OSJ question

Does anyone know what times they do tours of the governor's palace, El Morro and the other fort? We don't dock until 2:30 p.m.

I don't believe there are tours...the forts are run by the National Park Service. In the winter and spring (December to May) they are open 9am to 6pm. Summer and fall (June to November) they are open 9am to 5pm.

More information: http://www.nps.gov/saju/

For the governor's palace, do you mean La Fortaleza? I believe tours are offered from 9am to 11am and from 1pm to 3pm. If you are not getting in until 2:30 you will probably have to skip La Fortaleza. :(

Tip: the green trolley runs from the OSJ piers (not the Pan American pier) to the forts. It's free!

The National Park Service does run some tours of El Morro but I don't know what the schedule is. La Fortaleza does free tours every half an hour alternating between English and Spanish. Note you do not get to go into the governors mansion which would be the most exciting part. The tour stays out side as you walk through the old walls of the original fort.

I found this on El Morro:

"With a history that dates 500 years, this stone structure truly deserves its place of honor in the National Historic Register. The English and the Dutch attacked the Morro repeatedly in its time.

Located on the San Juan Bay, the six-story fort was originally constructed in 1540, although its exterior walls were not erected for another 200 years. Inside the walls is a veritable labyrinth of chambers, barracks, hallways and prison cells.

The fort was given a complete facelift in 1992.

Admission is $2.

9 am-5pm daily; tours at 11am and 3pm daily

http://www.wcities.com/en/record/,166379/177/record.html?event_name=&display=1

Two items:

1st, its "sister-fort" San Cristobal is militarily an even more impressive structure -- i.e., El Morro's walls were eventually breached, while San Cristobal's were not.

2nd, any one who does the tour to visit the Governor's home, La Fortaleza, know beforehand that NO shorts are allowed to be worn - no exceptions!!

The fee has gone up to $3.00 (18-61) and in the past they would always honor the receipt from the other fort if it was the same day.

San Cristobal is worth seeing because it is massive but it doesn't have as much history as El Morro and El Morros location at the mouth of the harbor is spectacular. San Cristobale was built much later.

Hopefully we'll see both!