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Puerto Rico is such an amazing place full of Instagrammable moments. The natural beauty of it blew me away—not to mention how much there was to see and do on the island. It’s definitely easy to get some great Puerto Rico vacation pics!
In fact, the problem will be making sure you have enough storage space for all the photos you’ll be taking!
Most Instagrammable Spots Around Puerto Rico
Although I only had three days in Puerto Rico, I packed in as much as I could from sunrise to sunset. I am happy to share my favorite 14 Instagrammable spots around Puerto Rico.
1. Paseo de Sombrillas
Old San Juan is one of the most Instagrammable spots on the island! You can find colourful buildings and this art installation of floating umbrellas on Fortaleza Street. It is the perfect place for a pic for the ‘gram.
The Umbrella Sky Project actually installed the Paseo de Sombrillas as an inspirational form of art after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico. When you visit this iconic street, you’ll see a plaque that reads…
“Just as umbrellas move fluidly with the wind, Puerto Rico is a place that flows and majestically embraces every challenge it faces.”
The island’s artistic response to the natural disaster is meant to give hope to anyone in need of it! It definitely makes for a great photo opp and is one of the best places to take pictures in Puerto Rico.
2. La Perla
La Perla is just outside the city walls of Old San Juan and is a community that is full of history….and also so much colour! It is located right in between the forts of San Cristobal and El Morro, two of the most significant historic landmarks in Puerto Rico.
Back in the 19th century, being outside the San Juan city walls was not desirable. There was a slaughterhouse and slaves, the homeless, and non-white servants were required to live here.
Today, you might recognize this neighborhood from the famous 2017 music video, Despasito. You’ll find brightly colored houses, beautiful murals, and new businesses. It’s a must-stop on any Puerto Rico itinerary!
3. Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Castillo San Felipe del Morro is one of the most popular and significant landmarks in Puerto Rico. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site!
El Morro is right by the water and this fort was built to protect the city from an invasion.
One of the reasons this site became so historically important is because it essentially became the gateway to the Spanish Empire. It also took over 200 years to complete—talk about long construction projects!
But all that work and time was worth it once it was finally finished in 1790. It gained a powerful reputation for being unconquerable. The location was chosen strategically since it was located at the entrance to one of the best Caribbean Sea harbours.
4. Hotel El Convento
Hotel El Convento was built in 1646 as a convent. This is one of the most beautiful places in Puerto Rico and is a part of the San Juan Cathedral Square.
The building housed nuns for 252 years until closing in 1903. It then served as a store, a dance hall, and a flophouse before opening as a luxury hotel in 1962.
Its lively yellow colour and Spanish Colonial-styled architecture truly draw you in and make you want to stay awhile. These characteristics also make it one of the best places to take pictures in Puerto Rico!
Fun fact—did you know this cathedral is actually the second largest in the Western Hemisphere?
5. Isla Verde Beach
Puerto Rico attracts surfers from all over the world, and the beach at the Courtyard Isla Verde is perfect for surfing and surf photos.
The beach here is called Isla Verde and it is a must-visit during your travels!
At this beach, there is plenty of shade from the palm trees, plus convenient parking, showers, and lots of options for eating and drinking while you’re there.
Get out there early and get your perfect spot—you might even end up wanting to spend half of a day here! You’ll enjoy some of the best views in Puerto Rico while lounging here.
The beach also has San Juan Waterfun, which offers water sports rentals. This includes water activities such as parasailing, banana boats, and much more. It’s located right in front of El San Juan Hotel and Casino.
6. Cuartel de Ballajá
The Cuartel de Ballajá was built in 1864 to house regiments in Old San Juan. From 1898 to 1936 the US infantry occupied the building and during WWII, this structure became a hospital.
Since then, Puerto Rico has acquired the building from the US with the intention to use it for educational, touristic, and cultural purposes.
The architect of the building, Mario J. Buschiazzo, describes the significance of the Cuartel de Ballajá, saying “It is one of the most important buildings of an era in which Spain defended, at great expense and energy, one [of] its last domains of the Americas.”
Today, the centre hosts events every year such as artistic festivals, opera, and concerts.
7. Pinones Beach
Pinones is a beautiful area and it is just a few minutes east of Isla Verde. It has beaches, mangroves, restaurants, and an 11-kilometre-long nature trail.
In fact, nearby the beach is the island’s largest mangrove forest! There are also lots of delicious food options from within the local Afro-Caribbean cuisine that are available.
Compared to the other beaches on the island, such as Isla Verde Beach, this one is much wilder and has more of a natural feel. We have the fact that they’re not government-run to thank for that!
This means lots of natural beauty. It isn’t an ideal spot for swimming, but the array of food available to beach-goers is plentiful.
Overall, this area definitely feels like a totally different world than the busy tourist areas of Old San Juan, Isla Verde, and Condado.
8. Cayey Viewpoint
This hike is located between Cayey and Salinas and is worth the trip if you enjoy hiking. Here you’ll find great 360° views of the mountains and valleys, the surrounding towns, and the Caribbean Sea.
