San Jose car hire and San Jose Neighborhoods

The city of San Jose is divided into dozens of unique little neighborhoods known as barrios. Each barrio provides San Jose car hire travelers with a slightly different flavor of the Costa Rican lifestyle so don't be shy - plan to tour as many communities as possible during your upcoming vacation to the country's capital.

Do it all downtown

San Jose's downtown area is a bustling center of action and entertainment. Here, San Jose car hire travelers will find most of the city's museums, as well as a number of urban parks, the city's main cathedral, and a number of open-air plazas. Vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic are always congested on San Jose's downtown streets, so remember t o always keep an eye out for pickpockets. Like any other urban center, San Jose's downtown has a few rough spots; to avoid them, Avanti San Jose Car Hire recommends sticking to the Avenida Central between Calle Central and Calle 7, as well as Avenida 4 between Calle 9 and Calle 14. These areas have been converted to pedestrian malls and are popular places for tourists to visit.

Barrio Amon and Barrio Otoya

If you're interested in Costa Rican history, you'll definitely want to head just northeast of the city to the Barrio Amon and Barrio Otoya. These picturesque neighborhoods house San Jose's greatest concentration f historic buildings, many of which have been restored or renovated into boutique hotels. This area of the city is still a bit noisy, what with all of the street traffic, so if you're planning to book a room try and reserve one that's not overlooking the road.

La Sabana and Paseo Colon

If you continue west on Avenida Central, you'll soon find yourself on Paseo Colon, a wide boulevard that extends off of the downtown's main street and ends at Parque La Sabana. San Jose car hire travelers will find a number of nice, small hotels in this area, as well as numerous restaurants. What was once the site of the city's main airport, La Sabana is now San Jose largest urban park, providing tourists with ample green space, sports facilities and recreational opportunities. The Costa Rican Art Museum is also located in La Sabana.

San Pedro and Los Yoses

If you drive east of downtown in your San Jose car hire, you'll come across the city's upper-middle-class neighbourhoods of San Pedro and Los Yoses. This is where many diplomatic missions are located, as well as international embassies. San Pedro is further east that Los Yoses, and is best known as being the location of the University of Costa Rica. Twenty-somethings can definitely appreciate the college-type bars and restaurants located in this area, while more mature San Jose car hire travelers will gravitate to the fine dining establishments in Los Yoses.

Escazu and Santa Ana

These two fast-growing suburbs are located in the hills west of San Jose. A quick 15 minute drive is all that separates the city from these unique communities, but it feels much farther, thanks to the area's relaxed urban atmosphere. San Jose car hire travelers will find a great many bed-and-breakfast establishments in this area, many of which offer striking views of the surrounding landscape.

Heredia, Alajuela and the airport area

The past meets the present in Heredia and Alajuela, two colonial-era cities located just a few minutes from the airport. San Jose car hire travelers will find plenty of nice high-end hotels in these neighborhoods, as well as several chain hotels. Traveling to and from San Jose is a breeze on the Interamerican Highway, with only a few delays for slow moving buses.

The above are just a few of San Jose's most popular neighborhoods. Avanti San Jose Car Hire encourages you to explore them all during your upcoming vacation to the country's capital.