Culture
Puerto Rico is rich in festivals, traditions, art, and music — but it doesn’t end there. Come see how welcoming and enchanting the Island’s culture is.
Puerto Rico’s culture is a colorful tapestry of old and new, mixing indigenous, Spanish, and African traditions. You’ll find expressions of that culture all around the Island — from art museums to vibrant murals, from bomba dance lessons to lively festivals that fill the streets. Whether you want to look, listen, or join right in, immerse yourself in the unique and welcoming culture of Puerto Rico.
![Santurce Street Art](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2022-04/191-3-9402_jpeg_0.jpg?h=10d202d3&itok=yXVrLndo)
Free-spirited Santurce is home to art galleries, museums, restaurants, and an abundance of street art.
![A local artisan displays figurines, and masks, known as vejigante.](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2019-01/Vegigante_mask_artist.jpg%20Artisan%20Souvenirs.jpg?h=2d783363&itok=LXUt2Xq1)
A local artisan displays figurines and traditional masks known as vejigantes.
![Festival](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2020-12/1.SanSe_.jpg?h=e5aec6c8&itok=4pvT2QKF)
San Juan’s famous Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastian mark the official end to Puerto Rico’s holiday season.
![Woman dances bomba](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2020-05/191-3-15745_jpeg.jpg?h=f15cd55e&itok=_nHZCYx4)
Bomba dancing is one of Puerto Rico's deepest cultural traditions.
![Arte](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2020-12/2.StreetArt.jpg?h=a141e9ea&itok=3XdEnSCA)
For a bounty of colorful murals, check out the Santurce area in San Juan.
![Festival](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2020-12/4.Festival.jpg?h=f2fcf546&itok=sOybL1Bd)
Music, dancing, and good food are guaranteed at the Island’s many festivals.
![A mural of a bird at Distrito T-Mobile](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2022-06/210827_14-19-09_R5_20765-Edit.jpg?h=10d202d3&itok=yiiMfApL)
"San Pedrito" by Ana Marietta, one of the many murals you can see at Distrito T-Mobile in San Juan.
![A man admires a historic painting hanging in a museum](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2019-02/culture-ponce%20art%20museum-hero.jpg?h=9dc7a7f6&itok=iWDGCVNQ)
The Ponce Museum of Art.
![Exterior shot of the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico in San Juan](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/listing_images/profile/676/Museo-del-Arte-in-San-Juan-c763bb0d5056a36_c763bf91-5056-a36a-0821d7f41216e81e.jpg?h=c9f93661&itok=HrlPnJII)
The Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico displays works ranging from classical to contemporary.
![Neon signs in multiple colors light an entrance to Distrito T-Mobile](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2022-06/210829_20-02-08_R5_12126-Edit.jpg?h=10d202d3&itok=rvjRvGxR)
Distrito T-Mobile is a place where you will find many vibrant murals by Puerto Rican artists.
![A group of people dance and play music in a street in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico](/sites/default/files/styles/horizontal/public/2022-04/Group-Dancing-with-instruments_0.jpg?h=34bbd072&itok=S3dlZ-uX)
Live Boricua!
In Puerto Rico, we call ourselves Boricua. It’s a unique name that honors our Island heritage, but it’s also a way of life, a state of mind, a rhythm and flavor that is distinctly Puerto Rico. Once you visit us, you’ll find that spirit in yourself, too. From our sparkling beaches to our rich and vibrant culture, we invite you to experience Puerto Rico the Boricua way.
![Holiday season in Old San Juan.](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2019-10/holidays-old-san-juan.jpg?h=8d11d97e&itok=2p-yDM5I)
Festivals & Traditions
From Three Kings Day parades in January to clapping when a plane touches down on the Island, traditions are kept alive by Puerto Rico's locals year after year. It's easy to find a tradition that speaks to you with endless festivals, events, and holiday celebrations from east to west and north to south.
Join the "party in the street" vibe at Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián in the historic city of Old San Juan or experience traditions like drinking coquito — an eggnog-like cocktail made with rum and coconut — during the holiday season. No matter what time of year, culture is present in every corner of this Caribbean paradise.
![Color fills the streets at the Yaucromatic Art Gallery in Yauco, Puerto Rico](/sites/default/files/styles/horizontal/public/2022-08/yaucromatic-art-festival-puerto-rico.jpg?h=6748c703&itok=UHA1lbZV)
Yaucromatic, a public art project in Yauco, is Puerto Rico's largest outdoor art gallery.
Art in Puerto Rico
With colorful street murals and contemporary art museums and galleries, Puerto Rico's art scene is unique and full of history. The Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (Museum of Art of Puerto Rico) in Santurce is packed with classic pieces that date back to the 17th century. Nearby, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Puerto Rico Contemporary Museum) is not to be missed if you want a taste of the Island's modern side. Distrito T-Mobile offers a less traditional art space, featuring an eclectic mix of mosaics, murals, sculptures, and installations by Puerto Rican artists. You'll find more art in places like Ponce and Bayamón as well. Local art, whether it's a painting or a hand-carved figurine, is the perfect souvenir to take back home with you!
![A large group of people salsa in the streets of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico](/sites/default/files/styles/square_image/public/2022-08/salsa-in-the-street-puerto-rico.jpg?h=f879346d&itok=ndNHosq7)
Music & Dancing in Puerto Rico
All year-round, you can experience Puerto Rico's tropical flavor through the music that blankets the Island. Music in Puerto Rico ranges from traditional salsa to softer beats like the trova to bomba y plena, a contagious dance inspired by Puerto Rico's African roots. Bring your dancing shoes because the musical culture on the Island is alive, vibrant, and too good to miss!
Feel the rhythms of Puerto Rico