La Fortaleza is the residence of Puerto Ricos governor and is located in San Juan. No you will not see the governor – or probably not, but you can visit his house. Take a guided tour to La Fortaleza while in Puerto Rico.

La Fortaleza, Puerto Rico

First off you need to leave your passport or a photo id by the guards. You have to sign papers where you acknowledge that you are entering an UNESCO World Heritage Site. After that you are allowed into the grounds of the governor. The guided tour is free of charge, however the tours vary in both length and sights depending on the day. You can get the guide in english and sometimes you are allowed inside the house. Sometimes you are only allowed to stroll around in the garden. I have no knowledge on this but I do believe that it is depending on wether the governor is home or not.

We were lucky and were allowed to see the house from the inside – not the whole place but some of the rooms. After that we got to see the garden with its amazing views.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

I love UNESCOs sites. There is something special about those places and La Fortaleza is one of them. The interior of this place looks incredible expensive. We almost walked on our toes, afraid of touching anything. The guide was giving us information on what was gifted from whom and while there it was really interesting to hear. At the same time I am surprised that we were allowed inside. I mean, there is a family living there!

Our tour got a really abrupt ending. Someone called something and suddenly we were all pushed out and the tour was over. I am not sure for how long we had the tour for but it was a good experience.

Before you go

Be sure to check when they are offering their free tours and be there on time. It is a “first come first served” basis so be sure to get your tickets for the visit.
Address:  63 Calle Fortaleza, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico