San José
Costa Rica · 1172 m
Description
San José is the lively capital of Costa Rica and the country’s political, economic, and cultural center. Set in the Central Valley, the city is known for its elegant National Theatre, fascinating museums, the traditional Mercado Central, and bustling urban life. San José combines historic architecture and everyday Costa Rican culture with modern neighborhoods, restaurants, cafés, and a diverse cultural scene. Surrounded by green mountains and volcanic landscapes, the capital also serves as the country’s main gateway to Costa Rica’s national parks, cloud forests, volcanoes, and coastlines.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 7 days (optimal 4 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: January – February
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- National Theatre of Costa Rica
- Pre-Columbian Gold Museum
- Central Market (Mercado Central)
- National Museum of Costa Rica
- Jade Museum
- Barrio Escalante food scene
- Barrio Amón
- Metropolitan Cathedral of San José
- Poás Volcano National Park(Day trip)
- La Paz Waterfall Gardens(Day trip)
- La Sabana Metropolitan Park
- Cartago & Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels(Day trip)
- Coffee plantation tour(Day trip)
- Costa Rican Art Museum
- Irazú Volcano National Park(Day trip)
- Orosi Valley(Day trip)
- Spirogyra Butterfly Garden
- Braulio Carrillo National Park(Day trip)
- Arenal Volcano & La Fortuna(Day trip)
- Manuel Antonio National Park(Day trip)
- Monteverde Cloud Forest(Day trip)
- Tortuguero National Park & canals(Multi-day trip)
- Tortuguero sea turtle nesting (July - October)(Multi-day trip)
Getting there
- Airports:
- SJO
- Train stations:
- UCR (San Pedro), Santa Rosa, San Francisco