As the largest city and capital of Costa Rica, San José reigns as urban king of the country. This economic and political hub sits in the Central Valley -- El Valle Central or La Meseta Central -- and is one of Latin America's youngest capitals. In fact, though the city was founded in 1738, it [...]
Filed under: San Jose on May 21st, 2008 | No Comments »
San Jose can be proud of something: the National Theater.
The theater was inaugurated in 1897 with panache as the Paris Opera Company came to Costa Rica especially for this event and performed Faust. It must have been quite a night! San Jose decided that it simply had to have a theater when the famous Italian Opera [...]
Filed under: San Jose on June 11th, 2008 | No Comments »
La Sabana Park
This park is a must see of San Jose. It was originally the city’s airport, but as the city grew, so did the need for a larger airport. Now the Costa Rican Art Museum is located in the airport terminal and the landing strip is home to the rest of the park. There [...]
Filed under: San Jose on June 11th, 2008 | No Comments »
Shop ‘til you drop at the Mercado Central. See the variety of extraterrestrial-looking fruits, listen to price negotiations on giant sides of beef, or pick up a hand-stitched cowboy hat from the Tico who made it. In a cultural wonderland like this, you’re bound to experience something you never knew existed. The Central Market is [...]
Filed under: San Jose on June 11th, 2008 | No Comments »
Visiting San Jose's museums will open a window into the past, allowing you to better understand the country's present. In addition to the insight you'll gain, you will also be one of few people in the world to have seen pre-Columbian treasures up close. So fight the urge to book the first flight out of [...]
Filed under: San Jose on June 11th, 2008 | No Comments »
The downtown area of Santa Ana is experiencing a boom in restaurant options as new residents with higher disposable incomes arrive and old favorites refresh their offerings. The selection is still a bit limited but there are a few good spots to check out.
El Martinese - With good food, a laid back ambiance and an affordable price, [...]
Filed under: San Jose on June 6th, 2008 | No Comments »
A quick 15 minute ride from the airport and a wide range of new international business centers makes Santa Ana an ideal location for new up-and-coming hotel chains to make their debut in Costa Rica. The majority of the worth while establishments here are 4 or 5 star, and cater to an international public. However, as [...]
Filed under: San Jose on June 6th, 2008 | No Comments »
Everyone knows Escazú is one of San Jose’s commercial and residential hotspots, but few have yet discovered the jewel in the rough that is Santa Ana.
Santa Ana lies just to the West, over the hill from Escazu, and it’s been described as “Escazú’s country cousin” by some. Those of us who have been around this [...]
Filed under: San Jose on June 6th, 2008 | No Comments »
The Hotel Grano de Oro, located in the center of San Jose, was built at the beginning of the 20th century, and is reminiscent of these days of fine glory and glamour. It has 32 spacious rooms, uniquely decorated with exquisite taste, complete with all the services and amenities one expects in a hotel of [...]
Filed under: San Jose on May 21st, 2008 | No Comments »
Ecoscapes Highlights Tour is great if you have little time in San Jose. This tour allows you to see the La Paz waterfall gardens, visit a banana plantation, hike in the rainforest, and experience the Sarapiquí river by boat. They also arrange your transportation and provide lunch and breakfast. Cost is $79 per person. Phone: [...]
Filed under: San Jose on May 21st, 2008 | No Comments »
