Plaza de la Cultura
Located in the heart of downtown San Jose, on Bulevar Avenida Central, your group will find Plaza de la Cultura. This architecturally remarkable concrete plaza is located in between calles 3 and 5, a large social area typically packed with Ticos, otherwise known as Costa Rican natives. Besides all the locals that swarm to this plaza, there are typically large crowds of tourists as well, each getting a taste of what it’s like to be a local for a day. Inside the plaza, you can slurp ice cream cones and admire San Jose street life, consisting of, on any given day, juggling clowns, various vendors, and teens cruising around. This is a truly interesting and authentic place to people watch and photograph local life. Not only is it a fun place to observe and have fun, but it is also considered to be one of the safest spots in town, with a police tower stationed in the corner of the plaza itself.
In the 1970s this was the prime spot to socialize and sell goods, today honoring the legacy of Costa Rica pre-Columbian indigenous culture. Established between 1977-1982, this small square holds many benches, a fountain, and several shade trees. Within lies a scene of performances, demonstrations, and various celebrations, as well as thousands of Ticos and tourists daily. Plaza de la Cultura is considered to be one of the city’s architectural gems and engineering feats, according to local architect and researcher Andres Fernandez. While here you may choose to visit the Gold Museum, or Museos del Banco Central de Costa Rica, a widely celebrated and highly traversed cultural institution within the plaza.
