A busy metropolis with a
developing economy, San Jose is hectic but not
without charm. Museums and parks, including the reforested
airport La Sabana, offer respite from the hustle and bustle.
Depending on how many suburbs you include, the city is home
to 300,000 to 1 million Ticos, as Costa Ricans call
themselves. Opportunities for fine dining and nightlife
abound. The city stands in a fertile valley at an altitude
of more than 3,000 ft. (1,200 meters), bordered to the
southwest by the Cerros de Escazu and to the east by the
dramatic Volcan Irazu, and to the north by the Volcan Barva.
San Jose enjoys cool nights and pleasant days, and almost
always has a breeze. The city was founded in 1723 and
replaced nearby Cartago as the country's capital in 1823.
