7 Must-See Sites in San José, Costa Rica

Considered one of the finest historic buildings in the city, National Theatre of Costa Rica dates back to the late 19th century and boast lavish furnishings and ornate interiors. Today, the theater holds performances every week, including events from the National Symphonic Orchestra, featuring both Costa Rican and foreign composers. © Fierce Orchid | Dreamstime.com

Walk through more than 200 shops, stalls and fast-serve restaurants at San José Central Market. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of coffees, fruits, flowers and event commodities like cowboy saddles, herbal remedies, souvenirs, local handicrafts and snakeskin boots. © Rainer Lesniewski | Dreamstime.com

For a daytrip from the city, head to Poás Volcano National Park. Located less than two hours from San José, this park is home to an active stratovolcano, which last erupted in 2019. The park also includes two crater lakes near the summit of the volcano, the southern one surrounded by a cloud forest. © Ondrej Prosicky | Dreamstime.com

Also less than a two-hour drive from the city is Irazú Volcano, another active volcano in Cordillera Central and the tallest active volcano in Costa Rica. This volcano’s summit has several craters, one of which is a vibrant green crater lake. A road leads right to the summit craters, with weekly bus service to the top available. At the top, you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans on a clear day. © Celso Diniz | Dreamstime.com

Explore Costa Rica’s many treasures at Museo Nacional de Costa Rica. The museum features the memorial of Glory, as well as historical documents of Costa Rica’s events, tragedies and upbringing. The museum also features a butterfly garden and several pre-Columbian stone spheres, as well as exhibitions on the area’s pre-Columbian history. © Malgorzata Drewniak | Dreamstime.com

Despite its name, the city’s Central Park is more of a plaza and square than a park, complete with various statues, seasonal events and a gazebo. Overlooking the square is Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Joseph of San José, an early 19th-century cathedral. © Rainer Lesniewski | Dreamstime.com

Take a daytrip to La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park, located a little more than an hour from the city. This park includes a tall waterfall from River La Paz, which traverses a rainforest and volcanic terrain before plunging into a pool below. The park also includes a small shrine and, further upstream, a hotel. © Ondrej Prosicky | Dreamstime.com