Since becoming Costa Rica's new capital in 1821, the city of San José has undergone a sea change: many of the surrounding villages have gradually been incorporated into the city, eventually becoming communities in San José. The differences between these neighborhoods are not obvious, but visitors will still be able to notice slight differences in cultural styles. Recently, Lonely Planet, a world-renowned travel magazine, shared 4 of San Jose's best neighborhoods to visit.
A restaurant in the Barrio Escalante neighborhood. Costa Rican newspaper Nation
Taste world cuisine in San Jose – Barrio Escalante
The Escalante neighborhood is a tourist destination for its well-organized streets and beautiful architecture, with its gastronomic cuisine and attractive nightlife.
The main thoroughfare of the Escalante neighborhood is a pedestrian street called Calle 33, which is lined with a variety of bars and small restaurants. Visitors can sample Lebanese cuisine at the "FAQRA" restaurant, specialities at the popular restaurant WilkCR, or a brunch at the Franco.
National Museum of Costa Rica (Museo Nacional). Official website of the National Museum of Costa Rica
The endless museum – downtown San Jose
First-time visitors to Costa Rica spend more or less their time in downtown San Jose. It is the lively commercial and cultural center of Costa Rica, and the museums make up the unique cultural ecology of the city center.
For a quick look at Costa Rica's cultural heritage, head to the Museo Nacional in the eastern part of the city centre. It is a fortress-like building with a huge exhibition hall and often hosts art and history exhibitions. In addition, visitors can visit the museum's butterfly garden or climb to the top of the museum to overlook San Jose's Plaza de la Democracia.
In fact, Democracy Square is also worth a visit. Thanks to the stepped design of the square, free concerts are often held here.
Downtown San José is also home to two world-class museums – the Museo de Jade and the Museo de Oro Precolumbino, an underground museum dedicated to the history of pre-colonial Costa Rican gold and silversmithing.
University of Costa Rica (UCR). Costa Rica "Elmundo" website
A leisure community for hipster young people – Barrio San Pedro
The San Pedro neighborhood is a young and trendy neighborhood home to the University of Costa Rica (UCR), a well-known Costa Rican institution, where a large number of students come every day. In order to meet the after-school leisure needs of students, many bookstores, bars and low-cost restaurants choose to open here.
During the day, visitors can visit the Museo de Insectos, "the largest insectoid and arachnid taxidermy museum in Central America." Also worth a visit is the Planetario de San José in the San Pedro community, which regularly organizes astronomical science popularization events.
As night falls, the clubs of the Calle de la Amargura neighborhood of San Pedro come alive, the most famous of which is the La Calle (La Calle) dance hall. The crowded dance floor, noisy crowds and nightlife atmosphere of not getting drunk have become the golden signboard of "Bitter Street".
Street view of the Barrio Amón neighborhood. Costa Rican newspaper Nation
Experience Europe in Costa Rica – Barrio Amón Community
If visitors don't want to be disturbed by the hustle and bustle of the city, head to Amun neighborhood for a leisurely afternoon. The vines on the streets and the cafes hidden in the corners all reveal a European style that is different from Latin American culture.
Cultural activities are abundant, such as the "Alianza Francesa" school, which teaches French to residents, and the concert hall "Amon Solar", located in an ancient building, which hosts a variety of performances. The TEOR/éTica art gallery is also worth a visit, and the artists regularly paint the façade of the gallery to match the artistic style of the exhibits.
The restaurants in the Amun neighborhood are also special, with visitors enjoying a Vietnamese-style lunch at Cafe Rojo or a lazy afternoon ordering a cappuccino at the European-style October Six Café Bistró.
(Edited by Rafael)