This is what makes Cayey Viewpoint one of the most Instagrammable spots around Puerto Rico—it has some of the best views in Puerto Rico, too! You can also see the Arbol Solitario (or Lonely Tree) but we didn’t go quite that far. Next trip for sure!
9. Charco Azul
If you love natural swimming pools (which I am always excited to visit when I travel), then Charco Azul is a great place to visit when you are traveling to Puerto Rico.
Charco Azul (which means blue pond in English) is one of this island territory’s most famous pools, and when you see the colour, you will see where it gets its name. It has deep, blue water, plus a 10-foot waterfall!
The pool is located in the middle of the Carite Forest about 20 minutes from Cayey. You will love the view here – in my opinion, it was one of the most beautiful places in Puerto Rico.
10. Gozalandia Falls
Gozalandia Falls (or Las Cataratas) was one of my favourite places in Puerto Rico. It’s located on the west side of the island, in San Sebastian, and is more of a locals’ spot.
There are two beautiful waterfalls here…one has a rope swing and the other you can do cliff jumping. 🙂 One of the falls is sixty feet tall!
This spot was perfect for getting some amazing Puerto Rico vacation pics. It was also a great place to go for the day to enjoy the water and get a breather from the crowds of tourists.
Insider Tip! Entrance to the waterfalls is free, but you’ll need to pay $5 for parking. You might have to go into the restaurant in the parking lot if you don’t see parking attendants monitoring the lot outside.
11. Borinquen Beach
Borinquen Beach in Aguadilla is one of the most stunning beaches I have ever been to. It is an expansive beach with just amazing views and one to add to your list if you are traveling to Puerto Rico.
I recommended heading here a few hours before sunset and walking all the way to the east side (from the west-end parking). It’s the perfect way to soak up all the beauty of this beach!
Pack a picnic, search for shells and sea glass, snap a few pictures, and have the best time at Borinquen Beach!
12. Cerro Mime
If you’re planning on traveling to Puerto Rico, don’t miss this hike! Cerro Mime, which is located in Orocovis County, is a great hike for those that enjoy seeing views from above—maybe even some of the best views in Puerto Rico.
It’s an easy hike that only takes 20 minutes, and at the top you can see lush, green mountains…which was a very unexpected view. Who knew Puerto Rico had mountains!?!
It was a lot of reward for little effort!
13. Cascada Las Delicias
Cascada Las Delicias is a picture-perfect tropical waterfall and I am so glad that we made it here!
This waterfall is located in the town of Ciales, which is in the centre of the island. You have to drive some winding roads to get there, but it’s so worth it.
Once you’ve navigated those roads and reached the higher-up town of Jayuya, this tropical oasis is a short walk (just off the road) and within Tres Picachos State Forest. The water there is so refreshing!
14. La Concha Resort
La Concha Resort has multiple infinity pools but I think this one was my favourite with the wind-sculpted palm trees hugging the ocean!
Having that element of symmetry always adds a nice touch to your travel photos. I got some of what I’d consider the best views in Puerto Rico from this spot.
Resorts can be a great place to get some beautiful Puerto Rico vacation pics for Instagram.
Puerto Rico Trip Vlog
Check out my Puerto Rico trip vlog! You can watch on YouTube for higher quality.
Instagrammable Spots in Puerto Rico Recap
Travelling to Puerto Rico was a great experience and I can’t wait to get back to see more. I hope this gave you inspiration for the best views and the most beautiful places for pictures in Puerto Rico.
Here’s a quick recap of the most Instagrammable spots in Puerto Rico! Happy posing!
- Paseo de Sombrillas
- La Perla
- Castillo San Felipe del Morro
- Hotel El Covento
- Isla VErde Beach
- Cuartel de Ballaja
- Pinoes Beach
- Cayey Viewpoint
- Charco Azul
- Gozalandia Falls
- Borinquen Beach
- Cerro Mine
- Cascada Las Delicias
- La Concha Resort
Let me know if you have any other Instagrammable spots around Puerto Rico that I should add to the list.
This post about travelling to Puerto Rico has been sponsored by Hotel El Convento and La Concha Resort. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support me.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
This post brings back happy memories!! I was in Puerto Rico a few years ago with my mum and we had a great time x
Girl, this trip (through pics) was mesmerizing. I know you enjoyed every minute of it.
All of these places sound like they would be fun places to visit! I really want to visit Puerto Rico soon! All of the photos are fabulous but the very first one and the last one are my favorites!
These all look like neat spots to explore. I love all the different colorful parts of the city. When we visited Mexico, there was an entire town that was painted yellow, it was really neat (Izamal, Mexico).
Gorgeous pictures and you seem to love exploring too! I have never been but it looks amazing and It will be going on my list.
I always wanted to go Porto Rico and it’s in my bucket list and your post made me more excited. I love your pictures so beautiful. What camera do you use?
These are very photogenic spots. I would love to vacation there.
This was a trip down memory lane for me. I went to San Juan, PR a few years ago for the conference. I LOVED the alley way filled with umbrellas.
What a beautiful and inspiring post! Thank you for a colorful tour around Puerto Rico!