The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

24 hours in San José, gateway to a green universe 

2020-11-25T19:48:45.965Z


A tour of the vibrant cultural and leisure scene of the capital of Costa Rica with stops at the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, the Aranjuez Green Fair and the Central Market


MORE INFORMATION

  • 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.

Find inspiration for your next trips on our Facebook and Twitter and Instagram or subscribe here to the El Viajero Newsletter.

Source: elparis

All news articles on 2020-11-25

You may like

News/Politics 2024-02-16T05:12:47.519Z

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.