IF YOU GO

Lodging: I stayed at Da House (www.dahouse hotelpr.com; 1-787-366-5074), a small boutique hotel above the legendary Nuyorican Cafe, which is known for its music and food. I paid about $125 a night for a clean room with a nice view. If you're looking for something less bohemian, try El Convento (www.elconvento.com; 1-787-723-9020), converted from an old convent in a quiet residential part of the city. Package rates start at $250 per night.

Restaurants/food: Old San Juan has become a food lover's paradise, especially in an area called "SoFo" (South of Fortaleza Street), a hub for tasty Latin fusion cuisine. My favorites included Dragonfly, El Jibarito and the Parrot Club.

Music: You won't have to venture beyond the public squares: Plaza Colon and the Plaza del Quinto Centenario, for example, to find free street music, but if you're looking for something more organized, there are lots of options, including the Nuyorican Cafe (mostly salsa music) and the Gallery Cafe (live jazz) and dance clubs in old town.

Tours: Several agencies offer tours. For the history of Puerto Rico, sign up for a tour from the National Park Service at El Morro and San Cristobal. Tours are free with a $5 admission to the park. You can get more intimate tours of the city by contacting local hotels, including El Convento, which arranges tours with the guide I used, David Longley (my two-hour tour cost $50).

Getting around: Avoid renting a car in Old San Juan. If you plan to venture beyond the old town, rent from an agency outside the old town. I rented from Charlie Car Rental (www.charliecars.com); they sent a driver to pick me up.

Coming soon: Johnny Depp spent part of 2009 in San Juan filming "The Rum Diary," based on a short novel by Hunter S. Thompson. The book is about a journalist who leaves a failing newspaper to work for a paper in San Juan, and the city itself is a prominent character in the story. The movie is being screened now, and is expected to be released in Canada this fall. A U.S. release date hasn't been finalized.

JIM BUCHTA