Our Recommendations
Food scene
These are all recommendations based on our local favorite options to go for a bite.
This is a great middle-priced restaurant to go either for lunch or dinner. They serve Latin American food with a modern twist. If you go we recommend you try their "Torta Ahogada" as it is amazing!
Alma de Amón
Calle 5This is a great middle-priced restaurant to go either for lunch or dinner. They serve Latin American food with a modern twist. If you go we recommend you try their "Torta Ahogada" as it is amazing!
Great Italian middle-priced pizza place to have dinner at!
9 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Pizzería y Galería El Portón Rojo
Avenida 10Great Italian middle-priced pizza place to have dinner at!
Pizza Oliva
Avenida 3The best pizza place around!
This is an organic local farmer's market that is very nearby to our place and has both a great selection of vegetables and an AMAZING brunch menu. This market is Saturdays only, from 7am until 11am.
35 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Green Fair Aranjuez
Calle 19This is an organic local farmer's market that is very nearby to our place and has both a great selection of vegetables and an AMAZING brunch menu. This market is Saturdays only, from 7am until 11am.
Coffee Shops
There's nothing like sitting down for a coffee in the afternoon to recharge and unwind! These are a few of our favorite places to do this!
Great place for "sit and relax" coffee along with a grilled cheese (highly recommended grilled cheese!).
25 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Franco
3166 Av. 7Great place for "sit and relax" coffee along with a grilled cheese (highly recommended grilled cheese!).
This place is really good and calm if you're around La Sabana and looking for a coffee. The coffee shop is connected to an artisan leather crafts store that has beautiful designs for bags, backpacks, and accesories. (prices for this brand of bags are way better in here when compare to airport or souvenir shops)
10 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Cueropapel&tijera.
Avenida 10This place is really good and calm if you're around La Sabana and looking for a coffee. The coffee shop is connected to an artisan leather crafts store that has beautiful designs for bags, backpacks, and accesories. (prices for this brand of bags are way better in here when compare to airport or souvenir shops)
Places to Visit
Welcome to Barrio Escalante! This is a great place for walking-around and trying a diverse array of restaurants.
190 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Barrio Escalante
Welcome to Barrio Escalante! This is a great place for walking-around and trying a diverse array of restaurants.
Sightseeing
This is the San José's Central Market, surely a sight not to be missed! This place is full of tiny restaurants and shops where you can find awesome souvenirs without the "tourist tax" bigger shops have. If you go we'd recommend you ask for "helado de sorbetera" and a "casado" for lunch.
65 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
San José Central Market
Avenida CentralThis is the San José's Central Market, surely a sight not to be missed! This place is full of tiny restaurants and shops where you can find awesome souvenirs without the "tourist tax" bigger shops have. If you go we'd recommend you ask for "helado de sorbetera" and a "casado" for lunch.
A great recently built museum that has a lot of Precolumbian culture in Costa Rica, including amazing gold and jade art hundreds of years old.
272 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Museo del Jade
Avenida CentralA great recently built museum that has a lot of Precolumbian culture in Costa Rica, including amazing gold and jade art hundreds of years old.
If you have the chance to take a look into the history of Costa Rica during your stay this museum is recommended! It guides you through all the different times in history that built the country we have today (including not having an army!).
186 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
National Museum Of Costa Rica
Avenida CentralIf you have the chance to take a look into the history of Costa Rica during your stay this museum is recommended! It guides you through all the different times in history that built the country we have today (including not having an army!).
This is an awesome place to get souvenirs from at very reasonable prices from artisans themselves! Really recommend going here for small memories of your trip
22 Recomendado por los habitantes de la zona
Municipal Craft Market
This is an awesome place to get souvenirs from at very reasonable prices from artisans themselves! Really recommend going here for small memories of your trip
Consejos para la ciudad
Frases útiles
"Pura vida" is great for everything
This phrase is widely used to thank and greet other people! Read more here: https://costarica.org/people/pura-vida/
Qué debes empacar
Sunblock and Mosquito Repellent
Although you can get these in a local pharmacy or supermarket, make sure to buy at home as prices are usually higher in CR for these articles.
Formas de ahorrar
Barrio Aranjuez for lunch
If you want a quick and cheap bite for lunch, we recommend you go near "Hospital Calderon Guardia" where small restaurants offer competitively priced lunches (this is where all doctors and nurses go to lunch at).
Formas de ahorrar
Uber is the easiest way around
Traditional taxis are usually overly expensive, we recommend you use Uber instead. Now, Uber is technically "illegal" in Costa Rica but widely used all over the country. Drivers will usually ask you to sit in the front seat to decrease the chance of getting pulled over by police (this happens very rarely).
Formas de ahorrar
Student Discount at Museums
If you're a student then don't forget to bring your student ID (either your institution's or international ISIC card) to museums as most of them will offer discounts!
No te pierdas
The Feria Verde farmer's market is a must!
This is already included elsewhere but just a friendly reminder to visit this farmer's market that happens Saturdays from 7am to 11am
Costumbres y cultura
Tip is not paid in Costa Rica
Service fee is ALWAYS already added to your restaurant check automatically because of law, but some places still print the receipt in a way you might be confused into feeling like you have to add tip. Please note this is only in case you received extraordinary service and would tip on top of what is already added (10%) to your check.