Things to do · San José · Costa Rica
15 best things to do in San José
15 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Fespinozalemistre, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in San José are Teatro Nacional, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica and Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. Of the 15 picks below, 7 are free, 7 work on a rainy day and 4 suit children. Allow about 3 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Teatro Nacional
- Free sights
- 7
- Good on a rainy day
- Teatro Nacional
- Time to see the highlights
- 3 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teatro Nacional | Centro | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Museo Nacional de Costa Rica | Centro | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Pre-Columbian Gold Museum | Centro | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Museo del Jade | Centro | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Mercado Central | Centro | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Avenida Central | Centro | 45 minutes | Free |
| Plaza de la Democracia | Centro | 30 minutes | Free |
| Barrio Amón walk | Barrio Amón | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Parque Morazán and Parque España | Barrio Amón | 30 minutes | Free |
| Centro Nacional de la Cultura (CENAC) | Barrio Amón | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Edificio de Correos | Centro | 30 minutes | Free |
| Catedral Metropolitana | Centro | 20–30 minutes | Free |
| Parque La Sabana | La Sabana | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Museo de los Niños | Barrio Amón | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Barrio Escalante food street | Barrio Escalante | 2–3 hours | Mid-priced |
The 15 best things to do
Architecture · Centro
1.Teatro Nacional
Costa Rica's national theatre opened in 1897, financed by a tax on coffee exports, and its marble staircase, gilded foyer and painted ceilings were modelled on European opera houses. The foyer ceiling painting of coffee and banana harvests is one of the country's best-known images. The building still hosts concerts, theatre and dance.
Take the guided tour to see the auditorium and the upper foyers, then have coffee in the theatre's café off the main lobby.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Centro
2.Museo Nacional de Costa Rica
The national museum occupies the Cuartel Bellavista, a yellow fortress-like former barracks whose towers still bear bullet marks from the 1948 civil war; Costa Rica abolished its army that year. Exhibits cover pre-Columbian cultures, including the stone spheres of the south, and colonial and modern history, and a butterfly garden fills the entrance.
Begin in the butterfly garden, then look for the bullet holes on the outer towers before going inside.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Centro
3.Pre-Columbian Gold Museum
Beneath the Plaza de la Cultura, the Central Bank's museums display a large collection of pre-Columbian gold pieces — frogs, jaguars, eagles and shamanic figures cast by Indigenous goldsmiths — alongside a coin and banknote museum and temporary art exhibitions.
Start with the gold collection on the lowest level, where the lighting is designed to show off the metalwork.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Centro
4.Museo del Jade
The Jade Museum moved into a striking modern building facing the Plaza de la Democracia in 2014. It holds a large collection of pre-Columbian jade from the Americas, along with ceramics and stone carvings, with clear displays on how the pieces were made and used.
Combine it with the Museo Nacional across the plaza; together they give a complete picture of pre-Columbian Costa Rica.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Market · Centro
5.Mercado Central
Founded in the 1880s, the central market is a covered maze of narrow alleys selling coffee, herbs, spices, leather goods, flowers and souvenirs, with dozens of small sodas serving casados, sopa negra and ice cream at counter seats.
Eat a casado at one of the busy counters at lunchtime, and keep a close eye on your bag in the crowded aisles.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Street · Centro
6.Avenida Central
The pedestrianised central boulevard links the Mercado Central with the Plaza de la Cultura and the Teatro Nacional, lined with shops, cafés, street performers and preachers. It is the simplest route through downtown and a good way to see everyday city life.
Walk it from west to east, starting at the market and ending at the Teatro Nacional for a coffee.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
Landmark · Centro
7.Plaza de la Democracia
The stepped public square in front of the Museo Nacional commemorates the abolition of the army and the 1948 events, with views towards the mountains around the valley. Craft stalls along its side sell hammocks, wooden bowls and souvenirs, and the Jade Museum faces it.
