PUERTO RICO, THE INSPIRATION BEHIND BAD BUNNY’S ‘DEBÍ TIRAR MÁS FOTOS’ WORLD TOUR

With Barcelona and Madrid ready to welcome Bad Bunny for a festive and unforgettable celebration as part of his world tour *Debí Tirar Más Fotos*, Spanish audiences are turning their attention to the island that has shaped his music. The destinations and traditions featured throughout his self-titled album Debí Tirar Más Fotos are the perfect gateway to the spirit of Puerto Rico: streets bursting with colour, the intense aroma of coffee mingling with the sweet scent of rum, the irresistible beat of Caribbean rhythms, and Boricuas (as Puerto Ricans are known) filling the air with their infectious energy.

The record, which has broken records and is inspired by the most authentic Puerto Rico, is essentially a love letter to the Caribbean island, woven with a rich blend of sounds that reflects its diverse musical heritage and evokes a deep sense of nostalgia in both international listeners and Boricuas alike. The album intertwines plena, bomba, salsa and reggaeton: rhythms that resonate with the island’s history, community and vibrant identity.

Debí Tirar Más Fotos takes us on a journey through Puerto Rico that begins in the capital, San Juan, its historical and cultural heart. The city is evoked in the album’s opening chords, capturing that blend of centuries-old architecture, cobbled streets and a modern, dynamic lifestyle. From signature cocktail bars and innovative restaurants to shops and rooftop terraces overlooking the Atlantic, San Juan offers a sensory immersion in Puerto Rican culture. Its monumental fortresses, designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites — El Morro and San Cristóbal — stand as guardians of the past, whilst places such as Caleta de las Monjas, San Juan Cathedral or the Museum of the Americas reinforce the feeling of strolling through an open-air gallery. Travellers can explore San Juan in depth with guides such as those from Patria Tours.

From the capital, the album’s narrative moves inland, to the mountainous central region of Puerto Rico, that winding, lush landscape that inspires songs like “Café con ron”. There, it is possible to visit working haciendas that offer sensory experiences and celebrate Puerto Rico’s coffee heritage, such as Hacienda Muñoz, Hacienda San Pedro or Hacienda Buena Vista, which welcome travellers to learn directly from local producers, stroll amongst shady coffee trees and taste small-batch coffees at their source. Throughout the central mountainous region, standout restaurants with a “farm-to-table” philosophy, such as Aldeana and El Pretexto, allow visitors to connect with local ingredients, culinary traditions and the island’s growing gastronomic movement.

As 2026 progresses, Puerto Rico’s cultural calendar comes to life with some of its most eagerly awaited celebrations. In January, the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián (SanSe) – celebrated as the culmination of Christmas (and immortalised in the song “Pitorro de coco”) – transform Old San Juan into a vibrant tapestry of live music, dancing, parades and craft markets, embodying the joyful spirit that runs through Debí Tirar Más Fotos.

Further south, the Ponce Carnival — a city so proud of its salsa composers — returns in February with its iconic vejigantes, colourful masks and lively street performances: one of the island’s oldest and most cherished cultural traditions.

Meanwhile, throughout the year, the Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan’s Convention District hosts internationally touring artists, local performers and theatrical productions, offering entertainment options for culturally-minded travellers.

Those wishing to combine these festivities with stylish accommodation will find new boutique options such as Magdalena 1163, a refined ten-suite hotel in Condado that blends contemporary design with the intimacy of a private residence, and El Oasis Hotel in Aguadilla, a serene wellness-focused retreat surrounded by the lush rural landscape of western Puerto Rico. Alongside the art galleries, live music venues and performance spaces that operate year-round on the island, these new offerings provide visitors with even more ways to immerse themselves in Puerto Rico’s cultural vitality.

Puerto Rico’s natural wealth appears throughout the album as a recurring theme. El Yunque, the island’s tropical rainforest, cradled by the song of the coquí—so prominent on Bad Bunny’s album—offers travellers the chance to hike to natural pools, swim beneath waterfalls and observe endemic wildlife, with guided tours available all year round. Puerto Rico’s three bioluminescent bays — in Vieques, Fajardo and La Parguera — offer night-time kayaking tours by reservation, where the water glows an ethereal blue with every stroke of the paddle. And in the west of the island, Rincón attracts surfers from all over the world who flock to its surf schools and its beachfront restaurants and cafés.

Adding to all this is the vibrant Santurce es Ley movement, which continues to transform the district into an open-air gallery of murals, performances and artistic interventions. Across the island, theatres, concert halls and cultural districts will present a wide-ranging programme of music, dance and cultural events in 2026, offering endless opportunities to discover Puerto Rican creativity.

For more information, visit the Discover Puerto Rico website.