Puerto Rico: Culture and Arts

The rich culture and history of the country make for an interesting culture and art holiday in Puerto Rico. The centuries old history of Puerto Rico evolved with the invasion of the Spanish empire and their subsequent rule and fall. The culture of Puerto Rico evolved over centuries with Taino, Spanish, African and American influences, turning Puerto Rico into the melting pot that it is today. Visitors can experience the diverse culture of Puerto Rico in its history, cuisines, crafts, music, art, drama and literature. Old San Juan is filled with historical manifestations of the Spanish rule in the country. The forts of El Morro and San Cristobel stand evidence to this. In addition, a number of museums, churches, cathedrals, cemeteries and plazas describe the history of the country. Puerto Rican cuisine is again a mix of all the different influences on the country, adding up to become quite an interesting cuisine. The literature and music of Puerto Rico is strongly Carribean in nature. Puerto Rico is known for its art and visitors will get to see a number of famous works in Puerto Rico. Old San Juan is the greatest repository of Puerto Rican arts and crafts. Galleries exhibit and sell everything from pre-Columbian artifacts to paintings by relatively contemporary artists. The Museum of the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras is another haunt for art lovers. The most popular Art Museum in Puerto Rico remains the Museo de Arte de Ponce. Works in the museum are displayed in a honeycomb of sky lit hexagonal rooms. Great works of Puerto Rican and European masters are on display at the museum. Puerto Rico scores 7 on 10 as a culture and arts holiday destination.