Sensational San Jose

The capital and largest city of the Central American country of Costa Rica is San Jose in the Central Valley region with the Talamanca Mountains to the south and volcanoes to the north.

Plaza de la Cultura is a concrete plaza right in the heart of downtown. Here you can people-watch while enjoying the sunshine. There are juggling clowns to entertain and vendors selling wares.

Teatro Nacional is located on the southern side of the Plaza de la Cultura. It was constructed in 1897 and has a neo-Classical facade that is flanked by statues of Beethoven and the famous 17th-century Spanish dramatist Calderon de la Barca. You’ll be impressed by the marble lobby and the auditorium that is lined with paintings, depicting 19th-century life. There are hourly tours available and you can relax in the cafe.

Museo de Oro Pre-Colombino y Numismatica is a three-in-one museum with an extensive collection of Costa Rica’s most priceless pieces of pre-Columbian gold and other artifacts among them historical currency and some contemporary regional art. The museum is located underneath the Plaza de la Cultura.

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica is entered through a lovely glassed-in atrium that houses an exotic butterfly garden. You can see exhibits of pre-Columbian pieces as well as artifacts from the colony and the early republic. All of these are housed in the old Bellavista Fortress which once served historically as the army headquarters and saw fierce fighting in the 1948 civil war. Here President Jose Figueres Ferrer announced in 1949 that he was abolishing the country’s military. Among the most notable pieces here is the fountain pen that Figueres used to sign the 1949 constitution. The period galleries in the northeast corner feature turn-of-the-20th-century furnishings and decor from the time that these rooms served as the private residences of the fort’s various commanders.

Barrio Amon is a pleasant and historic neighborhood. Here you can find a cluster of coffee grower mansions that were constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of the historic buildings have been converted into hotels, restaurants, and offices. This is a key arts center.

Museo de los Ninos & Galeria Nacional are two museums in one. It has found its home in an old penitentiary that was built in 1909. It is part children’s museum and part art gallery. Small children love the hands-on exhibits relating to science, geography, and natural history. Adults enjoy the contemporary art displayed in abandoned prison cells.

Parque Nacional is one of the nicest green spaces in the city. There are shady spots to relax and benches to sit on. At the center is the Monumento Nacional, a 1953 statue that depicts Central American nations driving out North American filibuster William Walker. There are other monuments that are devoted to Latin American historical figures among them Cuban poet, essayist, and revolutionary Jose Marti, Mexican independence figure Miguel Hidalgo, and 18th-century Venezuelan humanist Andres Bello.

Across the street stands the Asamblea Legislativa, with an important statue of Juan Santamaria, the young man who helped get Walker out of Costa Rica.

Catedral Metropolitana was built in 1871. It has a neo-Classical interior with colorful Spanish-tile floors, stained glass windows, and a Christ figure. On the north side of the nave, you’ll find a recumbent Christ, dating back to 1878 that draws devout Ticos, who come to pray and deposit pleas that have been written on small slips of paper.

Parque Morazan was named for Francisco Morazin, the 19th-century general who attempted to unite the Central American nations under a single flag. This park gets illuminated in the evenings. At the center is the Temple de Musica, a concrete bandstand that serves as an unofficial symbol of San Jose.

Monumento Leon Cortes this bronze statue of the 1930s Costa Rican president stands at the eastern entrance to La Sabana Park.

Sightseeing in Costa Rica

Visitors enjoy seeing the wildlife and enjoying the beaches at Manuel Antonio National Park. The park has endless stretches of sand and dense forest. Guided walks are available through the park.

Even on your own, you’ll have fun spotting howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, capuchins, sloths, and many different types of birds.

You’ll also enjoy taking a look at the small town of Manuel Antonio. There is a lovely oceanfront beach where you can see soccer games and surfers enjoying the waves. You can wander through the stores on the hillside and relax at the restaurants.

Arenal Volcano National Park is located in the rugged Cordillera de Tilaran and is one of the top volcano viewing areas in the country. The main attraction here is the Arenal Volcano which reaches 1,633 meters. It was dormant from 1500 AD until a massive eruption occurred on July 29, 1968, killing 82 people and destroying two villages. Ever since there has been regular activity.

The park is also well-known for its wide range of biodiversity with about half of all Costa Rican birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

The Arenal Observatory Lodge was established in 1987 and is the only lodge within the Arenal Volcano National Park boundaries. It is located on a macadamia nut farm on the south side of the volcano. From the lodge, visitors can get awesome views of the volcano and Arenal Lake. There are numerous hiking trails that lead to waterfalls or old and recent lava flows.

Cloud Forests have become popular ecotourism destinations in Costa Rica. Here visitors can see unique plants and wildlife. There are clouds covering the forests that provide moisture. There is also plenty of bird watching to do in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. You can see all kinds of mammals and amphibians. There are jaguars, pumas, monkeys, and even frogs among others. One of the best ways to see everything is to take an organized hike. There are also canopy tours.

If you’re looking for a tropical backpacker’s haven head for Dominical. You’ll find dirt streets, lovely beaches, cheap accommodation, open-air restaurants, and an easy kind of lifestyle. It is loved by surfers. If you prefer you can find small luxury inns and bed and breakfast places on the outskirts or on the hill that overlooks the town. You can see howler monkeys and toucans. The town in known for its wide stretch of open beaches, with shady trees and vendors who set up tables and sell crafts.

Tamarindo on the Nicoya Peninsula is a great place for surfing and relaxing on the beach. This was once a fishing village that turned into a tourist haven. Visitors can find great accommodations and good food. The town stretches along Tamarindo Beach. For surfers, the biggest waves can be caught in November and December. The area around here is known for its eco-friendly adventures. Some of the activities here include snorkeling, diving, horseback riding, zip-lining, and turtle-watching.

Nearby you’ll find Playa Grande which is one of Costa Rica’s most important nesting grounds for leatherback turtles. In October and March over 100 turtles can be found nesting and laying their eggs overnight.

Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast can be accessed only by boat or plane. This is an important breeding ground for the green sea turtle and turtle watching is one of the top activities here. There are many beaches but they are not suitable for swimming since the currents are rough and strong. Sharks come around too. There are hiking trails and you can take boat rides along the canals. Visitors enjoy seeing the monkeys, sloths, and kinkajous. Other wildlife includes peccaries, tapirs, freshwater turtles, lizards, snakes, frogs, and toads.

In the far south of Costa Rica, you’ll find the remote Osa Peninsula. This is the place where you can find some of Central America’s best stretches of coastal rainforest. Some of the popular activities are diving, snorkeling, and fishing. Puerto Jimenez is the area’s largest town.

Corcovado National Park was established in 1975 and protects what is looked at as the best remaining stretch of Pacific coastal rainforest in Central America. There is an extensive trail system and visitors enjoy taking long-distance hikes.

Braulio Carrillo National Park there are rugged mountains, waterfalls, canyons, dormant volcanoes, and virgin rainforests. It is close to the main gateway of Costa Rica and here you can see unique plants and wildlife. There is the Barva Volcano and the Caribbean lowlands. You can see jaguars, pumas, tapirs, sloths, and monkeys. Among bird species, there are the Quetzal the national bird, toucans, and eagles.

The Rincon de la Vieja Volcano is the main attraction in the park. The last time the volcano erupted was in 2011 so the hiking trails to the top are not open. There are plenty of trails that lead to waterfalls and hot springs.

You can see tapirs, sloths, monkeys, jaguars, pumas, and ocelots.