 | ||
| San Jose | ||
| province | San Jose | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 288.054 (2011) | |
| height | 1,161 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
| ||
San Jose (in German: Saint Joseph) is the capital of Costa Rica, and also the largest city in the country with around 288,000 inhabitants. San José is also the capital of the province of the same name.
Districts
background
Geographical location
San José is roughly in the middle of Costa Rica, in the so-called "Valle Central", on a plateau. The city is surrounded by high mountains, among others. the Poás volcano (approx. 2,700 m) and the Irazú volcano (approx. 3,432 m). Other large cities, such as Heredia or Alajuela, which have merged with San José, extend around the capital. Therefore, around 1.6 million people live in the metropolitan area.
getting there
By plane
The international airport of Costa Rica is the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) and is located approx. 20 kilometers northwest of the capital San José. Geographically, however, it is in the immediate vicinity (2KM) of the second largest city in Costa Rica Alajuela.Condor flies twice a week from Frankfurt to San José.
By train
For several years there has been regular passenger traffic on a few routes again, but the poor condition of the infrastructure means that the bus is usually faster.
By bus
Local and long-distance bus connections are numerous and punctual for Latin America. Timetables can be found on hebusschedule.com.
In the street
By boat
mobility
taxi
There are numerous taxis in San José. Official taxis are metered and painted in reddish tones, and it is easy to stop a taxi with a hand signal from the side of the road. It is important to make sure that the taximeter is switched on. As a rule, however, the taxi drivers use the taximeter without being asked. The basic fee (in San José 600 Colones = approx. 1 €) will then be displayed. The additional fare is then based on the duration of the journey. In general, the taxi drivers are very reliable and serious. However, it often happens that the driver does not find the hostel / hotel immediately, even though it was shown on the city map. Whether this is intentional remains to be seen, but it is worthwhile to agree on a fixed price for longer journeys (especially in the evening hours).
By bus
Local buses usually have the destination in the windshield and cost a fixed amount (depending on the length of the total route) (usually between 200 and 700 colones) which must be paid in cash to the driver before the journey. The respective final stops are written on the windshield. The fares range between 70 and 500 colones. The stops are often very difficult to find and the signage is extremely inadequate. Therefore, a good time buffer must be taken into account when searching for the stop. They are the cheapest means of transport for this. Furthermore, they are (by South American standards) quite reliable.
Tourist Attractions
- 1 National Theater
- Main post
- different parks
- 1 Parque Nacional
- 2 Parque Morazan
- 1 Parque Nacional
- 3 National Museum
- 5 Gold museum (Pre-Columbian Gold Museum)
- 6 Parque Zoológico Simón Bolívar
- 1 Mercado Central
- 7 Iglesia Nuestra Senora de La Merced
activities
shop
San José has a wide range of international chains and various shopping opportunities according to western standards. Anyone who wants to go shopping here can spend a lot of money just as quickly as in Europe or North America.
kitchen
From American fast-food chains (including those that you won't find in Germany such as Taco-Bell or Wendy's) to classic Costa Rican dishes and multi-star menus, there should be something for every taste and budget in San José.
nightlife
accommodation
There are many accommodations in San José to suit all budgets. If you want to start your round trip by plane the next day after arriving, we recommend an overnight stay in Alajuela, as this city is located directly at the airport.
Learn
Work
security
In the city center you only have to watch out for pickpockets due to the visible police presence, but robberies can certainly occur in the outskirts and in the vicinity of some bus terminals. The "Coca Cola" bus terminal is particularly dangerous. You shouldn't stay here after dark.
For longer journeys, it is advisable to take a taxi at night.
health
Practical advice
trips
There are many national parks around San José, which can be reached relatively easily by bus:
- Volcán Poás National Park: Distance to San José approx. 55 km. This national park is one of the most attractive destinations, you can drive there by car to the crater rim of the approx. 2,700 m high volcano. The entrance fee is about US $ 10. There are also direct buses from San José (stop at Park La Merced, Av. 2 between C. 12 and C. 14).
- Volcán Irazú National Park: The national park, approx. 82 km from the capital, is also in a volcanic area. Here, too, you can drive up to the rim of the crater (at a height of approx. 3,430 m) by car. There you can (in very good weather) see both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Admission: approx. US $ 10. A bus leaves San José every day (at 8:00 a.m.) on Av. 2, between C. I and 3, opposite the Gran Hotel.
For both national parks it is true that these are only worthwhile in good weather. Often the peaks are cloudy and foggy, so you should save yourself the arduous journey. It is best to study the weather forecast for the area beforehand.
Since Costa Rica is one of THE main coffee growing countries, you can also visit a coffee farm:
- It's best to take the coffee tour Britt's coffee tour. This is located in Heredia, in the Mercedes district. The distance to San José is approx. 12 km. The tour lasts around 1.5 hours (price: US $ 22) and you can learn everything there is to know about the production of coffee and its cultivation; until the roasting process. However, you can also book the larger tour (US $ 54), which also includes pickup and lunch. However, you can also go there yourself very cheaply (cost: 573 C = € 0.87). He drives on Av. 2, C. 12 from. In Heredia, the walk from the bus stop to Brit's Coffeetour is about 2 km.
