San Jose City Tour
Overview
The vibrant city of San Jose has much to offer in the way of history, architecture, museums and art. Did you know that San Jose was the third city in the world to use electric lights following New York and Paris? This guided tour will unveil many facets of the city’s cultural development as you go on a unique adventure exploring its streets and avenues.
The day will begin when you are picked up from your hotel by your knowledgeable bilingual tour guide. You’ll hop on board the privately owned, air-conditioned bus and make your way through the city.
First you will be driven through the beautiful area of Sabana Park, one of the main city parks located in downtown San Jose. You will then head over to the National Theater where you will go on a walking tour. Built in 1897, the National Theater is considered a masterpiece due to its lavish decor and intricate sculptural architecture.
San Jose is the largest city in Costa Rica and is also its capital city. You might notice the energizing hustle and bustle that could easily make you believe it is another “city that never sleeps.”
Next, you’ll visit the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum located in a building underneath the Cultural Plaza. It holds about 1600 gold artifacts that date back to 500 AD. You will view golden amulets, jewelry and gold carvings, a testament to the wealth of gold found in Costa Rica’s rivers and streams. You will also see the nation’s first minted gold coin, circa 1825, after gaining its independence. It’s truly amazing to think that earlier coinage was minted by hand before the development of machine technology.
On this tour, you will also visit the University of Costa Rica and the Supreme Court building.
The final stop will be at the Central Market that is full to the brim with handmade arts and crafts. This is an excellent opportunity to stock up on those souvenirs you might like to take back home.
The San Jose City tour includes a bilingual guide, all entrance fees, and transportation from Alajuela, Escazu and San Jose. One way transport from your hotel to the start of the tour typically takes between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours depending on the location of your hotel and traffic conditions. Total time of city tour and round trip transportation is usually between 4.5 and 6 hours. Please wear comfortable walking shoes, plus bring a rain jacket, sunscreen, and camera.
What to Bring
- Comfortable Walking Shoes
- Camera
- Rain Gear
Location and Availability
The San Jose City Tour is available from Alajuela, Alajuela suburbs, Escazu, Heredia, and San Jose
Tour Time
- 12:30pm
Tour Type
- Learning Family
- Culture
Cancellation Policy
Recommended Ages
3 and up
Location
Latitude: N 9° 55' 41.05"
Longitude: W 84° 5' 26.62"
Reviews
- Overall 88% (25 Guest Ratings)
- Experience: 87.2%
- Expectations: 87.6%
- Guides: 88.4%
- Logistics: 88.8%
- Value: 86.7%
03/03/2019
This was great because our tour guide was very much a local of San Jose. She very knowledgeable with San Jose and very down to earth. I would recommend this tour for any age group.
06/02/2017
Some of the stops were strange. It seems it was just for us to buy things. I was hoping for more.
10/27/2016
Very knowledgeable and funny! Great stops
12/14/2015
Max, our guide was so much fun.
The theater and the museum we visited were both really nice and we got a lot of good cultural history about Costa Rica.
12/06/2015
not my choice but spouse wanted to go so wasnt expecting much
06/26/2015
Bit boring. The group was too large