Costa Rica Holiday With Bill Beard

Stuck In The Middle Of San Jose, Costa Rica

By Bill Beard

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So, you are stuck with flying in or out of San Jose and you had really rather be at the beach than overnighting in a city. . Well, don’t overlook the opportunity to explore this cosmopolitan city located in the Central Valley of Costa Rica with a metro area population of 1,400,000 of the happiest people on earth.

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The capitol city of Costa Rica is located 20 – 30 minutes from Juan Santa Maria International Airport and is the second busiest airport in Central America.

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There are many first class hotels, restaurants, bars and discos in San Jose to choose from. So no matter what your preference, there is a hotel, food and entertainment for you.

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There is so much to do and see in San Jose you may want to add on a day or two to your stay.

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Here are some of Bill’s picks that will make your visit memorable.

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Lankester Botanical Garden: There are 1400 species of orchids, 20% of which are endemic and you can see 15,000 orchid specimens here. The huge number of plants means you can see blooms year round,

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National Theatre: Built in 1890, of the purest classical style Renaissance architecture, with marble brought from Italy and decorated with bucolic scenes from coffee harvesting, the National Theater is the highest cultural forum in Costa Rica, located in the heart of the capital. The building model is from the famous Opera in Paris. One of the theatre’s main ceiling murals, in fact, was just named one of “10 great ceilings around the world,” according to an article in USA Today. The famous painting is entitled the “Allegory of Coffee and Bananas” by Italian artist J. Vila, and is on the back of the five colón bill that is no longer in circulation. Be sure to visit the café for a beverage and delicious pastry.

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Pre-Columbian Gold Museum: ?Located in a subterranean building underneath the "Plaza de la Cultura" next to the National Theatre and is owned and curated by the Central Bank of Costa Rica. The museum has an archaeological collection of 3,567 Pre-Columbian artifacts made up of 1,922 ceramic pieces, 1,586 gold objects, 46 stone objects, 4 jade, and 9 glass or bead objects. The gold collection dates from 300-400 BC to 1550 AD.

National Museum: Located at Calle 17, between Central and Second Avenue in the Bellavista Fortress, a crenelated, ochre-colored building the museum provides a solid, all-around sampling of the archaeological, historical, and natural wonders of Costa Rica from pre-Columbian times to the present. That means pre-Columbian art and artifacts, including musical instruments, recreated tombs, pottery, and pieces in jade and gold. The fortress was built in 1917 and was originally a military barracks: the exterior walls still have many lodged bullets and bullet holes from the country's 1948 civil war when the Communist were defeated, the army was abolished, the funds were put into schools and a healthcare system and Costa Rica became and has remained, a fiercely independent and democratic country.

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Jade Museum: The Museo del Jade is an archaeological museum in San José, Costa Rica. It is located in front of Plaza de la Democracia. The museum has an extensive collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, such as stone tables (metates), ceramics, ceremonial heads, adzes, and other decorative pieces from 500 BC to 800AD. It contains the world's largest collection of American jade. The jade room of the museum also displays translucent jade pendants, mostly purchased from private collections.

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National Stadium: Located in La Sabana Metropolitan Park is the first modern sport and event arena built in Central America. It was completed in 2011 and is a marvel to behold with its retractable roof and 35,000 seats with un-obstructed views. If you wish to see world-class professional soccer, this is the place.

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Volcanoes: There are two volcanoes that you can visit from San Jose, Irazu and Poas and you can actually look down into the craters. If you are visiting Irazu you pass through Cartago that was the first real Spanish settlement and the first capital of Costa Rica. Our Lady Of The Angels Basilica Church is there. It is Cartago's most important site, and Costa Rica's most venerated religious shrine. If you are going to Poas you can include Sarchi and the Oxcart Factory in your day. You will learn all about this traditional form of transport used to carry sugar cane and coffee across the country. The Costa Rican Ox Carts are still painted by hand to this day. You can see artists at work on the intricate and colorful designs.

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Both Irazu and Poas are located outside the city so to visit either will give you the opportunity to see lots more of the Central Valley and enjoy the flavor, hustle and bustle of a large Latin city.

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Contact Info

Address: La Fortuna, Alajuela, Costa Rica US Toll Free: +1-877-853-0538 Local Phone: +(506)2479-7089 Direct Phone: 1-954-453-5044 WhatsApp: +(506) 8676 0662 Email: [email protected]