One Day in San Jose. Exploring Costa Rica’s quirky capital.
Walking down the street in San Jose was revealing quirky surprises around every corner…
Statues, graffiti art, and beautiful architecture.
However, I definitely sensed more of a gritty underbelly.
The city is full of character, so one day in San Jose will definitely keep you entertained.
Most tourists only pass through Costa Rica’s capital for a short time, as I did at the start of my backpacking adventure.
This blog includes the activities that I enjoyed during my first day in the Central American capital.
I found San Jose to be one of those cities which can be explored and thoroughly enjoyed through cheap or free activities.
There are many day tours within a couple of hours of San Jose which tourists enjoy, however, this experience is solely based on exploring within the city.
The famous los presentes statues in San Jose.
Take a walking tour of the city.
As with any city, the best way to feel its essence is through a walking tour.
San Jose is a compact city, therefore, you can visit many of the famous spots in a two hour walk, while hearing the history of each place.
Interestingly, I noticed that most of the iconic buildings and landmarks have the Costa Rica flag flying proud.
Here are the popular places which are usually included in a free walking tour of San Jose.
Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (National Theatre).
Known for its Renaissance architecture, ornate interiors, and history dating back many centuries.
The hidden gems of any city are what make it more interesting.
Our tour guide, ‘Chris’ was telling us that the National Theatre played a role in the political background of Costa Rica back in the 19th Century.
Apparently it served as the Congress Building as a temporary space while the new building was under construction.
These little knowledge bombs increased my intrigue of a unique city.
Central Market.
The market is a great place to be introduced to the life and soul of San Jose through the daily hustle. It isn’t touristy at all, so offers great insights into how the locals live.
San Jose Central Market.
Museo del Oro Precolombino (Gold Museum).
This museum offers more of a history stop with the museum displaying artefacts which date back to Costa Rica’s indigenous people, including pre-Columbian gold. You will learn some interesting facts about Costa Rica in there!
Parque Morazán (Morazán Park).
A large urban area which is right in the heart of San Jose and is filled with locals and tourists relaxing in the sunshine
If you want a private tour of San Jose, then you should consider the VIP city tour, which offers transport around the capital, including a pick up and drop off from your accommodation.
This is an ideal option if the temperatures are soaring in the capital!
Walking tours are very popular in San Jose.
Are you prepared for Costa Rica?
A lesson that I learned in San Jose, was that I had failed to prepare!
I planned on purchasing a Costa Rican sim card upon arrival into the country, however, I found it to be very tricky as a result of the minimal English that is spoken in the capital city.
The deals were also relatively expensive compared to other countries I have visited.
E-sims are now very popular and minimise hassle before visiting new countries!
Airalo is a great option to purchase an e-sim in advance of your trip.
As an example comparison, I found 7 days and 1 GB of data to be around $20 in various shops in San Jose, but on Airalo they are only $9.
For longer trips, you can also purchase up to 5 GB of data and 30 days.
Entrance inside the National Theatre is free.
Another impressive landmark.
Trying the local cuisine.
My day in San Jose was my first experience of the ‘soda’ culture of Costa Rica.
Soda’s are small family run restaurants which serve home made Tico food (Costa Rican food), and are usually less glamorous than restaurants, which means the prices are cheaper which draws in locals and tourists alike.
San Jose is filled with both International restaurants and Sodas, so your options of food are abundant.
If you are only spending 24 hours or less in the capital city, then you should opt for a Soda to experience the culture.
My choice of restaurant.
I opted to try the national dish of Costa Rica - Gallo Pinto.
The core ingredients of Costa Rica’s most famous dish are black beans and rice, which are mixed together to create a speckled appearance, so it gets the nickname ‘spotted rooster’.
It is usually served with a fried egg on top and toast.
This makes it a very popular breakfast dish across Costa Rica.
I found it to be very tasty and filling, therefore it gets a 8/10 rating from my personal experience of trying it.
As with other dishes across Costa Rica, there is a Mexican feel to it.
Here are some other popular dishes to try in a soda in San Jose:
Plátanos Maduros (Fried plantains) - Some sweet and savoury slices of ripe plantain fried to crispy perfection.
Yuca Frita - (Fried cassava): A starchy root vegetable similar to potato, fried until golden and enjoyed for its fluffy interior.
