San Jose

Set in the fertile central valley, San Jose is the capital and gateway to the paradise known as Costa Rica. Most travelers will enter Costa Rica through San Jose and will probably cross through the city several times on their travels around the country. San Jose has good museums and daytrips to keep you entertained during the day and great restaurants and nightlife for any international tastes.

The pedestrian mall on Avenida Central dissects the central part of town offering plazas, fountains and a shoppers dream. There are a number of sites around the Plaza de Cultura including the elegant National Theater, across from the Grand Hotel, and the Gold Museum which is almost hidden underneath the plaza. Here you will find the enchanting metal as shaped and sculptured by Latin America´s pre-Columbian people.

Heading towards Barrio Amon, the historical neighborhood filled with the colonial charm, you pass souvenir stores, casinos and traverse quite parks with many monuments. The Jade museum is found in this area, containing a collection of pre-Colombian artifacts and of course Jade, the symbol of power traded throughout Mesoamerica.

The nightlife centre of San Jose is El Pueblo, a sectioned off area full of restaurants, bars and discos. It is a short taxi ride from the city centre and many musical tastes can be satisfied here, from salsa, reggaton, to rock'n'roll.