Attractions

Most visitors to Costa Rica try to get out of the city as fast as possible so they can spend more time on the beach or off in the rainforests. But there are a few attractions in San José to keep you busy. Some of the best and most modern museums in Central America are here, with a wealth of fascinating pre-Columbian artifacts. Standouts include the remodeled Museo de Jade Marco Fidel Tristán (Jade Museum) and the centrally located Centro Nacional de Arte y Cultura (National Center of Arts and Culture), featuring yet another museum and several performing-arts spaces.

There are also several great things to see and do just outside San José in the Central Valley. If you start doing day trips out of the city, you can spend quite a few days in this region.

You might consider a quick stop at San José's main cathedral. The church and its interior are largely unspectacular. However, you'll see a pretty garden, as well as a massive marble statue of Pope Juan Pablo II, with a woman and child, carved by celebrated Costa Rican sculptor Jorge Jiménez Deredia. Deredia also has a work at the Vatican. The cathedral is located at the corner of Avenida 2 and Calle Central.

Organized Tours -- There really isn't much reason to take a tour of San José. It's so compact that you can easily visit all the major sights on your own, as described below. However, if you want to take a city tour, which will run you between $15 and $40 (£7.50-£20), here are some companies you can use: Horizontes Travel, Calle 32 between avenidas 3 and 5 (tel. 2222-2022; www.horizontes.com); Gray Line Tours, Avenida 7 between calles 6 and 8, with additional offices at the Hampton Inn and Best Western Irazú (tel. 2220-2126; www.graylinecostarica.com); and Swiss Travel Service (tel. 2282-4898; www.swisstravelcr.com). These same companies also offer a complete range of day trips out of San José. Almost all of the major hotels have tour desks, and most of the smaller hotels will also help arrange tours and day trips.

One interesting alternative to the standard tour bus-based city tours is Tico Walks' (tel. 2283-8281; www.ticowalks.com) guided 2 1/2-hour walking tour of the downtown center, which takes in many of the city's top architectural sites and urban attractions. The tour runs every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 10am, and costs $10 (£5) per person. Private tours are also available.

Outside San José -- The Museo Historico Cultural Juan Santamaría, Avenida 3 between calles Central and 2 (tel. 2441-4775), isn't worth a trip of its own, but if you're planning an afternoon in Alajuela, you may want to stop here before or after Zoo Ave.. The museum commemorates Costa Rica's national hero, Juan Santamaría, who gave his life defending the country against a small army led by William Walker, a U.S. citizen who invaded Costa Rica in 1856, attempting to set up a slave state. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 6pm; admission is free.