Should I Go To The Capital of Costa Rica?

When traveling here, everyone asks us if they should put the capital of Costa Rica on their itinerary. That is a great question and to answer that, we always give them a list of our pros and cons about going to San José.

Here’s our list:

Pro: History

San José was founded in 1738, and because of that, it has tons of historical landmarks. Older buildings like the Iglesia de Merced finished in 1907, or the Iglesia de San Jose de Orosi and the Museum founded in 1743 are just two of many historical buildings and landmarks.

Due to the length of time, it’s been a city, historical items and religious relics are also part of the inventory of San José. That’s why we love going to the capital of Costa Rica! You don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate all of the antique items and stories that go along with them.

Photo By Shutterstock/Mark52

Con: Not That Old

Although San José is old, as far as South American cities go, it’s not that old. Cusco is the oldest inhabited city in South America, and it is over 200 years older! If you consider cities that have been uninhabited at some point, Quito has been inhabited since 980 and dates back to 2000 BC! These cities have some serious history, and they eclipse the capital by a pretty large margin.