Plaza de la Cultura - Square of Culture, San José

Under the not very exciting park you find the Gold Museum, a vast collection of pre-Columbian gold figures. A must see in San Jose!

The museum opens from 9:00 to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, closed on Saturday and Sunday.

This small plaza is a focal point in the heart of San Jose. It is situated in front of the Grand Hotel and across the Street from the National Theater. The Plaza offers a great spot for tourists to give their feet a rest while doing a little people watching.

The attractive square provides benches, a fountain, several small shade trees and one magnificent towering Royal Palm. There is also a monument to the Juan Mora Fernandez, the first President of Costa Rica. This is the main square for San Jose and is visited by thousands of both locals and visitors every day. The Plaza often hosts celebrations, demonstrations, performances, etc.

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Impossible to miss if you’re walking along the Avenida Central Pedestrian Mall. All of a sudden you come upon an open plaza with the National Theatre in the background and you can’t help but smile. Note that beneath the plaza are two museums and the official tourist office (ICT) with an entrance on the east side (Calle 5). Pigeons and street performers are in attendance and benches are provided for people watching.

Plaza de la Cultura is an open space at the side of the National Theatre and Avenida Central. The plaza is frequent with families with kids. Photographers with polaroid cameras and clowns make a living here. They also sell small bags of peanuts, which ppl buy and feed the pigeons. There are large number of pigeons as a result. There are often ppl lining up for public telephones at the corner.

There are some benches in the plaza, but most are not shaded. For those that like to rest in the shade, head to the nearby Plaza Mora Fernandez, which is just steps away in front of the entrance of the National Theatre. This is also a great place for ppl watching.