Costa Rica’s small capital city is located in the country’s mountainous interior on a plateau called Central Valley, at an elevation of about 3,839 feet. Ringed by lush green mountains and valleys, it is home to half the country’s population. While Costa Rica is known as an eco-tourism destination, San Jose is often blanketed by a thick layer of smog from the chaotic traffic.
Full of high-rises, shopping malls and fast-food outlets, San Jose may not be a pretty sight, but it is the hub of Costa Rican life. Sophisticated enough to rival any other Central American capital, its residents are technology savvy and very fashion conscious.
The dining scene is varied, with top-notch eateries dishing up culinary treats alongside traditional restaurants serving local Tico delicacies. The lively nightlife offers plenty of bars with live music and nightclubs churning out beats every night of the week. Culture buffs will find a good selection of museums, theaters and cinemas. December is the most vibrant and thus most crowded time of year in San José, with a series of festivals leading up to New Year.
San Jose attractions
Gold Museum: is housed underground and contains one of the largest collections of pre-Columbian gold in the Americas.
Spyrogyra Butterfly Garden: is a calm and quiet oasis in this noisy and crowded city, giving a good introduction to the life cycle of butterflies.
INBio Park: this museum-cum-educational center offers a nature park explaining Costa Rica’s biodiversity and natural wonders.
National Center of Art and Culture: showcases progressive Costa Rican and Central American artists as well as notable traveling international exhibits.
National Museum: is housed in an old fort and features a large butterfly garden and a collection of large stone spheres from the Diquis Valley, near the Pacific Ocean.