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El Morro

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willgo
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

El Morro, the Awesome Historical Fort in Old San Juan

El Morro, the Awesome Historical Fort in Old San Juan

El Morro guards the entrance to San Juan harbor. The imposing stone fort was begun in the 1500s and was used as a military post up through WW II. You're free to wander around the forts multiple levels and take in the gorgeous views of the sea from just about anywhere within the structure. The bathrooms here probably have the most stunning views of anywhere in the US National Park system.

We didn't have a guided tour, but the leaflet you get with your admission does a nice job of explaining the function of various rooms and giving a little historical background. We enjoyed exploring the whole structure, marveling at the thickness of the walls.

El Morro is at the far west end of Old San Juan. It's impossible to miss it. Images of the sentry towers adorn the Puerto Rican auto license plates. It is served by the Old San Juan free trolley system, but good luck getting a seat on one of those. They fill up pretty fast.

A scenic walkway goes around the exterior of El Morro along the ocean. But you can't gain access to that path from within El Morro, you have to start on one side or the other of the fort.

From journal Sunny San Juan

El Morro

  • January 10, 2007
  • Rated 3 of 5 by MKtravel from Los Angeles, California
Currently the entrance fee is $3 per adult. For that price you get to see an old fort that has survived multiple attacks over hundreds of years. The fort and the amazing views are really all there is to see. The park service has added some explanatory signage and historical information, but most of it talks about the same few battles. It's not as inspiring as some other historical sites and it does not have the same level of safety precautions as I'm used to in the US, so keep a hold of your young children. For the price, it's a good way to spend an hour and take some pictures.

From journal San Juan for Business

Editor Pick

El Morro

  • May 5, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by bentropy from New York, New York
El Morro

Just walking up to El Morro shows the impressive expanse it covers, and provides a glimpse into its past importance in fortifying San Juan.Admission is something like $3 for an adult. Not too bad. I didn't take any tours, just walked around the whole complex. You can cover the whole place and have time to enjoy the views in a couple of hours or less.El Morro also has a "sibling" fortress (San Cristobal) at the northeastern end of Old San Juan. You can buy a combined ticket, but one historical fortress per day is probably enough.The meadows surrounding El Morro are a great hangout spot, locals relax there and fly their kites. Just make sure you're protected against the sun. There is no shade on the green.

From journal San Juan Sampler

Editor Pick

San Fillipe del Morro (El Morro Fort)

  • January 30, 2004
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Carmen from Fairfax, Virginia
San Fillipe del Morro (El Morro Fort)

The El Morro fort sits on a cliff overlooking the entrance to the San Juan Bay in Old San Juan -- and it was built to protect Spain's "gateway to the Caribbean." It's also one of the largest forts built by Spain in the Caribbean.

The walk up to the fort along a gravel path offered spectacular views. There was a beautiful pink dome against the green lawn and white stone fort. There was also a beautiful cemetery at the base of the fort.

Entrance to El Morro, built in 1539, was $3. (A little tip: if you want to visit El Morro and its sister fort San Cristobal, admission is $5 for both. The forts are on opposite sides of Old San Juan, so it's a bit of a walk between the two.) El Morro Fort is open every day from 10am-5pm. There are guided tours available every two hours starting at 11am (in English). We chose the self-guided option.

After exploring sentry posts (it did not smell good in there) and taking pictures with a cannon-eye view (all in the very hot sun), we watched a short 20-minute movie (in the very nice air-conditioned theater area) about the history of the fort and all the attacks that were made on it. The fort wasn’t so much successful at defending the island, as the attackers were bumbling idiots and luck was on the side of Puerto Rico. Even Sir Francis Drake attacked the fort unsuccessfully. He staged a brilliant night attack, but lit all the boats in the bay on fire, which helped the soldiers in the fort see his location. What's up with that? The fort finally succumbed to the Americans during the Spanish-American war.Now both the Puerto Rican and American flags fly in this U.S. Park Service National Historic Site.

The MAIN reason to go, in my opinion, is the view – it is out-of-this-world! Just look at the pictures!

From journal Puerto Rico - There's a Shrimp In My Pants!

El Morro

  • December 27, 2002
  • Rated 4 of 5 by books from Houston, Texas
El Morro

Fuerte San Felipe del Morro was the guardian of the Spanish Main. It rises dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean and San Juan Bay. The U.S., Puerto Rico, and Spanish military flags fly from its walls. It is more striking than Fort San Cristobal.

The fort is a national historic site and is operated by the National Park Service. There is a small admission fee which also allows you to visit Fort San Cristobal on the same day.

There are six levels of batteries which are all connected by ramps and stairways. You can explore as many levels as you have energy to climb. Numerous cannon and guard towers adorn each level. The old tunnels and passageways have been blocked off to visitors. There are beautiful harbor views.

A museum houses 16th- and 17th-century armor and weapons with various audiovisual exhibits. The chapel is open to visitors. A small gift shop sells bottled water. There are also drinking fountains and restrooms.

We were at the gate when they opened in the morning at 9AM. It quickly became very hot in the July sunshine.

From journal Stop Over in San Juan

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