The lights of Costa Rica's capital, San José, appeared below us in sharp contrast to the darkness of the Central American jungles we had been flying over, as our plane descended into Juan Santamaria International Airport.
The five-hour flight from Los Angeles via Guatemala City last November heralded our first visit to Costa Rica's capital, and only our second trip to this stand-out country in Central America.
With Judy Barford
San José is located in the Central Valley, in an extensive plain surrounded by mighty volcanoes and green hills. Founded in the first half of the 18th century, San José has a history that is reflected in the faces of the diverse range of people who live there.
Home to a third of Costa Rica's entire population, San José has a number of distinctly popular suburbs including Escazu and Santa Ana on the west side, and Heredia in the cooler and wetter mountains. Escazu is especially popular with expats for its gated communities, restaurants, shopping and good medical facilities. The National University in Heredia attracts a young population that gives the suburb a vibrant atmosphere.
The city's architecture is varied and in the northern part you can find the most refined samples of urban development of the early 20th century. There are many houses and buildings of European inspiration and there are also some attractive parks and gardens, here and downtown.
We stayed at the Hotel Balmoral, which doesn't look much from the outside but it is a substantial hotel with huge, comfortable rooms. Ours had the largest fridge I have ever seen in a hotel room; it wouldn't have been out of place in a home designer kitchen.
Hotel Balmoral has a wine cellar and an extensive dining area where decent breakfasts are served, and which also acts as a streetside café for walk-in customers. The hotel is situated on the bustling pedestrian mall on Avenida Central and the Plaza de la Cultura, around which the city has grown.
The plaza is always busy with "Ticos", as native Costa Ricans call themselves, heading to and from work or shopping on Avenida Central. The Gold Museum, National Museum, Jade Museum and the National Theatre are located within walking distance of the plaza.
Avenida Central is a pedestrian shopping street that eventually leads to the central market – Mercado Central – the oldest and largest market in the city. First opened in 1880, the central market is packed with more than 200 shops and stalls.
One district we really liked was Barrio Escalante. It's an upmarket area with great restaurants where many business people choose to meet. The restaurants include Franco, popular with digital nomads and deal makers alike, and Apotecario, where the offerings are similar to those of an upmarket pub.
And talking of pubs, those who knew Costa Rica years ago probably lamented the limited choice of beer brands. Now, that's all changed and the country is enthusiastically embracing the pursuit of craft beer, and nowhere is that more evident than in Barrio Escalante and its 'gastro pubs'.
Barrio Escalante | San José, Costa Rica | Attractions - Lonely Planet
Around the country
Costa Rica's other attractions include natural wonders like volcanoes, beaches, cloud forests and prolific wildlife, as well as cultural and historical sites. Among the most popular destinations are Arenal Volcano, Monteverde and the coastal regions of the Pacific and the Caribbean.
Arenal Volcano is a symmetrical cone-shaped volcano that dominates the fertile landscape of the national park of the same name. It is still classified as active although it hasn't erupted much since 2010, but that hasn't stopped the hordes of visitors to this beautiful region.
Monteverde Cloud Forest is equally popular, where a vast array of wildlife can be seen including the elusive puma. I'll focus on Monteverde in a future article.
The Pacific coast offers many beach towns and villages that cater to surfers and sun seekers, especially in the province of Guanacaste. The Caribbean coast has about 200 kilometres of coastline that is less developed and not as touristy as the Pacific side, but also has more rainfall and humidity. A popular destination is Tortuguero National Park.
Choice of international airports
It's worth noting that many visitors to Costa Rica are increasingly using the Liberia or Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in the Guanacaste Province as an alternative to San José. Located close to the border with Nicaragua, Liberia is about 200 kilometres north-west of San José and is rapidly becoming the airport of choice for travellers to northern Costa Rica.
This airport is ideally situated for destinations such as Tamarindo, Playa Negra, Golfo de Papagayo, the Marino Las Baulas National Park and anywhere on the northern Nicoya Peninsula, pictured above. A number of US airlines operate both regular and seasonal flights to Liberia, with less frequent services from other parts of the world.