This morning, we’ll venture a few miles beyond the city limits of San Juan to Loíza, a city that hugs Puerto Rico’s northeastern coast. Once a harbor for freed and escaped enslaved people across the Caribbean, Loíza is a hub of Afro-Puerto Rican culture. Throughout the day, we’ll explore the city’s African legacy through music, dance, and art, sampling some of its unique gastronomic delights along the way. We’ll visit the home studio of Samuel Lind, one of the island’s most renowned plastic artists, and delve into his work, process, and influences. Later, we’ll meet with a prestigious local dance troupe to learn about Bomba, a Puerto Rican form of dance and storytelling created by enslaved people working on the island’s sugar plantations. We’ll trace the history of the dance back to nearly 400 years ago, learning about its importance in Afro-Puerto Rican culture—and perhaps even try a move or two. After a full day, we’ll head back to San Juan, where you’ll have the chance to relax or head out into the city for some independent exploration.

After breakfast, we’ll venture into the mountains of Las Marías to learn about Casa Múcaro, a collaborative project that envisions self-sustaining communities built from recycled and upcycled materials. We’ll meet the artist and creator of the project, who will lead us on an intimate tour of his home, which he built from cement and recycled fishnet over the course of nearly four decades. After experiencing its stunning architecture, homemade musical instruments, and upcycled artwork up close, we’ll gain a better understanding of his vision for “Termitopia,” a community in which humans, like termites, build, maintain, and manage waste within their own neighborhoods. Later in the afternoon, we’ll head to San Sebastián, our home base for the next two nights. Spend the rest of the day soaking in a cascading waterfall, relaxing at the hotel, or exploring the city on your own.

It’s off to Aguada this morning, where we’ll learn about the current state of Puerto Rican bees, as well as the distinct characteristics that make them particularly important to protect. We’ll visit the farm home to Earthship, a project building a sustainable model of community-driven relief, recovery, and development across the island—from demonstrating alternative land management practices to creating green jobs. With Earthship now in its final phase, we’ll be able to contribute to the project by learning about beekeeping and working the soil to prevent erosion. Back in San Sebastián, the rest of the day will be yours to visit the city’s museums (we recommend the Museo Agricola of San Sebastián or the Museo de la Hamaca), enjoy a dip at Guajataca Lake, or relax back at the hotel. We’ll regroup later in the evening for a farewell feast, where we’ll raise a glass to the vibrant art and community-led innovation we’ve seen, and the friends we’ve made along the way.

After a final breakfast together, we’ll return to San Juan and head to the airport or on to the next destination. If you’d like to extend your stay and continue exploring Puerto Rico, your guides would be more than happy to recommend places to stay and things to do in the area!