San Jose is the largest and the capital city of Costa Rica. It was founded in 1738 and has evolved into a modern city. It has a busy commercial life, dynamic culture and a much improved tourism industry. It is no wonder that it has become a major tourist destination of foreign visitors. San Jose is the seat of the Costa Rican political government. It is also the center of the country’s commercial and cultural life. It is located at the heart of the Gran Area Metropolitana (GAM) in the highland of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Around it are magnificent green mountains and valleys.

The city has a relatively warm climate with temperatures that usually stay from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, at certain times of the year, some tourists appreciate the respite it offers from the cold climate of the temperate countries. The southern parts of San Jose extend into rural areas and rain forests that Costa Rica is well-known for. These are the Talamanca Mountain Ranges. You can find the airport, embassies of other countries, museums, hotels, restaurants, big and small business establishments and the Universidad de Costa Rica in the City of San Jose.

San Jose has some of the more scenic and magnificent sties and attractions around. For one, the very interesting Museo Oro Precolombino (Gold Museum) holds more than 1,600 parts of gold artifacts that date back from around 500 AD to 1500 AD. The Poas Volcano and the Botos Lagoon, part of the National Park, is very near San Jose. It is an active volcano with dense forests around the crater, making the area one of the most visited places in the country. The Insect Museum inside the Universidad de Costa Rica contains an extensive collection of exotic bugs and insects. The guided tour here will prove to be a short but fruitful learning trip.

Theater lovers would find the Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (National Theater of Costa Rica), the Cathedral and the Melico Salazar Theatre very interesting. These are the regular venues of cultural presentations, depicting both the old and modern cultures of Costa Rica. Various presentations such as concerts, operas, cultural presentations and the like are being held here all year round.

Nature lovers can look forward to going to Lankester Botanical Gardens which can be found at the outskirts of San Jose. Bring your family to Pueblo Antigo, the famous theme park in town. There are also other museums modeled after 19th century San Jose and the ones located inside a massive complex called Parque de Diversiones de Costa Rica. Likewise, in the north of the city is a community called Barrio Amon which is the location of old and historic buildings having architectural importance to the country.

Tourists who love the night life will also enjoy the numerous bars, clubs and restaurants that line El Pueblo’s picturesque cobblestone streets. These are also within walking distances from hotels and resorts. Nightlife can last from 9 o’clock in the evening until the wee hours of dawn. Foreigners should never miss the local coffee which is served in a typical Costa Rican way. This can be bought in some coffee shops along the downtown area.

Costa Rica is the most preferred tourist destinations in this world as it has excellent tropical climate, which is preferred by all the tourists. Costa Rica is in demand for its long white sandy beaches with fresh blue water and clear skies and that is why it draws a lot of tourists from all over the world. You have several options of traveling in Costa Rica open to you when you decide to visit this Central American country. One way is to rent a car to drive yourself around. The advantage of taking this route is that you can abide by your own schedule and stop when and where you want. Outside of the major city of San Jose, this is a very convenient way of traveling around the country.

If you decide to rent a car, you do have to be aware that even though the speed limit says 60 mph you won’t be able to travel at this speed because of the poor road conditions. The roads are also very narrow and many of them wind their way up steep mountain slopes. You may get stuck behind a truck that is moving very slowly and you have no room to pull out and pass. If you are on your own, the cost of renting a car is quite expensive, but if you have two or more people with you who can share the cost, it is a cheap way of traveling in this country.

Theft is rampant in Costa Rica so you do have to be careful where you park your car, even during the daytime. You should really arrange for someone to stay with the car at all times or hire someone to watch it for you. You should never decide to leave the car in a parking lot overnight. You also need to know that there is a different code when it comes to driving in Costa Rica. A stop sign actually means to slow down and very few drivers do come to a complete stop when they encounter such a sign on the city streets.

You can use bus service that originates from either San Jose or Alajuela airports. The buses do not have route numbers and are named according to the origin of the route. You will have to actually visit the station in order to obtain bus tickets, as they do not accept credit cards or take online reservations. This means that you will need to have cash on you to obtain the tickets you want. You may also have to pay an additional fee if you have oversize or excess luggage, so it is best to arrive at the station early to give yourself enough time. The buses are also crowded.

Taxis offer another option for getting around the city or the countryside. They are reasonably priced, but you should ask for the cost of the fare before you get in the taxi. If not, you could be facing a hefty fare when you arrive at your destination. Be careful to only used licensed taxis because there are many unlicensed taxis, called piratas or pirate cabs, who are know to really gouge tourists and charge exorbitant fares. Outside the cities, you can also avail of taxis to take you around the countryside. The taxis used in these locations are four-wheel drive vehicles that can manage the rough roads. The drivers know all the locations and can act as guides for you as well.