Quick Facts

San Jose is the capital and largest city in Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San Jose is a major transportation hub of Costa Rica. Although the majority of tourists land at the Juan Santamaria International Airport and immediately head for the beaches, the lush rainforests, or the nearby smoldering volcanoes, San Jose has some amazing historical museums, colonial architecture and nearby lush green mountains to be visited.

Getting There & Other Transportation

The Juan Santamaria International Airport is located 20 km from downtown Costa Rica. When your flight arrives, you can take a taxi or (for an even less expensive option) a bus to downtown San Jose. In terms of taxis, stick with the official airport taxi service, Taxis Unidos Aeropuerto. This company has a fixed price and will not try to ‘up’ the price for tourists.

Many car rental agency desks are located at the airport as well. However, if you are staying in San Jose for more than a day trip, it is better to use public transportation or taxis to get around town.

Hotels & Places to Stay

Being that San Jose is not only a large city, but also a main hub for Central American travelers, there are many hotels in San Jose and around the San Jose airport. Here is a list of some great downtown hotels:

Hotel Presidente

Hotel Santo Tomas

Quality Hotel Real San Jose

Hotel Grano de Oro

Mansion del Parque Bolivar Hotel

Andventure Inn

Dining & Nightlife

San Jose has a large variety of restaurants with cuisines from all over the world. If you want to try local cuisine at its finest, try a soda (or diner). Another regional staple is ‘gallo pino’, a rice and bean mixture. It is served at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For some Latin American restaurants, try:

Barbecue Los Anonos

El Chicote

La Cava Grill

La Cocina de Lena

Machu Picchu

For South American cuisine, try:

Donde Carlos

For international cuisine, try:

Cafeteria 1830

Café Mundo

Grano de oro Restaurant

Jurgen

Park Cafe

Attractions

If you are spending time in San Jose instead of using it only for its airport, there are some attractions in and around the city to keep you busy.

If you are interested in seeing zoos and aquariums, there are many to choose from:

Butterfly Farm

Parque Zoologico Simon Bolivar

Spyrogyra Butterfly Garden

Zoo Ave.

For those who enjoy nature walks and outdoor gardens, see:

Else keintzler Botanical Garden

INBio Park

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Lankester Gardens

If you are interested in spending a day or two learning about Central American history, the following museums are must-sees:

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica

Museo de Arte Costarricense

Museo de Jade Marco Fidel Tristan

Museo de Los Ninos

Museos del Banco Central de Costa Rica

Currency, Culture and Language

The official language in Costa Rica is Spanish.

The official currency in Costa Rica is the colón (or colones, plural).