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Experience the best of San José

San José is Costa Rica's capital in the high Central Valley, a working city of theatres, markets and museums, close to volcanoes and coffee farms.

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San José sits in a mountain-ringed valley at about 1,100 metres, where the climate is mild year-round. The neoclassical National Theatre, opened in 1897, is the city's finest building, and the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and the Jade Museum show the artistry of ancient peoples. The Central Market, a maze of food stalls, coffee sellers and craft shops, keeps its old rhythm, and Barrio Amón and Barrio Escalante have grand houses and newer cafés.

Most visitors use the city as a base. Poás Volcano, with its steaming crater, and Irazú, the country's highest active volcano, are each within a couple of hours' drive, and the basilica at Cartago, dedicated to the Virgin of the Angels, draws pilgrims. Coffee farms around Heredia and Alajuela offer tours, Sarchí is known for painted oxcarts, and the Pacific beaches around Jacó are roughly two hours away.

Costa Rican cooking is simple and filling: gallo pinto, rice and beans, at breakfast, casados of rice, beans, plantain and meat at lunch, and fresh ceviche. Coffee is the national habit, often brewed through a cloth filter called a chorreador. Sunshine dominates from December to April, while the green season that follows has afternoon showers and lush hills.

  • 30 skip-the-line tickets
  • Free cancellation on 84% of experiences
  • 4.7 across the top 24

Top 10 attractions in San José

See all 12 attractions
  1. Number 1

    Arenal Volcano National Park

    4.86k reviewsfrom $29
  2. Number 2

    San Jose Central Market (Mercado Central)

    4.74k reviewsfrom $6
  3. Number 3

    National Theater (Teatro Nacional)

    4.73k reviewsfrom $6
  4. Number 4

    Morazan Park

    4.83k reviewsfrom $31
  5. Number 5

    Poas Volcano National Park

    4.71k reviewsfrom $32
  6. Number 6

    Costa Rican Art Museum (Museo de Arte Costarricense)

    4.2497 reviewsfrom $80
  7. Number 7

    Pre-Columbian Gold Museum

    4.4457 reviewsfrom $34
  8. Number 8

    Sarchi

    4.4309 reviewsfrom $46
  9. Number 9

    Braulio Carrillo National Park

    4.5262 reviewsfrom $42
  10. Number 10

    Orosi River Valley (El Valle del Rio Orosi)

    4.581 reviewsfrom $112

Special offers in San José

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Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.

Day trips from San José

182

Guided tours in San José

167

Walking and bike tours in San José

23

Food and drink experiences in San José

47

Outdoor and adventure activities in San José

87

Nature and wildlife tours in San José

60

Signature experiences in San José

Go beyond San José

  1. Alajuela · 17 km

    Hacienda Alsacia Starbucks Coffee Farm

    6–7 hr4.94k reviewsfrom $31
  2. Alajuela · 17 km

    Lake Hule (Lago de Hule)

    9 hr5.010 reviewsfrom $118
  3. Quepos · 56 km

    Rainmaker Park

    4 hr4.92k reviewsfrom $65
  4. Jacó · 70 km

    Tortuga Island (Isla Tortuga)

    9 hr4.74k reviewsfrom $55
  5. Jacó · 70 km

    Carara National Park (Parque Nacional Carara)

    4 hr4.81k reviewsfrom $31
  6. Miramar · 73 km

    Adventure Park and Hotel Vista Golfo

    4 hr4.7160 reviewsfrom $25
  7. La Fortuna · 87 km

    La Fortuna Waterfall

    8 hr4.811k reviewsfrom $20
  8. La Fortuna · 87 km

    Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park

    8 hr4.88k reviewsfrom $39
  9. Monteverde · 90 km

    Curi-Cancha Reserve

    3 hr4.81k reviewsfrom $30
  10. Monteverde · 90 km

    Selvatura Park

    5 hr4.5715 reviewsfrom $20
  11. Limón · 114 km

    Tortuguero Canals

    6 hr4.5542 reviewsfrom $39
  12. Drake Bay · 145 km

    Playa San Josecito

    8 hr4.8703 reviewsfrom $95

Questions about San José

What is there to do in San José?
We list 805 experiences in San José. The largest groups are day trips (201), city tours (24), attraction tickets (17), food tours (12).
What are the top attractions in San José?
Ranked by the experiences that visit them, the top attractions in San José are Arenal Volcano National Park, San Jose Central Market (Mercado Central), National Theater (Teatro Nacional), Morazan Park.
What is the most popular experience in San José?
By number of traveller reviews it is "Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner", rated 4.9 out of 5 from 3,738 reviews.
How long do tours and tickets in San José take?
The typical experience in San José lasts about 6 hours; the middle half run between 3 hours and 11 hours.
Can I cancel a booking in San José?
The operator lists free cancellation on 84% of the 805 experiences we hold for San José. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.

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  • Free cancellation on most experiences

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    Ratings and reviews are collected from travellers by our booking partner and Tripadvisor; nobody pays for placement.

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