Costa Rica is a bountiful, serene paradise but San Jose city is the only place you can see the modern and very cosmopolitan side of this magnificent country.

More of a thoroughfare destination for visitors on their way to other parts, this bustling capital and economic hub is the largest city in Costa Rica and home to over one-third of ‘Ticos’. These ‘Josefinos’ are some of the friendliest people you’ll meet, yet the usual and more easily frequented charms are: the vibrant colonial corners of the city, the busy central market permeated with the smells of food stalls and ground coffee, its downtown cafes, the National Theatre, Gold Museum, Lankester Botanical Gardens, and of course its infamous night life.

San Jose is a great city from which to begin or end your travels in Costa Rica and we can offer you a range of very comfortable hotels to suit your holiday and preferences.

What to do

  • Visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, National Theatre, and central market
  • Take a tour to the surrounding countryside and coffee plantations

Accommodation in San Jose

Here are some of our travel designers' favourite options

Ariel view of waves breaking on a forested shoreline