10. Enter Like an Explorer.
Old San Juan was, and remains for the most part, a walled city. In the past, residents entered through one of several doors, each door representing a certain social class or profession. Today, only one of the doors remain, and you can enter the old city by walking through it for an impressive view and to get a sense of Puerto Rico’s history. Ask any local to point you to the Paseo de la Princesa, Old San Juan’s waterfront path. About halfway along the path you will notice a pair of enormous wooden doors on your right. Enter through the doors, walk up the street, and take in your first sight of the pastel colored colonial houses that characterize the architecture of Old San Juan. At the top of the street you will find Old San Juan’s Cathedral, well worth a visit. (See a photo of the remaining door at http://www.fotosearch.com/AGE018/c07-273897/)

9. Casa Blanca.
It’s a shame Casa Blanca, the house in which some of the descendants of explorer Ponce de Leon lived, is often overlooked on tourists’ agendas, but that’s all the better for you! This gem of history is tucked away at the end of Calle San Sebastian. Skip the house itself if you must, but don’t fail to visit the garden, even if you don’t consider yourself the garden type. (To read an English-language article about Casa Blanca, visit http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2002/vol6n39/CasaBlanca-en.html)

8. Piñones and Loiza.
Exploring the outskirts of San Juan holds all sorts of rewards, and two of them are Piñones and Loiza. The two-lane highway to these two destinations begins just beyond the airport. You’ll come upon Piñones first, and you’ll recognize it by two features: wooden food kiosks with wood fired stoves on the right side of the road and the ocean on your left. Stop here to take some photos and have a snack and experience traditional Puerto Rican cuisine. Loiza will be a few miles beyond, just over a bridge that crosses a river that feeds into the Atlantic. Loiza may not look like much, but it has a fascinating history. Loiza became home to many freed slaves after abolition and remains a traditionally Afro-Puerto Rican community today. Curiously, though, its church—the oldest and arguably one of the simplest yet most beautiful in Puerto Rico—is named San Patricio, Saint Patrick. Stop by the parish office and inquire why. See if it’s possible to get a trolley tour of the community (every town has a trolley intended to take tourists around on a guided visit; most, though, don’t have regular schedules), and be sure to ask about the Cueva de Maria, a cave where Tainos allegedly lived before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. Ask around and see if it’s possible to visit the home and art studio of Samuel Lind, a local artist who has achieved prominence for his multi-media work. (For more information about Loiza, click here: http://topuertorico.org/city/loiza.shtml)

7. The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico and Pikayo Restaurant.
The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico has an impressive collection of seminal Puerto Rican work and contemporary pieces that will be particularly interesting to art lovers. For those with a generous budget, be sure to visit Pikayo Restaurant, located inside the museum. This is probably the most expensive meal you’ll have in Puerto Rico, but it’s also likely to be your best. (MAPR's website: http://www.mapr.org/) (Pikayo's website: http://www.wilobenet.com/restaurants/pikayo.htm)

6. Noche de Bohemia and Canvas Restaurant, Caguas.
Puerto Rico is world-famous for its music and its dance, and a noche de bohemia is an event that’s not to be missed for the tourist who is interested in either. Many cafes and restaurants have noches de bohemia—or romantic music nights—but one of the best I’ve come across in my 2.5 years in Puerto Rico is the Cafe Teatro in Caguas. Watch couples fall in love all over again as they sing and dance to Puerto Rican classics. When you’ve danced enough to work up an appetite, cross the street and indulge in a sumptious dinner at the part art gallery, part restaurant on the corner. The owners will make you feel at home and you’ll easily spend a couple of hours there, possibly taking up a microphone or some maracas yourself! (Caguas website: www.caguas.gov)

5. & 4. Las Cabezas de San Juan and Hacienda Buena Vista.
The Fideicomiso de Puerto Rico, translated roughly as the Nature Conservancy, is dedicated to preserving Puerto Rico’s environmental heritage by acquiring historically important property, restoring it as needed, and opening it to the public for guided educational tours. In my opinion, a visit to Las Cabezas de San Juan—which boasts seven different ecosystems in the same park—and Hacienda Buena Vista, a coffee farm and, once a year, a mini chocolate factory—will be the most worthwhile activity you could do in Puerto Rico… if you’re lucky enough to get in. At present, the Fideicomiso’s properties are open Wednesday-Sunday by appointment only. It can be difficult to reach anyone by phone, and even more difficult to have anyone make the appointment. But try, please. I think you’ll agree that it’s worth it. (Fideicomiso's website: http://www.fideicomiso.org/enter.htm)

3. Vieques.
There are at least 100 reasons to visit Vieques, which is one of Puerto Rico’s “little sister islands.” You can fly there or take a ferry ride (the latter being far cheaper and more adventurous), but whatever you choose, do yourself a favor and stay over at least one night. On this tiny island there are dozens of beaches you'll be likely to have to yourself...and, perhaps, an occasional wild horse. Ask around for Nestor Guishard, a bioluminescent bay kayak guide (see #2) and repository of historical knowledge about Vieques. (http://www.vieques-island.com/)

2. Bioluminescent Bay: There are only a handful of bioluminescent bays in the world. Puerto Rico has three of them: one in Fajardo, one in Vieques, and one in La Parguera. The best by far is in Vieques. Choose a kayak tour and experience the natural glow of the bay at night, caused by the density of microorganisms that congregate in shallow, warm bays. Of course, you'll want to take photos... visit this website first to learn how; http://www.islavieques.com/biolinks.html

1. Villa Sevilla: Hands down, Villa Sevilla is THE place to stay in Puerto Rico, and I'm certainly not the only one who says so. Ranked #1 out of 91 bed and breakfast/private lodgings in Puerto Rico on the website www.tripadvisor.com, Marina and Wally Lawson clearly know a thing or two about hospitality. Choose the Chalet for your stay and you will be treated not only to Marina's and Wally's thoughtful attention, but to a spectacular view, a saltwater pool, and meticulously cared for grounds that harbor fruit and vegetable trees. (www.villasevilla.net)