San Jose Costa Rica

Description: San José (“Saint Joseph”) is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of the province of the same name. It is in the center of the country, in the mid-west of the Central Valley, within San José Canton. San José is Costa Rica’s seat of national government, focal point of political and economic activity, and major transportation hub. San José Canton’s population was 288,054 in 2011, and San José’s municipal land area is 44.2 square kilometers (17.2 square miles), with an estimated 333,980 residents in 2015. Together with Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago, it forms the country’s Greater Metropolitan Area, with an estimated population of over 2 million in 2017. The city is named in honor of Joseph of Nazareth.

Population: 1,443,452

Demographics: Major ethnic groups: 84% White (of European descent) or Mestizo (mixed between European and Native American descent) 7% Mulatto (mixed between European and African descent) 2% Native American/Amerindian/indigenous.

History: Founded in 1736 by order of Cabildo de León, its objective was to concentrate the scattered inhabitants of the Aserrí Valley. De León thus ordered the construction of a chapel near the area known as La Boca del Monte which was completed a year later. That year St. Joseph was chosen as parish patron, hence its name. The chapel, which was very modest, was erected with help from the church of Cartago. Unlike neighboring Cartago, San José was not founded by formal decree and thus lacked a city government. It was not until the enactment of the Constitution of Cádiz in 1812 that San José had its first city government. On 18 October 1813, the area was first defined as a city by presbyter Florencio del Castillo, on behalf of the Spanish government, a title which was then lost in 1814 when Ferdinand VII of Spain annulled the proceedings of the courts. The municipal government was restored in 1820 along with the title of city and in 1823 San José became the capital of Costa Rica. This makes San José one of the youngest capital cities in Latin America by year of conception. Barrio Amon, as well as the National Theatre, remain symbols of the so-called Costa Rican coffee golden age. Today San José is a modern city with bustling commerce and brisk expressions of art and architecture. Spurred by the country’s improved tourism industry, it is a significant destination and stopover for foreign visitors.

Elevation: 1172 m

Climate: Tropical wet and dry climate. Average annual temperature in San Jose is 20 C (69 F), the average for July is 25 C (76 F), the average for January is 22 C (71 F).

Attractions: Jade Museum, Pre Columbian Gold Museum, Teatro National, Galeria Namu, Museo De Los Ninos, Parque La Sabana

Airports: San Jose International Airport SJO

Distance To City Centre: 10 km

Commute Length: 15 min

Average Cost: 35 USD

Peak Times: 7:30am-9:30am, 4:30pm-6:30pm