San Jose Costa Rica

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San Jose: Capital Of Costa Rica

San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica and is located in the Central Valley, in the province of the same name. It was founded in 1738 but was not given the name of San Jose until 1823. It is today a modern and cosmopolitan city and it is home to no less than a third of the entire country’s population. It is a typical Latin American city complete with chaos, horrific traffic and too many people walking in the streets. It is however quite small, and it is surprisingly pleasant to stroll down its small busy streets. With an altitude of 1,161 m above sea level San Jose enjoys a stable climate all year along and has an average temperature of 23°C with precipitations of 150 mm per month. This makes it a relatively pleasant place to live and many foreigners have settled in the surrounding areas and suburbs, notably in the Western part of town, in Escazu and in Sta Ana, and in the mountains of Heredia, where it is noticeably cooler and where it rains more.

What To Do In San Jose

San jose has a surprising good variety of Museums, theatres and places of interest to visit such as the Central Market, Lankester Gardens, and a couple of volcanoes and Cloud Forest that provide interesting day trips and other Tours of San Jose. Like most of Latin America City, San jose grew around its central plaza, la Plaza de la Cultura, where you will also find the National Theatre, a mini replica of the Opera de Paris, and the Gold Museum. From there you will also find the Avenida Central, a good pedestrian shopping street that leads to the fascinating Central Market, where you can indigenous herbs and remedies, souvenirs, and typical food. San Jose also has an incredible nightlife with restaurants from all over the world, bars and casinos.

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Where To Stay In San Jose

Compare to many other capital cities, San Jose is relatively quite small however the whole region is home to over a million people. When you first land you will find a good choice of airport hotels. Whether you want an apart hotel, an all exclusive, a small boutique hotel or a short-term rental, San Jose has it all and is home to some of the finest Hotels of Costa Rica. Most luxurious hotels like the Marriot, Real Intercontinental and Hotel Doubletree Cariari are located in the western suburbs of Sta Ana and Belen. Those who prefer the Centre town will be lost for choice; the Hotel Aurora Holiday Inn, the Barcelo San Jose are of the all inclusive type of hotels while the Hotel Grano de Oro, the Hotel Don Carlos or the Hotel Alta in Sta Ana are small distinctive hotels offering more privacy and are also more intimate.

Secrets Of San Jose

Many tourists now fly directly to Liberia without passing through San Jose, however the little capital is worth a visit and has more to offer than one would think at a glance. The Barrio Amon offers first class neo-classical architecture and has many awesome residences of which some have been turned into small hotels in order to survive! The museums, including the National Museum, the Gold Museum and the Jade Museums are a must see. Try and visit the Lankester Gardens on the eastern side for spectacular orchids. Travelling in San Jose is chaotic and vibrant, like any good Latin American city. San Jose is full of life and color, entertaining and fun, and as long as you use common sense, it is still one of the safest cities of Latin America.


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