San José is divided into dozens of neighborhoods known as barrios. Most of the listings in this chapter fall within the main downtown area, but there are a few outlying neighborhoods you'll need to know about.
Downtown In San José's busy downtown, you'll find most of the city's museums, as well as a handful of small urban parks and open-air plazas, and the city's main cathedral. There are also many tour companies, restaurants, and hotels here. Unfortunately, traffic noise and exhaust fumes make this one of the least pleasant parts of the city. Streets and avenues are usually bustling and crowded with pedestrians and vehicular traffic, and street crime is most rampant here. Still, the sections of Avenida Central between Calle Central and Calle 7, as well as Avenida 4 between Calle 9 and Calle 14 have been converted into a pedestrian malls, slightly improving things on these stretches.
Barrio Amón/Barrio Otoya These two picturesque neighborhoods, just north and east of downtown, are the site of the greatest concentration of historic buildings in San José. Some of these have been renovated and turned into boutique hotels and atmospheric restaurants. If you're looking for character and don't mind the noise and exhaust fumes from passing cars and buses, this neighborhood makes a good base for exploring the city.
La Sabana/Paseo Colón Paseo Colón, a wide boulevard west of downtown, is an extension of Avenida Central and ends at Parque La Sabana. It has several good, small hotels and numerous restaurants. This is also where several of the city's car-rental agencies have their in-town offices. Once the site of the city's main airport, the Parque La Sabana is San José's largest public park, with ample green areas, an urban "canopy tour," sport facilities, and the Costa Rican Art Museum.
San Pedro/Los Yoses Located east of downtown San José, Los Yoses is an upper-middle-class neighborhood that is home to many diplomatic missions and embassies. San Pedro is a little farther east and is the site of the University of Costa Rica. Numerous college-type bars and restaurants are all around the edge of the campus, and several good restaurants and small hotels are in both neighborhoods.
Escazú/Santa Ana Located in the hills west of San José, Escazú and Santa Ana are two fast-growing suburbs. Although the area is only 15 minutes from San José by car or taxi, it feels much farther away because of its relaxed and suburban atmosphere. This area also has a large expatriate community with many bed-and-breakfast establishments and excellent restaurants.
Heredia/Alajuela/Airport Area Heredia and Alajuela are two colonial-era cities that lie closer to the airport than San José. Alajuela is closest to the airport; Heredia is about midway between Alajuela and the capital. Several quite nice high-end boutique hotels are in this area, and several large hotels and one chain hotel are located on, or just off, the Interamerican Highway close to the airport.
