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24 hours in Santiago de Chile
24 hours in Mérida, the Mexican
24 hours in Santo Domingo
The capital of Costa Rica, a country that currently allows you to fly by plane from anywhere in the world (travelers must complete a digital health form 48 hours before boarding, and accredit medical insurance that covers medical expenses for covid-19, as well as an accommodation), it is a place of passage.
From San José, excursions start that direct the traveler to the capricious beaches of the Pacific and the Caribbean as well as the exuberant national parks of a country famous for its wild nature and its ecotourism offer.
In recent years, the city of Chepe, which is what Costa Ricans, or Ticos, call San José, is undergoing a transformation led by architects and urban artists who have proposed to fill it with color.
9.00
Breakfast and yoga
If it is Saturday, you can visit the
Aranjuez Green Fair (1)
, in the neighborhood of the same name.
It is a market where soaps, clothes and bags are mixed with those of roots, juices and Costa Rican food and you can ride a bike or do yoga.
On Sundays the fair is held in the
Curridabat
neighborhood
,
and any other day it is a good idea to start the day in
La California (2)
, one of the neighborhoods where urban art is most developed.
One of its epicenters is the
Selina
hostel
(3)
.
With a
coworking
space
and a yoga terrace, one of the best breakfasts in San José is served on its patio.
Opposite, behind wild vegetation, appears the
Café Mundo (4)
, one of the oldest buildings in the country.
enlarge photo The ceilings of the auditorium of the National Theater, from 1897, are decorated with references to the cultivation of coffee, which brought stability to the country and is part of its identity.
Alamy
10.30
The Plaza de la Cultura
About 15 minutes walk is the
Antigua Aduana (5)
(Calle 23).
For years it was the train station and now it is a cultural center.
There are the National Theater Company and the Casa del Cuño, where the book fair is held in May.
The center of San José hides wonders such as the
National Theater (6)
, a cute candy box completed in 1897. A guided visit is worthwhile.
The ceilings are decorated with references to the collection of coffee, which brought stability to the country and which is part of its identity.
Behind the theater and underground is the
Pre-Columbian Gold Museum (7)
, with works from 500 to 1,500.
The so-called
Plaza de la Cultura (8) is
completed by the
Gran Hotel de Costa Rica (9)
, inaugurated in 1930. On its top floor are the cafeteria and restaurant;
It is well worth going up for its panoramic view of the square, the theater and the Chinatown.
A few steps away is the
Central Market (10)
.
Opened in 1880, it is one of the busiest corners of the city.
Upon entering, you think you are in a medina;
Be careful, it is difficult to find your way around its nooks and crannies, about 200. In its alleys there are somewhat quirky stalls, with herbs for all kinds of ills (including love affairs), colored threads, buttons or coffee.
There are also
sodas
(small bars where they serve natural juices), such as the centuries-old
Soda Tapia
or the
Lolo Mora
ice cream parlor
,
with a spicy flavor whose formula is a secret.
enlarge photo A pre-Columbian stone sphere in the National Museum.
Michael Dwyer Alamy
12.00
Mysterious stones
Green areas are not lacking in the city.
The nearby
park of Social Guarantees
houses the
Municipal Handicraft Market (11)
.
There you can find paintings of butterflies, coconut wood works, t-shirts or hammocks.
Nearby are the
Jade Museum (12)
(Central avenue 13 and 13 bis) and the
National Museum (13)
, with an impressive butterfly garden at the entrance.
Next to it is one of the more than 500 round stone spheres that, in 1939, were found in various parts of the country during the deforestation of Costa Rica by banana.
Of pre-Columbian origin and a world heritage site since 2014, they are so perfect that they would be difficult to carve today.
Hence, many murmur about its mysterious origin.
13.00
Tropical garden
The
National Center of Culture (Cenac) (14) is
not far.
Although first you have to go through the
Morazán park (15)
, with its Versailles temple, and that of
Spain (16)
, with a bronze bust of Isabel la Católica and dense tropical vegetation.
The site belonged to the Old Liquor Factory where they made
guaro,
a sugar cane brandy.
In the area is
Bò FastGood (17)
, the restaurant of Josep Pérez, former elBulli cook.
His typical dish is the sausage stuffed with flavors from different countries, from Argentine aromas to
teriyaki
chicken
.
La California begins in the Morazán park, where the
Magaly cinema (18)
, known as La California cinema, shows cycles of European and classic films, and there are many bars and venues, such as
Rafa's, Rabbit Hole
or
Antik.
15.00
The flavors of Escalante
Without a doubt, the fashionable area in San José is the
Escalante
neighborhood
(19)
, strewn with charming low houses and places to eat.
There is
El Farolito,
the Spanish Cultural Center that has adopted this name for the lamp that crowns the nearest roundabout and where exhibitions are organized.
Right next door, more culture sponsored by Spain:
Casa Caníbal,
with residencies for artists from all over the continent.
Saúl Bistro,
where it is nice to drink a mimosa on your patio, or
Uvita Perdida,
where you can enjoy a cheese board paired with wine, are very close.
Isolina
(33rd street, number 751)
is also in the same area
, and for vegetarians the
Silk Tree
smoothies
and the
Mantras Veggies
desserts
are highly recommended
.
enlarge photo cova fernández
18.00
Toast with 'chiliguaro'
In Escalante you have to have coffee at
Pandeli (20)
, a place with Ticas, Spanish and Turkish roots, and accompany it with a croissant or Santiago cake.
And in nearby
Agüizotes
(which means superstition)
(21) they
serve
chiliguaro, a
drink made with
guaro,
tomato juice and chili, with salt and chili powder.
Rich, but if abused,
rubber
(hangover) assured.
Groups of friends usually opt for
Casa Rojas (22)
, a space that resembles the patio of a typical San José house and where there are different bars, such as Alcaparra and its Spanish tapas.
20.00
The night, for the music
And if what is missing is live music, the best thing is to go back to
Avenida Segunda,
in the center of the city, and look in front of
Plaza de la Democracia
at
El Lobo Estepario (23)
, where you can enjoy music from the 1980s and recitals of poetry or literature until two in the morning.
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