Isla Verde (
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
for ''green island'') is an area of
Carolina located east of
Santurce (southwestern front of
Piñones) next to
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín) is a joint civil-military international airport located in suburban Carolina, Puerto Rico, southeast of San Juan. It is named for Luis Muñoz ...
above the
Teodoro Moscoso Bridge
The Teodoro Moscoso Bridge is a bridge in Puerto Rico. It works as an extension of PR-17, also known as the Jesus T. Piñero Expressway, connecting this road with the Román Baldorioty de Castro Expressway ( PR-26). It crosses the San José Lag ...
. The area lies just outside the eastern border of
San Juan, capital of Puerto Rico that links with the college town of
Río Piedras
Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil.
Rio or Río may also refer to:
Geography Brazil
* Rio de Janeiro
* Rio do Sul, a ...
and the residential counterpart surroundings of
Hato Rey
Hato Rey is a former barrio located in the northwest part of the dissolved municipality of Río Piedras. It now stretches over three barrios, of the municipality of San Juan, Puerto Rico:
Urban landscape
Its name means "king's cattle farm" (' ...
, which includes the neighborhoods of Baldrich and University Gardens revolving around
Golden Mile's financial district
A financial district is usually a central area in a city where financial services firms such as banks, insurance companies and other related finance corporations have their head offices. In major cities, financial districts are often home to s ...
.
Geolocation
Isla Verde is also the name of the small island some 400 meters north of Punta Medio, with a size of just 2,518 m² (0.6 acres). It is the island that gave name to the district. The island falls within the
Cangrejo Arriba barrio of Carolina. The district of Isla Verde is in fact the coastal area of Cangrejo Arriba. Isla Verde is bordered to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, to the west by the
San Juan area of Punta las Marias and
Ocean Park (
Santurce), to the east by
Loíza and to the south by Carolina and Rio Piedras (
San Juan). Isla Verde, along with
Condado, is one of the main tourist areas in the metropolitan area of Puerto Rico, hosting popular restaurants, hotels, casinos and resorts.
Neighborhood entanglements
The
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional Luis Muñoz Marín) is a joint civil-military international airport located in suburban Carolina, Puerto Rico, southeast of San Juan. It is named for Luis Muñoz ...
, which many people mistakenly think is situated in San Juan, is located in Isla Verde, which belongs to the city of Carolina. For almost four years, the airport was given the unofficial title "Isla Verde International Airport", both by locals and visitors. Its residents tend to downplay the fact that the area is technically part of Carolina because Isla Verde shares the coastline with, and is akin to
Ocean park and
Condado which are both nearby and part of Santurce, one of the capital's historic districts.
Since the airport's creation and up until the
September 11, 2001 attacks, aviation fans could enjoy a day at the beach, and at the same time, watch the aircraft land or take-off at a specially designed spot located near Piñones, Loíza. As a consequence of the attacks, the spot was closed to the general public because it might compromise airport security. Because of the airport's location in the Isla Verde area, some streets have had to be closed several times during visits by dignitaries and celebrities (most notably when a local has had overseas success in a competition). The area has a multitude of restaurants, hotels and high-priced homes as well as hotels and resorts.
Many celebrities have lived in Isla Verde's affluent areas, including some former members of the boy band
Menudo, including
Ricky Martin
Enrique Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography spanning ...
. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was home to one of the world's more popular discos of the time: The Flying Saucer was owned by Charlie Garcia who had promoted the Muhammad Ali vs. Jean Pierre Coopman fight at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum. The Flying Saucer had a capacity of 800 people and over 10,000 were left outside opening night as DJ Orlando Torres del Pino had to force himself into the club. Isla Verde is home to a Cuban exile community centered on Casa Cuba, which is Puerto Rico's main Cuban social club.
Public Transportation
The Isla Verde bus terminal has routes to various other parts of San Juan:
* 50 to Luis Muñoz Marín Airport
* 45 to Luis Muñoz Marín Airport and Piñero
* 40 to Piñero
* 5 to Santurce and Old San Juan
* 53 to Condado and Old San Juan
There are two bus systems serving the Isla Verde bus terminal: AMA, the main public transportation system and SITRAC which travels in the Isla Verde Hotel district.
The public bus 5 and 53 which will take you from the Bus Terminal to Old San Juan (e.g. to
El Morro) in roughly 1 hour.
The SITRAC bus is free but only stays in Isla Verde. The public bus costs 75 cents to ride.
Available at all times, taxis charge about $20 for a ride to the Condado and Old San Juan areas.
Subareas
Isla Verde has very wealthy areas but is not too far from the island's largest public housing project, Luis Llorens Torres Residential Complex, which is actually within San Juan. In March 2021, a higher police presence was planned for Isla Verde.
See also
*
Piñones State Forest
*
List of communities in Puerto Rico
References
{{Reflist, 2
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Neighborhoods in Puerto Rico