Browse the craft stalls at the plaza's edge for wooden souvenirs; prices are open to gentle bargaining.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Shopping
Neighbourhood · Barrio Amón
8.Barrio Amón walk
A short walk through the historic coffee-baron quarter shows off Victorian, Art Nouveau and Moorish-style mansions, many restored as hotels or galleries, together with murals and street art. The Castillo del Moro, with its domed tower, is the neighbourhood's best-known building.
Go in the morning, when cafés are open and streets are busy, and continue to Parque Morazán and the CENAC.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Art
Park · Barrio Amón
1.Parque Morazán and Parque España
Two adjoining green spaces on the edge of downtown: Parque Morazán, centred on the domed Templo de la Música bandstand, and the leafier Parque España, shaded by tall trees and home to many birds. Historic buildings including the CENAC line the surrounding streets.
Use Parque España as a shady pause between the centre's museums and Barrio Amón.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Architecture
Gallery · Barrio Amón
2.Centro Nacional de la Cultura (CENAC)
The former national liquor factory, a 19th-century complex of brick and stone, has been converted into the national culture centre. It houses the Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, which shows contemporary art and design from Costa Rica and Central America, as well as theatres and courtyards.
Check what is on at the contemporary art museum, and look into the courtyards of the old factory buildings.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Centro
3.Edificio de Correos
The ornate green central post office building, completed in 1917, is one of the city's finest early 20th-century buildings, with an elaborate stone façade. Inside, a small philatelic museum displays stamps and telegraph equipment.
Combine it with the Mercado Central one block away; the plaza in front is a good spot to rest.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Free
Religious site · Centro
4.Catedral Metropolitana
San José's neoclassical cathedral faces the Parque Central, where locals gather around the bandstand. Its interior is calm and light, with a painted ceiling and stained glass, a short walk from the Teatro Nacional and Avenida Central.
Step in on a weekday for a quiet moment away from the downtown traffic, and sit in the Parque Central afterwards.
- Time needed
- 20–30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Park · La Sabana
5.Parque La Sabana
The city's largest park occupies the site of the old international airport, with a lake, running paths, sports fields and plenty of space for picnics. The former terminal building, now the Museo de Arte Costarricense, stands at its eastern end, and the National Stadium is on its north side.
Visit on a weekend morning, when local families, cyclists and runners fill the park.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Active
Museum · Barrio Amón
6.Museo de los Niños
The children's museum occupies a former penitentiary, a castle-like building north of the centre. Interactive rooms cover science, the human body, space and Costa Rican culture, and some former cells have been preserved to show the building's past.
Allow a few hours with younger children, and take a taxi or ride-hailing car from the centre rather than walking.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Street · Barrio Escalante
7.Barrio Escalante food street
Calle 33 and the nearby streets have the city's highest concentration of restaurants, cafés, bakeries and craft-beer bars, from Costa Rican and Peruvian to Mediterranean and Asian cooking. On weekend evenings the neighbourhood is busy with locals.
Walk the area early in the evening, choose a restaurant, and finish with a local craft beer in one of the taprooms.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Museo del Jade and Barrio Amón walk |
| History | Teatro Nacional, Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Museo del Jade and Museo Nacional de Costa Rica |
| Outdoors and nature | Parque Morazán and Parque España and Parque La Sabana |
| Food and markets | Mercado Central and Barrio Escalante food street |
| After dark | Barrio Escalante food street |
| With children | Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, Parque La Sabana and Museo de los Niños |
| On a rainy day | Teatro Nacional, Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Museo del Jade and Museo Nacional de Costa Rica |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in San José?
Teatro Nacional. Costa Rica's national theatre opened in 1897, financed by a tax on coffee exports, and its marble staircase, gilded foyer and painted ceilings were modelled on European opera houses.
+What can you do for free in San José?
Avenida Central, Plaza de la Democracia, Barrio Amón walk, Parque Morazán and Parque España and Edificio de Correos. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in San José when it rains?
Head indoors to Teatro Nacional, Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Museo del Jade and Museo Nacional de Costa Rica.
+What is there to do in San José at night?
Barrio Escalante food street are best after dark.