San Jose Travel Guide
Costa Rica's capital and most important city
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The capital of Costa Rica, San José, is located in the Central Valley of the country at 1,149 meters above sea level.
The city is relatively small in size, when compared to many of its Latin American counterparts, partly due to the proximity of the country’s other main cities of Herida, Alajuela and Cartago, but it is a modern, lively and generally friendly place which deserves some time before heading out to visit the many highlights that Costa Rica offers.
San José was founded in 1738, but remained fairly insignificant until 1824, when the government was moved here from the old Spanish colonial capital of Cartago. The University of Costa Rica was established here in some twenty years later and it is now the most important commercial centre in the country, served by Juan Santamaría International Airport, which is just 23 km west of the centre, near Alajuela.
While little of the city’s colonial buildings remain, visitors to San José can see the architecture of several buildings that have been declared National Monuments of cultural, historical or architectural interest, including the Banco Central de Costa Rica, Post Office and Telegraph Building, Pacific Train Station and the National Theatre, which holds regular concerts and events.
There are also several excellent museums in the city, including the Gold Museum and the Jade Museum, which both contain fascinating artifacts from ancient Latin American civilisations. San José’s Central Park, Plaza de la Cultura, Parque Nacional and Mercado Central are also popular places for people watching.
The city enjoys and average temperature of 24°C and precipitation of 150 mm per month.
Attractions in San Jose
While San José does not have the instant appeal that exists throughout the rest of the country, there are plenty of things to do and see that can easily fill a day or so for people who are passing through, either before or after their international flights.
These include visiting some of the excellent museums, exploring the streets and seeing some of the city’s most important landmarks.
Activities in San Jose
Costa Rica is a great multi-active destination and local operators can offer an enormous range of activities and day trips from San José, including rafting, biking, hiking, horseback-riding, bird watching and National Park visits.
Relaxing
San José has many great restuarants, bars and a lively nightlife scene. Cor something a bit more lively, San José’s December religious feasts and public festivals are traditional events enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
Getting Around
San José is Costa Rica’s transport hub and from here you can reach all corners of the country. Regular bus services operate from here, there are flights to and from many of the smaller regional airports (including chartering services), plenty of car hire companies and taxis on every street corner.
Local travel companies can also provide private transfers throughout San José and the rest of Costa Rica.
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