhood is the street to frequent for famous name-brand boutiques such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Mont Blanc, Cartier, Salvatore Ferragamo and shops selling the most celebrated of Puerto Rico's home-grown designers.

All roads eventually lead home and Roehrbein has one more tip before visitors board their plane en route to the States. "The duty free deal for rum at the airport can't be beat," he says. "Four bottles per person — it must be because the rum distilleries are here."