Urban Centers: San Jose
San Jose sits in the heart of Costa Rica's Central Valley and is clearly the singular major urban center in the country. With about half of the entire country's 5 million residents living here, the greater San Jose area is and always has been the center of commerce, industry and culture since it's founding in 1738. Though San Jose is the center of activity throughout the day, relatively few residents actually live in the city center, but more in the surrounding urban areas that include Cartago, Santa Ana, Heredia, Romoseur, Paseo Colon and Sabana just to name a few.
Province: San Jose
Amenities: 5 Stars
Infrastructure: 5 Stars
Nearest City: Escazu (15 minute drive)
Nearest Airport: Alajuela (20 minute drive)
Nearest Hospital: Escazu, San Jose (15 minute drive)
Some feel that San Jose is the least 'Costa Rican' place in Costa Rica with it's urban sprawl and modernization, but serves as the necessary hub for commerce and transportation. Here is where you'll find the national arts gallery and theatre, a multitude of restaurants, hotels and night life, as well as world class health care in any of the many major hospitals situated throughout the area. Because of all this activity, the San Jose area is often bogged down with congestion and traffic. But with Costa Rica's ever improving infrastructure, new highways leading in and out of the Central Valley can have you up in the mountains, perched in a rain forest canopy or surfing the waves on the Central Pacific coast within an hour or 2. Home to the first rail road that stretched from the eastern Caribbean coast, and the 1st international airport, San Jose will always be the most influential urban center in Costa Rica.
