Regions: San Jose de Costa Rica

The capital of Costa Rica, San José, is located in the Valle Central (Central Valley), in the province of San José, the most populated province in the country. It is a high plateau surrounded by majestic volcanoes and mountains and includes national parks, forest reserves and fertile agricultural lands where coffee plantations abound.



It was founded during the first half of the 18th century, and today is a city where visitors from all around the world converge.

Places of interest:

· Museo del Jade (The jade museum). Avenida 5-7, Calle 11-13 bis, INS, now on the 1st floor. Tel 223-5800. Mo-Fr 8:30AM-3PM. Entrance fee 500 Colones.

· Museo de los Niños (The children's museum), antigua penetenciaría (the old prison). Tel 258-4929. M-F 9:30AM-3:30PM, Sa-Su 10AM-4PM. Entrance fee 600 Colones for adults and 300 for children.

· Museo de Arte Costarricense, east end of Sabana Park. This used to be San Jose's main airport terminal back when La Sabana was the airport. Tel 222-7155. Tu-Sa 10:00-16:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Entrance fee $5 (students $3).

· Insect Museum at the Universidad de Costa Rica A very elegant collection of exotic bugs. Only a few dollars, but check the times when they are open.

· Asamblea Legislativa (Parliament). It spreads across several neighboring buildings: the Colegio de Sión, the Castillo Azul, Casa Rosada de los Salazar and the congress building.

Public Opening times: Mon-Fri 8:00 to 16:00. Tel: (506) 243-2000


· Museo Nacional
The museum includes a large butterfly garden and a collection of large stone spheres from the Diquis Valley near the Pacific ocean. The museum building is an old fort last used during the 1948 revolution. Calle 17 Avenida 2. Tel 257-1433. Tu-Su 8:30AM-4:30PM. Entrance fee 2000 Colones.

· Parque Nacional

Includes the National Monument dedicated to the heroes of the 1856-1857 war.

· Centro Nacional de Cultura (CENAC), ancient Fábrica Nacional de Licores

Mon-Fri, de 8:00AM to 4:00PM. Tels: (506) 255-3638 or 255-3376 Fax: (506) 256-6722

· Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo

Tue-Sat 10:00AM to 5:00PM. Tels.: (506) 257-9370. Fax: (506) 257-8702

· Museo del Oro Precolombino (The Gold Museum).

Under Plaza de la Cultura. Tel 243-4202, museoro@racsa.co.cr . Tu-Su 10AM-4:30PM. Entrance fee $7 for foreigners. The collection consists of 1600 pieces of Pre-Columbian gold work dating from 500 AD to 1500 AD. Information is given on the processing and making of the pieces as well as their social, cultural and religious meanings. At the same place you will also find The Numismatic Museum and The Temporary Exhibition Galleries. There is a nice museum shop and a tourist office at the entrance.

· Teatro Nacional

A symbol of the aspiring liberal coffee planting bourgeoisie, the Teatro Nacional was built at the end of the 19th century, by means of a strong tax to coffee production.
Mon-Sat 9:00AM to 4:00PM Tel. (506) 221-3756 ó 221-9417. Fax (506) 223-4990.

· Catedral Metropolitana

Masses: Mon-Sat: 6:30AM, 11:00AM and 5:00PM. Sundays: 7,9,10:30AM and 12,16,18,20PM. Holy Hour every Thursday at 3:00PM. Tels.: (506) 258-1015 or 221-3820. Fax: (506) 221-2427.