San Jose, Costa Rica, is the country's social, political and commercial center, and it's more cosmopolitan and prosperous than many cities of Central America. San Jose is a pleasant place to visit, although it has comparatively few colonial structures, and most travelers use it a stepping stone to somewhere else in the country. Volcanoes and mountains ring the city's neighborhoods and suburbs; cloud forests, raging rivers and rain forests lie within a few hours' drive.
San Jose has its own attractions worth exploring, however. The architecture is a mishmash of historic colonial structures, glass high-rises and run-down buildings (although the streets are plagued by congestion and pollution), but San Jose's older neighborhoods have revived thanks to the recent boom in tourism.
And the city is blessed with gourmet restaurants, excellent (albeit small) art galleries and boutique-hotels.
San Jose's delightful springlike climate is never too hot and never too cold because of the city's location in the Central Valley; it is surrounded by mountains; and the Ticos, as locals are known, are friendly hosts who do their best to make your stay enjoyable.
