Costa Rica's capital in the Central Valley
Most visitors pass through San José on the way to the beaches and rainforests, but a day here is well spent. The Teatro Nacional is an ornate nineteenth-century theatre paid for by coffee wealth, and the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum beneath the Plaza de la Cultura holds thousands of gold pieces. The Jade Museum nearby is excellent too. The Mercado Central serves casados and fresh juice, and Barrio Escalante has good restaurants. Day trips reach the Poás and Irazú volcanoes and coffee farms in the surrounding hills.