Casado con Pollo - A casado with chicken will typically include delicious, seasoned rice, black beans, a side salad, and a serving of shredded or grilled chicken.
The menus are mainly in Spanish.
Gallo Pinto.
Enjoy the artistic side of San Jose.
One aspect of San Jose which took me completely by surprise was the arty side to the city.
There are quirks on every corner, which come in forms of street art, funky statues, and even an umbrella street.
Due to Costa Rica’s location on the Central American Isthmus, there have been many global influences on the country over the centuries, which mainly includes Spanish and South American influence.
Street art is now flourishing in the city, adding a beautiful colourful uplift to the capital of Costa Rica.
You don’t have to walk far from the centre of the downtown area to see the art.
An umbrella street.
Weird and wonderful statues.
One of my unique memories of San Jose were the quirky statues on display dotted around the city.
Representing the people.
Los Presente (The Presents).
The bronze statues pictured at the top of this blog are popular for visitors to see as they are located right outside the central bank. The bronze figurines portray a scene from everyday life in Costa Rica.
The artist, Fernando Calvo, aimed to capture the essence of the Costa Rican people through ordinary citizens engaged in various activities.
Motherhood.
La Chola.
This bronze statue honours Costa Rican mothers. Created by Manuel Vargas, it depicts a woman carrying groceries and a child, symbolising the strength and dedication of Costa Rican motherhood.
I found this statue to be the most random one, as its shape depicts a large round woman, which in my experience of Costa Rica didn’t match the females over there.
A gift to the city.
One of my favourite statues is one of Gustavo Cerati, who was an Argentinian musician.
His statue was gifted to the city of San Jose in 2022 from the president of Argentina to signify a strong bond between the two nations.
The 2 metre high statue is located in the Plaza de las Artes in San José.
Statue of ‘Gustavo Adrian Cerati’.
Graffiti Street art.
San Jose has an abundant street art scene with backing from the Costa Rican Government.
I noticed a mural depicting the Spanish words of something similar to
‘Street 17 park is an open space for International and local artists to express their ideas through murals and collaborate in the decoration of the capital. We hope that visitors to the capital can enjoy the colourful murals as they walk down this boulevard each day’.
You should head to the City of colors murals area of downtown San Jose to enjoy the vast array of artwork which offers different themes, ranging from cartoons, to political and cultural murals.
I found this area to be the most aesthetically pleasing in the rough around the edges capital.
A quirky graffiti mural.
Have cultural interactions with the locals.
There is nothing better when sussing a new city out then striking up conversations with the locals.
San Jose is not very touristy, so you are guaranteed to experience some authentic interactions as you explore the highlights of the city.
A busy market stall.
I found many of the market vendors to be really friendly to interact with.
They offered for me to try the exotic fruits for free and offered a fun environment to explore.
If you want to take your San Jose adventure to a deeper level, then one of the market traders was offering to take me to a cooking class in the evening, however, I politely declined.
An adequate level of Spanish will definitely enhance your experience in San Jose though.
You can find anything in San Jose.
A local worker.
Enjoy the abundance of bars and cafes.
Due to the location of Costa Rica on the Central American Isthmus, there is a wide range of International influence on the bars and eateries, which is appealing to many tourists.
There many different themed bars and cafes, which range from the architectural design of the buildings, to the cuisine, and drink choice on offer.
Here are three highly popular spots to consider:
Artisan Brew Pub - Music, beer, and pizza.
KATTA Pub - hidden draft beers.
Craic Irish Pub - Nice Irish decor, but lacking in Irish drink selection.
There are some awesome bars and cafes in the city.
Costa Rica Beer Factory.
I enjoyed a pleasant afternoon in the Costa Rica Beer Factory located close to San Pedro.
I sampled a cocktail and craft beer to accompany my burger, and I would recommend all three parts of my experience.
It is also quite quirky that you can go and view the brewing part of the factory!
Costa Rica Beer Factory.
Inside the beer factory.
Some San Jose need to know tips.
Here are some need to know tips for you to consider before heading to San Jose:
Tropical weather.
San Jose enjoys warm temperatures all year round which makes outdoor activities appealing to many tourists. The rainy season runs from May to November though, so you may want to consider this when planning ahead.
