San Jose, Costa Rica — Activities
San Jose Culture
San José is the cultural heart of Costa Rica, though globalization has unfortunately taken its toll on the country’s artistic landscape. Today, traditional performing arts have nearly vanished across the country, though the capital is struggling to retain this rich tradition.
The impressive Teatro Nacional (tel: 221 1329) is an architectural masterpiece and a national treasure that was constructed in 1897. Today, the national theater stages various performances including dances, operas, plays and symphonies.
There are numerous other theaters around the city, among them the Teatro Melico Salazar (tel: 233 5434), a historic downtown 1920s theater, the Teatro Eugene O’Neill (tel: 207 7554; website: www.cccncr.com) in Los Yoses and San Pedro, which is sponsored by the Costa Rican-North American Cultural Center, and the Teatro Bellas Artes (tel: 207 4327), which is attached to the fine arts department of the university.
Mainstream productions are shown at Multicines San Pedro (tel: 283 5715) in Mall San Pedro while Latin American and Spanish films are shown at Cine El Semáforo (tel: 253 9126) near the university.
San Jose Tours
The majority of visitors to San José prefer to explore the city independently, though there are a few reputable tour operators in the capital.
Swiss Travel Service (tel: 221 0944; website: www.swisstravelcr.com) offers three-hour walking tours of the city as well as organized trips around the country.
If you’re interested in getting out of the city and exploring the surrounding Central Valley and Highlands, Lava Tours (tel: 281 2458; website: www.lava-tours.com) offers a variety of exciting mountain biking trips.
If you’d like to get to know the art scene in San José while simultaneously meeting local artists, check out the Costa Rica Art Tour (tel: 288 0896; website: www.costaricaarttour.com). Guests visit several studios, and no two tours are ever the same.
