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The city of San Jose, Costa Rica, is divided into many different neighbourhoods called barrios. The downtown core of the city is laid out in a grid formation, which makes it easy to find your way around. The central streets are Avienda Central and Calle Central with the even numbered buildings running to the south and the odd numbered buildings running north.

It is in the very busy downtown neighbourhood of San Jose that you will find the majority of museums. There are also several urban parks and open-air plazas as well as the main cathedral in the city. The majority of hotels, restaurants and tour operators are also located in this section of the city. Because it is so busy and has so much traffic on the streets, there is a lot of noise and exhaust fumes to contend with.

Two of the most picturesque barrios of San Jose are located north and east of the downtown neighbourhood. These are the Barrio Amon and the Barrio Otoya. This is a delightful part of the city to visit because of the wealth of historic buildings located here. Some of them have undergone extensive renovations and are now boutique hotels and restaurants. These neighbourhoods are perhaps the best ones to choose as a base from which you can explore the rest of San Jose.

Paseo Colon is a large neighbourhood located just west of the downtown. It is actually an extension of Avienda Central and is the setting for numerous restaurants and some of the best small hotels in the city. It is very easy to rent a car in this neighbourhood because it is where most of the rental agencies are located. The largest park in the city, Parque La Sabana, is also located in this neighbourhood. It is also the site of the Costa Rican Art Museum.

The homes of diplomats from other countries are concentrated in San Pedro and Los Yoses neighbourhoods, which are located east of the downtown core. This is a college and university area of the city and as such contains many college bars and restaurants around the edge of the campus of the University of Costa Rica. It also has several good hotels where you can find budget accommodations.

Two of the fastest growing neighbourhoods of San Jose are those of Escazu and Santa Ana. They are located a little outside the city, but it will only take you about 15 minutes to drive to the downtown area. Here you will find a more relaxed atmosphere with many bed and breakfast establishments. The restaurants of these neighbourhoods are first- class featuring fine dining and traditional meals.

If you are looking for something closer to the airport, then the neighbourhoods of Heredia or Alajuela may be more to your liking when you visit San Jose. Both of these date back to colonial times and will give you a good look at the style of architecture common during this time in Costa Rican history. They are also home to several hotel chains as well as upscale boutique hotels.

Learn more about this author, Frances Stanford.
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