Flights to San José

From the airport

Official orange airport taxis wait outside arrivals and use meters, and the drive into San José takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. Ride-hailing apps work too, and car hire firms run shuttles to their nearby depots. Many visitors spend their first night in Alajuela or the hills near the airport before heading off on longer drives. Public buses from Alajuela into the city are cheap and frequent if you're travelling light.

The city centre

The Teatro Nacional, opened in 1897 and paid for by a tax on coffee exports, has a gilded interior and a café in its foyer. Beneath Plaza de la Cultura, the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum displays hundreds of gold pieces, and the Jade Museum holds the world's largest collection of American jade. The National Museum occupies the old Bellavista Fortress, its walls still marked by bullet holes from the 1948 civil war. The Mercado Central, open since 1880, is packed with food counters and spice stalls.

Neighbourhoods and day trips

Barrio Amón has restored colonial-era mansions, and Barrio Escalante is known for its restaurants and craft beer. Day trips reach Poás and Irazú volcanoes, the basilica in Cartago and coffee farms on the slopes around Heredia. The La Paz Waterfall Gardens, with trails past five falls, are about 90 minutes north. Tours collect from most city hotels, or you can drive yourself with an early start.

When to plan your trip

San José sits at around 1,150 metres, so it stays mild all year, with highs near 25°C. The dry season runs from December to April, and afternoon showers are common from May. Late December and Easter week are the busiest times for flights.

Planning to start in San José and finish on the beach? Call 020 7871 4545 and we'll arrange an open-jaw ticket.