I did visit in mid May and did not experience any rain though, anywhere in Costa Rica.
Uber is your friend.
Although San Jose is a walkable city, the temperatures, and rain can make walking uncomfortable at times, so you should make sure you have downloaded the Uber app before heading to San Jose.
It is a safe way to traverse the city, with the drivers exchanging the codes with passengers before entering vehicles for peace of mind.
I felt safe at all times on my Uber rides.
Dollars will do.
Although the national currency of Costa Rica is the Costa Rican Colón, US Dollars are widely accepted throughout the country, including San Jose, so don’t worry if you arrive before exchanging currency.
Card payments are also accepted in most places.
You need basic Spanish.
The language in Costa Rica is Spanish, and although English is spoken basically in the more touristy areas in the country, you will struggle in San Jose, unless you know some basic Spanish at a bare minimum.
I had to use a translation app as my Spanish is not as good as I would like it to be.
San Jose is a very difficult city to navigate with a language barrier.
Palm trees and sunny skies.
How to get around San Jose.
Uber.
As mentioned above, Uber is the best transport option in San Jose in terms of safety and efficiency. I did struggle to find my driver at the airport when I landed though, which is common with airports around the world.
I paid no more than $5 for any journey across the city.
Bus.
Buses are popular in San Jose but can get very crowded.
If you can deal with the many locals on your commute, then you can grab most bus rides across San Jose for under $1, with the network covering most of the city.
Traffic congestion is a thing to consider in San Jose though, and I experienced it first hand when catching the bus from San Jose to La Fortuna. It took us over one hour to exit the city, which on a crowded bus is very frustrating.
So consider the cost vs stress.
Walking
I did a lot of steps in my day in San Jose with many of the downtown areas within a mile or two of each other. As the afternoon sunshine increased temperatures after lunch, it did make it more difficult, so I would say enjoy a walk in the mornings or evenings in Costa Rica.
E-scooters/bikes.
There are options to hire scooters and bikes if you want to speed up your commutes for a reasonable cost.
Locals use the buses.
Where to stay in San Jose.
San Jose has hundreds of accommodation options located across the city, with many of the best hotels having pools, so you’re spoilt for choice for your stay in the Costa Rican capital.
Here are two options I used when flying in and out of the country:
An amazing stay in luxury.
At the end of my backpacking trip I treated myself to a night of luxury to finish my trip.
My favourite part of my stay was relaxing by the outdoor pool, working out in the gym, and using the hot tub and sauna.
Another two ways that the hotel offers great value is through super fast WiFi and freezing cold air conditioning, which was welcome after using some budget accommodation on my trip.
Booking in advance secures a cheaper price.
A beautiful coworking option.
What an awesome introduction to my Costa Rica trip.
I met some awesome backpackers on my two days in this hostel, as I was chilling in the social areas each day.
There is a good coworking vibe also, so I managed to get some work done. The outdoor pool, kitchen area, and hammocks, along with some beautiful sunshine, makes the garden area very appealing.
A good sociable cheap option to consider.
Most accommodation options offer outdoor pool areas.
Is one day enough for San Jose?
In my opinion one day is the perfect amount of time in San Jose.
I felt that I saw all the famous landmarks in my short stay in the capital.
I also enjoyed observing daily life in the markets, parks, and soda restaurants.
The compactness of the city means that if you want to see all the notable sights in a faster style of travel, it is doable by foot.
If you are interested in day trips to Jaco Beach or Tortuga Island, you will need additional days, as there is transit time to take into consideration.
The colourful San Jose sign.
Looking for your next destination in Costa Rica. How about La Fortuna?
If you are thinking about where to visit in Costa Rica after San Jose, let me recommend La Fortuna.
The small jungle town is filled with fun outdoor adventures, including waterfall hikes, volcano hikes, Hanging bridges, and canopy tours across the rainforests.
The bus is long and drawn out, but cheap between San Jose and La Fortuna, with it taking overs 5 hours at a reasonable cost of $5.
I would advise spending more on a shuttle service to save time, if your budget is bigger.
3 or 4 days in La Fortuna is enough time to experience the nature, wildlife and ambience of the town, and then you can head north to Monteverde, or East to the Pacific beach destinations.
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