San Jose

San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica and the San Jose Province. San Jose, which was a small village during its formation, grew rapidly and developed into a Central Valley. In 1824, Liberal Juan Mora Fernandez, the first elected head of state shifted the government of Costa Rica from the Spanish colonial capital of Cartago to Costa Rica. In 1884, it became the first city in Latin America to be illuminated by electric energy. The city now the largest city of the nation is also the headquarters of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

Area & Location: Located in the center of the country, San Jose is situated at 9º56' Latitude North and 84º5' Longitude West. Sits on a mountain plateau at an elevation of about 1,170 m above sea level, the city has a population of 340,894. The metropolitan area of the city has one million inhabitants.

Tourist Attractions: Millions of tourists visit this fantastic city, which is a fascination to them.

Transportation: Juan Santamaria International Airport serves the city. Cruise ships and private boats link the city with neighboring counties. Taxis, buses and other four wheelers include the public transportation in the city.

Hotels: San Jose Hotels provide outstanding service to its customers. The hotels located in the beaches offer a golden opportunity to view the sunrise and sunset and to enjoy the delicious seafood served. Grano de Oro Hotel, Posada El Quijote, Costa Rica Marriott Hotel, Hotel Le Bergerac, Adventure Inn, Hotel Don Carlos, Parque del Lago Hotel & Business Center, Hotel Milvia and Hemingway Inn are some of such hotels.

Places of Attraction: The city offers various tourist attractive places which the tourists often explore. Banco Central de Costa Rica building, the Banco Nacional building, La Sabana Metropolitan Park, Avenida Central, The Central Park, the Plaza de la Cultura and The Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica are the interesting spots in the city. Melico Salazar Theater and the Cathedral are landmarks of the city. The number of beaches in the city adds to its beauty. It possesses several museums with various archeological pieces that tell the story of the city. Gold Museum that displays the various gold artifacts of Latin American civilization is a really eye appealing.