11 Instagrammable places in San Jose

Do you know where is San Jose? San Jose is located in Costa Rica, and it is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. It is one of the most Instagrammable places in the world. Located in the Central Valley, it combines both the signs of antiquity and modern features without losing the unique Costa Rican traditions. Due to its location in the centre of the country, San Jose is an ideal base camp for further detailed exploration of other parts of the country. However, those who have already settled in San Jose will find many beautiful places in the vicinity of the capital and around the city.

Now you are aware of where is San Jose, and it is time to tell you about Instagrammable places in San Jose for you to take the most liked Instagram photos and have the best time there. We are sure that if you travel to San Jose, you will see the most Instagrammable places in San Jose because there are a lot of places to visit in San Jose. Doing research about Instagrammable places in San Jose, we concluded that you would not need to think about what to do in San Jose because there are a lot of places to travel.

1. Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph

In the amazingly beautiful city of San Jose, not far from Central Park, there is the cathedral. It is immensely popular with tourists and locals alike. The cathedral is currently open to parishioners who can attend Mass if they wish.

A small park area with pavilions for lectures and concerts is laid out in front of the cathedral, and popular hotels in San Jose are located nearby. The cathedral itself embodies the country’s cultural and spiritual heritage. The colourful stained glass windows make an impressive sight. The white building of the cathedral impresses with the power of the building. Multiple columns form the main entrance. The cathedral is shocking with its tradition of Orthodox Christians - instead of conventional candles, they use light bulbs that light up after the coin is thrown into a special box.

2. Pre-Columbian Gold Museum

Pre-Columbian Gold Museum is one of the best Instagrammable places in San Jose Costa Rica. It is next to the Cathedral in San Jose. The exposition contains jewellery and cult items made by Indian craftsmen. Among the exhibits, there are rarities made 500 years before the birth of Christ. In addition, exhibits dating from the 16th century, when the Spaniards first appeared in the city, are of particular value. In total, the museum has about 2000 exhibits.

There are household items, ritual figurines, ornaments. Tourists are delighted with shields made of solid gold that are the size of a man’s height. The fabulous figures of birds captivate with a particularly delicate Instagrammable ornament.

At the same time, the museum is one of the saddest pages in the history of Costa Rica. The fact is that many ornaments and unique household items belonging to the indigenous population were simply transported by the conquistadors in ingots since it was more convenient to transport them to Spain this way. Something, however, has survived, so the museum is under the special protection of the state. It is one of the most famous cultural attractions in Costa Rica.

3. San Jose Zoo

The next Instagrammable place among many Instagrammable places in San Jose is the Zoo. If you travel to San Jose don’t forget to visit it. The San Jose Zoo is one of the most iconic landmarks in Costa Rica. It was founded in 1919. Over the entire period of the zoo’s existence, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has paid special attention to ensuring that animals are kept in conditions as close as possible to natural ones.

Here you could see jaguars and lions, not in cages, but cozy open-air cages. In total, the zoo is home to 400 species of different animals, fish, and birds, as well as an impressive collection of snakes.

4. Jade Museum

Still, thinking about what to do in San Jose? Visit Jade Museum because it is one of the most unusual cultural institutions. Residents consider jade, not a simple ornamental stone but a powerful gift of the gods; even in ancient times, amulets and religious attributes were made from it. Anyone can see the wonderful crafts and jewelry made of jade and precious metals. The real pride of the capital and a landmark of national importance is the National Theater. The building in which the theatre is located was built in 1897 and is distinguished by a fabulously beautiful interior design.

5. Plaza de la Cultura

In the center of San Jose, surrounded by the National Theater, the Gold Museum and the ICT Information Center, is the city’s main square, Plaza de la Cultura. It can also be listed among the best Instagrammable places in San Jose Costa Rica.

6. Plaza de la Democracia

Not far from the central square, there is another - Plaza de la Democracia, where you can also see the former Bellavista barracks, which now houses the National Museum, the amazing Jade Museum, administrative offices, and the Parc de la Expression, in which each exhibition of works of talented local artists are held for a week.

7. Orosi Valley

Orosi Valley is one of the most Instagrammable places in San Jose. Lovers of natural attractions will be interested in visiting the Orosi Valley, it is not by chance that it is considered one of the most beautiful places in Costa Rica. This valley has a special cool climate, thanks to which many rare plants and flowers grow here. The special climatic conditions made these places ideal for the cultivation of coffee plantations, some of which can also be visited during excursions. There are factories for processing coffee beans, and there are several national restaurants and speciality shops.

8. Natural Science Museum La Salle

With school-age children, it is worth going to the Natural Science Museum La Salle, which also has a multifaceted collection of exhibits. Here, visitors can see models of dinosaur skeletons, admire a collection of rare insects and learn a lot about the most amazing inhabitants of the deep sea. The museum has several beautiful expositions; its visitors will have the opportunity to take pictures against the backdrop of unique exhibits. In San Jose, you can organize a very interesting and educational vacation with children of any age.

9. Atlantic Railroad Station

The building of the Atlantic Railroad Station, the construction of which was completed in 1907, is of great architectural interest. The building was recently completely renovated and today houses the National Railway Museum. Travellers who are not indifferent to painting will find it interesting to visit the Museum of Art. In addition to beautiful paintings, it presents interesting sculptures and other handicrafts of local craftsmen; the museum’s exposition occupies six large-scale halls.

10. Lake Arenal

The lake is located 600 meters above sea level. It is located next to the Arenal volcano, which is located on the southeast coast. 

The lake area is 80 square kilometres. It is the largest freshwater storage facility in the region. The lake provides water not only to San Jose but also to Guanacaste. All year round for tourists in the area of the lake there is a wide variety of entertainment. Here you can go for organized fishing or windsurfing. So you can take the most liked Instagram photos among most Instagrammable places in San Jose.

In addition, there are regular kayak and boat trips on the lake. For surfers, the lake is interesting because there is a constant wind load. Mountain biking is also possible in the vicinity of the lake.

11. Cerro San Jose cliff

An important natural symbol of the capital is the Cerro San Jose cliff, which is known to many travellers under the unofficial name “hill of death”. It is also one of the worthy places to visit in San Jose. This mountain is the highest point in Costa Rica. The ascent to it is incredibly difficult, it took the lives of many professional climbers. After the construction of the Pan American Highway, it became possible for absolutely everyone to “conquer” the summit; interesting excursions are conducted in mountainous regions. Here you can see a special type of dwarf bamboo and rare species of fern, as well as large meadows with blueberries and wild gooseberries. The main inhabitants of this mountainous region are birds. In our opinion, Cerro San Jose cliff is one of the Instagrammable places in the world.

We hope that after reading this article, you don’t only know where is San Jose located but much more. In this article, we told you briefly about the most Instagrammable places in San Jose, but they are far more places to visit in San Jose. All of them are highly Instagrammable. You will not be bored thinking about what to do in San Jose. So, prepare to see the best Instagrammable places in San Jose Costa Rica, travel to San Jose, and have a good time!

P.S. Don’t forget to take the most liked Instagram photos.