The campus of Universidad Nacional is a great place for doing a little guerrilla learning. Keep an eye out here for posters advertising cultural offerings and special events happening around the city.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
5.14 MILES
On the southern side of the Plaza de la Cultura resides the Teatro Nacional, San José’s most revered building. Constructed in 1897, it features a columned…
14.71 MILES
This polished storybook garden complex just east of Volcán Poás offers the most easily digestible cultural experience in the Central Valley and is the…
5.28 MILES
This museum houses the world’s largest collection of American jade (pronounced ‘ha-day’ in Spanish), with an ample exhibition space of five floors…
Museo de Oro Precolombino y Numismática
5.12 MILES
This three-in-one museum houses an extensive collection of Costa Rica's most priceless pieces of pre-Columbian gold and other artifacts, including…
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4.87 MILES
Though josefinos mainly do their shopping at chain supermarkets, San José’s crowded indoor markets retain an old-world, authentic feel. This main market,…
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Catarata del Toro & the Blue Falls
20.63 MILES
Find a beautiful 90m-tall waterfall that cascades into a volcanic crater (free for overnight guests) and two trail options through virgin forest (one 4…
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22.93 MILES
In front of the Church of San Rafael, this park was a normal plaza until the 1960s, when a gardener named Evangelisto Blanco became inspired to shave the…
5.33 MILES
Entered via a beautiful glassed-in atrium housing an exotic butterfly garden, this museum provides a quick survey of Costa Rican history. Exhibits of pre…
Nearby attractions
1. Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepción
0.31 MILES
Built in 1797, this striking white church is still in use. The thick-walled, squat construction has withstood many earthquakes, but parts of the facade…
0.33 MILES
Occupying a privileged position on the corner of the plaza just north of the church, this low-lying Spanish structure dates back to the late 18th century…
0.35 MILES
This tower, constructed in 1876 by order of the provincial governor, is the official symbol of Heredia. It was declared a national historic monument in…
0.37 MILES
Heredia was founded in 1706, and in true Spanish-colonial style it has several interesting old landmarks arranged around Parque Central, including an…
1.28 MILES
Housed in a restored 19th-century farmhouse 1.5km southeast of Barva, this tiny museum surrounded by well-labeled gardens is run by the Universidad…
8. Parque Metropolitano La Sabana
4.38 MILES
Once the site of San José’s main airport, this 72-hectare green space at the west end of Paseo Colón is home to a regional art museum, a lagoon and…