Places to See in San Jose

San Jose began as a small agricultural town, focused on coffee and tobacco production. In the last several decades, the city has grown, its population has multiplied, and it has morphed from a quaint downtown into a sprawling urban center.

Multicolored markets, tucked-away gardens and brazen street vendors paint the city's landscape, while city parks and landscaped plazas decorate San Jose's lively downtown. Though San Jose won't win any architectural awards, an afternoon stroll is always interesting, offering a unique view into Costa Rican life and the heartbeat of a nation.

For more cultural pursuits, a city tour will tell a history of victory and defeat. San Jose's museums and churches promise insight into the country's past and present, from contemporary art and jade jewelry to towering steeples and stained glass. Visit the country's first airport, where art now hangs on the walls, or a bullet-riddled remembrance of Costa Rica's civil war, which today houses the country's greatest historical artifacts.

Forget what you've read, and give San Jose a chance – its vibrant storytelling and lively downtown warrant at least a day or two of your vacation in paradise.

San Jose Highlights:

Downtown Landmarks
Churches
Museums
Plazas
Parks
Theaters

In addition to San Jose's wealth of parks, churches, plazas, theaters and museums, we recommend the following:

Parque Zoologico Simon Bolívar
This park, located two blocks northeast of Avenida 11 and Calle 7, is home to a large variety of native Costa Rican wildlife. In the past, the zoo was plagued by complaints, but recent donations have helped to vastly improve the park's conditions. There are still improvements to be made, so if you're looking for a guilt-free zoo, see Alajuela's Zoo Ave, a wildlife rehabilitation and animal rights center.

Parque Nacional de Diversiones (The Amusement Park)
Costa Rica’s only amusement park is located in La Uruca, one mile west of the Hospital Mexico. The park itself offers more than 80 rides and attractions, while the self-contained Pueblo Antiguo ("Old Town") offers a look back into traditional Costa Rican life. Read More ...

Spirogyra Butterfly Garden
This small downtown garden, located just 150 meters south of Guadalupe's El Pueblo Shopping Center, offers 30 species of butterflies and five species of hummingbirds. Included in the garden's entrance fee is a walk along the Relaxation Trail, a rustic path so quiet it’s hard to believe San Jose is right outside the gate.

Read our Spyrogyra Butterfly Gaden adventures on our travel blog

The Central Market
Though not as loud and crazy as other Latin American markets, San Jose's Mercado Central (Central Avenue, between Calle 6 and 8) is a bustling, bright and lively downtown market full of handmade goods, traditional crafts and almost every food product available in Costa Rica.

The Crafts & Artisans Market
Located just west of the National Museum, this quaint market offers souvenirs and crafts at prices that can't be beat. Beautiful wood crafts and handmade jewelry are the market's standouts. Always be sure to ask if a product is made in Costa Rica – vendors here are generally honest about their products' origins.

Barrio Amon
If you're looking for old-world Costa Rican charm and colonial architecture, then Barrio Amon is the place to be. This was once the neighborhood of choice for the city's elite, but most vestiges of the old life were toppled by severe earthquakes. Today, several mansions built with coffee dollars remain, and promise some of the city's most beautiful colonial architecture.

Nearby Attractions:

Within an hours drive from central San Jose are several national parks and volcanoes:

Braulio Carrillo National Park

Irazu National Park

Poas Volcano National Park

Barva Volcano