San Jose, Costa Rica: A 12-Hour Experience

Finally on our last leg of the trip, we head back to spend 12 hours in the hustle and bustle of San Jose, Costa Rica.

The first thing on our list was crossing back into Mainland via the ferry. We hop on, along with our 4×4 provided by Vamos Rent-A-Car, and begin the 1 hour journey.

Once on the mainland, we gave ourselves about 2 hours to make it to San Jose in order to eat lunch at the Mercado Central in the city center. The city was alive, it was a weekday, and even though we were on vacation, the city wasn’t. It was business as usual throughout the streets of Central San Jose.

We finally arrived to the labyrinth that is Central Market. You can find anything from local Soda’s (term for small local restaurant) to flower shops. We ate at a Soda to rest and taste the local flavor before going on to walk the streets of el centro.

We made it to Plaza de la Cultura, a popular meeting point, where you can find free wifi (thanks to the McDonald’s located here) and an overpopulation of Pigeons. Here we are taking a photo with one of the pigeons. Pretty soon they might not even allow this anymore as they have now banned pigeons from most of the square.

It was getting late so after losing an ATM card, inside an ATM, and later retrieving it, we were tired and ready to go back to the awesomeness that was our hotel that night, Hotel Presidente. This hotel is a 4-Star 80 room Hotel in the heart of Downtown San Jose, Costa Rica. Located just 20 minutes from SJO Airport, Hotel Presidente is more like a work of art.

The interior décor is one I can vibe with. You can tell they put some love into it.

Lets not forget to mention the Suite we stayed in as well as the amazing balcony view. (Even had a Jacuzzi)

The sun was down, and it was time for dinner, so we made sure to go to one of the best restaurants in San Jose, Costa Rica. Gastronomia 22. This restaurant is located infront of Clinica Biblica (the largest private hospital in San Jose) and is seriously one you cannot miss.

Starting off with a rare Pinot Noir, Chef Orvieto Morales came to introduce himself with his wife Lena and we learned a few new things about Gastronomia 22.

Of the most notable things that we learned was the fact that every day there is a new menu. On this particular day, we had the pleasure of trying homemade pappardelle with salmon in cream sauce topped with arugula and sliced almonds. Perfectly creamy and moist, cooked to perfection.

Another thing we learned is that this place used to be a parking lot. Lucky for Orvieto, his wife Lena is an architect and built out the space while giving it a rustic feel. There’s art on the walls and I just can’t say enough good things about this place. Make sure to try it out.

There you have it, 12 hours in San Jose. While we were sad that our trip was now coming to an end, one important thing remained in our minds. Costa Rica was a truly magical place. We will be back very soon. Pura Vida, forever.

Photos by Carlos de Varona from Chromahouse.

What did you think of my 12 hours in San Jose, Costa Rica? Any other recommendations in San Jose? Leave us a comment below!