Shopping Old San Juan is not a day at the mall. There's no elevator music, no plastic glitz atriums and no food court with a Cinnabon perfuming the air with high-octane sugar. Instead, San Juan has its own temptations. Here you stroll along streets of shimmery blue-gray cobblestones, the sound of salsa pouring from open windows and echoing down alleyways, the smell of nuevo criollo cuisine wafting from kitchens, and you browse stores set inside pastel-painted Spanish colonial buildings. This 16th-century walled city has all the character you'd expect from a World Heritage Site, yet it has been seamlessly adapted as a paradise for bargain hunters, art lovers and souvenir seekers.
A real joy of shopping Old San Juan is that as you wander from store to store, you're walking through history, not encased in steel and glass. Walk out of a shop and rest on the steps of the Catedral San Juan Bautista, built in 1540, which houses the tomb of Ponce de Leon. Take a breather in the Plaza de Colón, one of the oldest in the city, which honors Christopher Columbus.
You won't find these wares in your local mall, either. They include Yauco coffee, as highly esteemed by some as Jamaica's Blue Mountain beans; hand-carved wooden santos, or saint figures; handwoven traditional mundillo lace; and colorful graphics and prints, a Puerto Rican specialty. There are dozens of art galleries in Old San Juan with paintings, sculpture, jewelry and handmade ceramics. For a true picture of Puerto Rico's love of art, take in Gallery Night, held the first Tuesday of each month, February through May and September through December. The galleries are open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., when some of the streets are closed off and the bar scene is in full swing.
There's no sales tax in Puerto Rico, and cruise ship passengers, in particular, take advantage of the savings. To avoid the crowds, you might want to visit when there are fewer ships in port, although the shopping district is large enough and the stores numerous enough that it's rarely uncomfortable.
Clustered along Cristo Street, designer stores, including Polo Ralph Lauren, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, Dooney & Bourke, Speedo and Guess, offer steep discounts. Most are housed in historic structures Polo occupies a sumptuous corner building painted light purple with white sculpted trim. Warning: The prices offered can be hard to resist. During one recent shopping excursion, a large leather ''hobo'' bag at Coach, which normally retails for $298, was on sale for $169.
Interspersed among these name brands are local boutiques, like Galería Bóveda, where you can find smart sunglasses, clothes and handmade jewelry, and Spicy Caribbee, which specializes in local spices and tropical toiletries, pottery, trays, soaps and books. (Find them online at www.spicycaribbee.com.)
The Old City is seven blocks by seven blocks, and shops are tucked into every odd corner throughout, especially art galleries, which can be found in alleyways or hidden in interior courtyards. In the arcade of the historic El Convento hotel is Oggetti, filled with goods from Tiffany's along with designer Alessi's whimsical household necessities, soaps, artificial flowers, glassware and architect-inspired watches.
For a unique gift or souvenir, try the Butterfly People, which sells nature items and butterflies encased in clear plastic. Memorabilia and pieces of Puerto Rico's past -- old photos, postcards, paintings, Panama hats -- are for sale at Olé, an antique shop.
Clotheshounds will want to check out Hecho A Mano for affordable, colorful women's clothing such as casual long dresses perfect for an evening on the town. For smart attire you can wear in any warm climate, the Wet Boutique features linen makes like Flax and woven bags from Kenya.
For the collector, art items from around the world are available at GOA, Great Objects of Art, an eclectic assortment of everything from Moroccan rugs to Portuguese soaps. Several shops offer high-quality local crafts: Puerto Rico Arts and Crafts, Centro Nacional de Artes Populares y Artesan'as and Artesarios Soler. Don't neglect the small shops, either. Many artisans maintain studios in the buildings up and down the side streets, and you can often find stunning handmade pieces at reasonable prices by buying directly from the artist.
A little farther afield, in the Santurce district, distinctive art items are available in the giftshop of the Museo de Artes de Puerto Rico. Even if you're only in port for a day, this striking building and its collections are well worth the cab fare. The curators have gathered the most important Puerto Rican art into this single national gallery. Prints, books, journals and other art items from the shop will colorfully and gracefully remind you of your visit.
Posted online 03/13/02.
