Puerto Rico Country Guide
Just as Puerto Rico's bionetwork boasts unique characteristics, the culture and way of life is also distinct. Many of San Juan's buildings proudly preserve their original Spanish style. This is still an island of fiestas and paella.
Columbus ‘discovered' Puerto Rico in 1493, but the Taino Indians were the first inhabitants. After centuries of Spanish rule, Puerto Rico was ceded to the USA in 1898. In 1917, Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship and the island later became a self-governing ‘Commonwealth in association with the USA'. Thus Puerto Ricans can own an American passport but they do not pay US federal taxes and cannot vote in US elections.
There is still a vocal lobby for full independence, but for the most part, the country happily juggles Spanish and US influence; not to mention a strong African influence legacy of the slave trade.
You can hear the meeting of cultures in the island's infectious music and fast-paced nightlife. Latino beats fuse with West African percussion, swing and big band: the perfect soundtrack for this vibrant, multicultural country.
Fresh ideas are just one click away...
Travel Deals
-
Finland Activity & adventure holidays Finnish Lapland has enormous areas of untouched wilderness and mile upon mile of wild rolling fells. This vast open countryside, sparkling in the winter sunshine, just begs to be explored by
-
Orlando Adrenaline Whether you’re enjoying the hair-raising delights of the world’s only flying rollercoaster called Manta at SeaWorld or racing through the Everglades on an airboat in search of alligators, one thing’s for
-
Cambodia Luxury holidays Today Cambodia is symbolised by awesome Angkor Wat, the largest man-made religious structure in the world. However, Cambodia is also home to some of the finest boutique hotels in the world
-
Laos Inspire Me When the French colonised Indochina they had a saying: "The Vietnamese grow the rice, the Cambodians watch the rice grow, and the Lao people listen to the rice grow." This is
-
Vietnam Cultural breaks Vietnam is a country with a rich and varied history that is now firmly focused on her bright future. This is why it has become one of the hottest destinations for
-
Dominican Republic Family holidays The Dominican Republic has soared in popularity as a tropical hotspot for families seeking sun, sand and an affordable holiday in the Caribbean. The island's main attraction is magnificent golden sand

