For a majority of the 20th century, San José Costa Rica was primarily an agricultural city. But after the post-war baby boom (1948), large scale urban migration completely transformed the capital next few decades. Explosive growth between the 1950’s and 80’s, transformed the capital and spreading it out over the Central Valley connecting the small cities in the Valley into a sprawling metropolis.
Today, San Jose Costa Rica is the most cosmopolitan capital in Central America. The city is packed with office towers, shopping malls and fast-food restaurants, parks and shopping boulevards interconnecting the principle streets in the center.
Surround by mountains, the city sits on the Central Plateau called the Central Valley. Of Costa Rica’s 4+ million people, 3 million live in the Central Valley. Small quaint villages dot the slopes of the surrounding mountains connected by winding mountain roads lined with coffee and fruit plantations.
Perpetual spring like weather, the days are warm and the nights cool. The further up the slopes you go the cooler it gets and down in the lower areas of the Valley, like Escazu it get significantly warmer.
San Jose markets are vibrant and the nightlife is as sophisticated as you want it to be. San José is home numerous museums and there are a few neighborhoods where colonial styling radiate.
The metropolitan lifestyle in San Jose is booming. Modern condos are filling up as fast as they can build not only by foreigners but the local, affluent, Metro-Tico is also buying; not only real estate but luxury products of every kind. High end automobiles, designer clothes, fine dining establishments have all seen a significant up-tick in $ being spent over the past 5 years in spite of a general global economic down turn.
Night clubs are full, the shopping centers and boulevards are crowded with foreigners and locals living the San Jose metro-lifestyle.
Next time you are visiting the country make sure to take a couple days and explore San Jose Costa Rica.
The Costa Rica News (TCRN)
San Jose Costa Rica
