Across San Juan Bay from Old San Juan, in the town of Cataño, is the distillery that makes most of the Bacardí rum sold in the world. Bacardí describes the Cataño plant, built in 1958 on 127 acres, as the largest premium rum distillery in the world. Its visitor center, Casa Bacardí, is one of the most visited attractions in metro San Juan. The company was founded in Santiago de Cuba in 1862 and set up in Puerto Rico in the 1930s, and the visit tells that story along with how the rum is made, then puts a cocktail in your hand. It is an easy half-day from San Juan, and the ferry ride over is part of the fun.
What the visit is like
Casa Bacardí is a visitor center inside a working distillery, not a walk along the production line. You check in at the visitor pavilion, which has a bar and gift shop. Every experience starts with a welcome cocktail, typically a mojito, daiquiri or Cuba libre. From there, guides take you through the Bacardí family story, the company's move from Cuba, the symbolism of the bat logo, and the basics of molasses, fermentation, distillation, charcoal filtering and barrel aging.
Bacardí has recently opened its aging warehouses to the public for the first time, so some experiences now go into the rooms where barrels rest, with a chance to taste rum straight from the cask. These are the formats that differ most from the old free tour many visitors remember.
Choosing an experience
All experiences are ticketed, must be booked in advance and are for guests 18 and older. As of 2026 the menu includes:
- Legacy Tour (about 50 minutes): the standard introduction. Heritage exhibits, a short historical film and a guided tasting, plus the welcome cocktail. Choose this if you are mainly curious or short on time.
- Mixology Class (about 75 minutes): an expert mixologist walks you through making two classic Bacardí cocktails. Good for groups and anyone who wants to repeat the drinks at home.
- The Maestro's Walk (about 90 minutes): goes into an aging warehouse, includes a taste from the barrel and finishes with a seated tasting of aged rums.
- Founder's Experience (about two hours): the most in-depth option, limited to small groups, with warehouse access and a tasting of four premium aged rums in a private room named for founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó. It runs at set times each day.
- Spanish-language weekend experience: a shorter warehouse and barrel tasting session held on Saturdays and Sundays and conducted in Spanish.
Prices vary by experience and change from time to time, so check the current list on the official Casa Bacardí tickets page. Closed-toe shoes are required for the experiences that enter the warehouses, and the booking page notes this for each one.
How to get there
By ferry and shuttle from Old San Juan
This is the classic way to go. The public ferry to Cataño leaves from Pier 2 in Old San Juan, near the cruise piers at the foot of the old city. The crossing takes about 12 minutes and costs very little. Casa Bacardí also sells a combined ferry and shuttle service, booked with your tour ticket, that gets you from Pier 2 to the distillery gate in about 20 minutes. Ferry schedules change, so check the latest timetable on Puerto Rico Ferry's Casa Bacardí page before you go. If you skip the shuttle, taxis wait near the Cataño ferry terminal for the short ride to the distillery.
By car, taxi or Uber
Casa Bacardí is at Carretera 165, km 6.2, in Cataño. From San Juan, take Highway 22 west and follow the signs for Cataño and Road 165. Without heavy traffic, the drive from Condado or Old San Juan takes 20 to 30 minutes. A taxi or Uber is the better choice if you plan to drink more than a sip.
Practical tips
- Book ahead. Cruise-ship days and weekend afternoons fill up. Morning slots and weekdays are usually calmer.
- Allow time. Plan on two to three hours door to door from Old San Juan for the Legacy Tour, including the ferry. Add an hour or more for the longer tastings.
- Bring ID. Every experience is 18+, and you will be served alcohol, so carry a photo ID.
- Dress for heat. Wear light clothes, and closed-toe shoes if your experience includes the warehouses.
- Accessibility. If you use a wheelchair or have limited mobility, contact Casa Bacardí when booking to confirm access for your chosen experience and for the shuttle.
- Kids. Under-18s can't join the experiences, so this works best as an adults' outing.
Combine it with
Casa Bacardí pairs naturally with a day in the old city. Before or after the ferry, walk the waterfront at Paseo de la Princesa and Bahía Urbana, both close to Pier 2, or climb to El Morro and Fuerte San Cristóbal, which share one National Park Service ticket. On the Cataño side, Isla de Cabras in neighboring Toa Baja is a quiet waterfront park facing El Morro across the harbor mouth. To continue the rum theme, Puerto Rico's official drink is the piña colada. The Caribe Hilton says its bartender created it in 1954, though Old San Juan's Barrachina restaurant also claims it.
Good to know
- Address: Carretera 165, km 6.2, Cataño.
- Every experience requires an advance ticket and is for guests 18 and older.
- Ferry from Pier 2 in Old San Juan: about 12 minutes. Ferry plus Casa Bacardí shuttle: about 20 minutes.
- Closed-toe shoes are required for warehouse experiences.
- Hours and prices change. Confirm on bacardi.com before you go.
