Where the artists go, the food, drink and hip hotel scene follows. Take a tour of some of the world's coolest neighborhoods.
By: Karen GardinerSan Juan, Puerto Rico
“La Isla Encanta” may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of an art-focused getaway, but over the past few years, San Juan has been forging a dynamic contemporary arts scene. In Phaidon’s 2013 book Art Cities of the Future, San Juan was noted for its vibrant artistic community and selected as one of the emerging cities the authors claim are challenging the old order of Paris, London and New York.
What to Do: The Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico and Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Puerto Rico are both home to large collections of local and international art. In the Puerta de Tierra neighborhood, home to numerous galleries and design stores just outside Old San Juan, Walter Otero Contemporary Art gallery has been critical in developing Puerto Rican art over the past few years. It offers rotating exhibits in its large space with views across the Bay. The nucleus of the city’s exciting street art scene lies in the gritty Santurce district. Blooming across the surfaces of abandoned buildings, amongst newly opened galleries, are playful and thought-provoking murals painted by local and international artists. Many of the works are created during the annual Santurce es Ley Graffiti Festival.
Where to Stay: In the heart of Old San Juan, the boutique and charismatic Hotel Casablanca feels a world away from the sprawling resorts that line the beaches of Condado and Isla Verde. Housed in a circa 1900s Spanish colonial building, the hotel features pop art-infuenced works by local conceptual artist Carlos Mercado (room rates start at $139 a night; hotelcasablancapr.com).
Photos courtesy of Casablanca Hotels/Carlos Maldonado
