San José & the Central Valley — 3 days

Colonial capital, volcanoes and Costa Rican crafts. Day-by-day itinerary: Arrival & San José; Poás volcano & Sarchí; San José & departure.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival & San José

• 16:00 — Arrival at San José SJO
• 17:30 — Taxi → city centre — Aéroport SJO → San José
• 18:30 — Hotel check-in — Barrio Escalante
• 20:00 — Casado dinner (typical dish) — Barrio Escalante

Day 2 — Poás volcano & Sarchí

• 08:00 — Excursion to Poás volcano (1h30) — San José → Parc national Volcán Poás
• 09:30 — Poás volcano crater — Parc national Volcán Poás
• Drive to Alajuela — Parc national Volcán Poás → Alajuela
• 12:30 — Local lunch — Alajuela
• Drive to Sarchí — Alajuela → Sarchí
• 14:00 — Artisan workshops in Sarchí — Sarchí
• 16:30 — Back to San José
• 19:30 — Dinner at the Mercado Central — Mercado Central

Day 3 — San José & departure

• 09:00 — National Theatre — Centre de San José
• Walk to the museum — Centre de San José → Plaza de la Cultura
• 10:30 — Pre-Columbian Gold Museum — Plaza de la Cultura
• Walk to the café — Plaza de la Cultura → Barrio Amón
• 12:30 — Lunch at a Costa Rican café — Barrio Amón
• 14:30 — Transfer to SJO airport
• 17:30 — Return flight