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 did not become the capital until 1823, when the political power shifted from Cartago to San José.

San José enjoys an absolutely stunning location, set into the rolling mountains of the Central Valley. Look all around you, and you’ll be greeted with celestial blue skies and mountains so close you’ll think you can touch them. In addition, high altitudes afford this mountain capital an ideal climate of nearly year-round temperatures that hover at 25 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit). In addition, as you will quickly find out, all roads in Costa Rica lead to San José, so this will be your starting point for most excursions.

From its convenient central locale to its buzzing culture, San Jose is both literally and figuratively the core of the country. It is the hub of all transportation throughout the country – including the majority of international flight arrivals and departures of most tourists.

Taxis are available 24 hours a day and San Jose also boasts a very accessible public transportation (bus) system. On the streets, you’ll find anything from lottery tickets to sewing needles for sale by nomadic and sometimes over-aggressive merchants.

When you first set eyes on the city, your impression will be one of a mostly-commercial metropolitan area. Offices and stores are sprinkled throughout San José, housed in modern buildings of varying architectural styles. Upon closer inspection, however, you’ll find open-air markets, exquisite cathedrals and churches, and a healthy serving of cultural offerings thrown into the mix. And as you walk the streets and find your way, you’ll be introduced to small neighborhoods (barrios) that have a life and heartbeat all their own.

If you’re exploring the city on foot, don’t be afraid to ask a Tico for directions if you get lost. You should be wary however, of their whimsical style of directions. Since very few streets have names, you’re most likely to be given a set of distances and descriptions, sort of like a little scavenger hunt.

San José’s official population hovers around 350,000, though this number takes into account only the San José Cantón, which is located in the San José Province. The greater San José metropolitan area is reported to be home to over 1,000,000 individuals, and as you stroll her streets, the city’s greater population will greet you with laundry drying in the warm Costa Rican sun, neighbors calling out to each other, and small corner stores (pulperías) staking claim to their part of town.

Each section of the city offers its own flavor and feeling: downtown is dotted with most of the city’s museums and flowering urban parks, La Sabana is home to a huge city park lined with eucalyptus trees and boasting its own lake, San Pedro is a bustling college town rich with bars and live music offerings, and Escazu ups the ante with towering condo buildings and amazing valley views.
Tico Tip
Finding your way around San José (and any Costa Rican town) can be a challenge. If you’re reading from a guidebook, keep in mind that all Calles (streets) in San José run north-south and all Avenidas (avenues) run east-west. When getting directions from a local — whether Tico or a friendly English-speaking expat — he will orient you using one of the city’s many landmarks. So when you hear, “From Central Park, just go 200 meters east and 25 meters south,” what your new friend is trying to say is to go 2 blocks east (100 meters = 1 block) of the Central Park, and then head 1/4 block south. It may sound complicated, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly!