Shopping and Food Walking Tour, San Jose

Shopping and Food Walking Tour (Self Guided), San Jose

Walking the pedestrian-friendly promenades of Costa Rica's capital – San Jose – is a great way to experience the local culture. Despite an occasional rainstorm, the country's tropical weather makes outdoor shopping an undeniably fun experience. The downtown part of San Jose has no shortage of department stores, traditional marketplaces and souvenir shops selling handcrafts.

The best souvenir shopping in town can be found at Mercado Central (Central Market) with vendors selling everything, from Costa Rican coffee and fresh produce to cell phone accessories, souvenirs, and clothing. Established since 1880, this old-school market has been a staple shopping hub in San Jose where locals meet to catch up and discuss current affairs, latest gossips, plus to haggle over prices.

Just outside the Mercado is the pedestrian-only Central Avenue Boulevard, a classic Costa Rican thoroughfare stretching for several blocks – home to all kinds of shops (department stores, fashion boutiques, etc.) along with numerous eateries and several permanent public art installments (wall murals, bronze statues, etc.).

Whenever you look for something memorable to take home from San Jose, consider La Casona. This three-story shopping complex offers an ample choice of souvenirs – everything from clothing to jewelry, fabrics, ceramics and more. Ideal for afternoon browsing.

Mercado Municipal de Artesania (Municipal Market of Handcrafts) is an outlet specifically designed for Costa Rican artisans – a perfect one-stop souvenir shopping experience. An array of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, leather-work, wood-work, bead-work, jewelry and other stuff, all made in Costa Rica.

If you're keen to find original and authentic Costa Rican merchandize on your own, much as to try the local food, take this self-guided walking tour to some of the top shopping venues in San Jose.

Image Courtesy of Flickr and Arturo Sotillo.

How it works: Download the app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store to your mobile phone or tablet. The app turns your mobile device into a personal tour guide and its built-in GPS navigation functions guide you from one tour stop to next. The app works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walks in San Jose

Map Instructions: (1) Click the "Nearby Sights" button to view the nearby attractions; (2) click a map pin to see sight information.

Guide Name: Shopping and Food Walking Tour
Guide Location: Costa Rica » San Jose (See other walking tours in San Jose)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.1 Km or 0.7 Miles

Sights Featured in This Walk

WalkBuilder (customize this walk or build your own)

Use the WalkBuilder tool below to customize this walk to suit your interests. Instructions: click

at the upper right corner in the map above to view other sights in the city. To learn more about a sight, click a map pin. Click the “+” or “–” to add or remove a sight from the walk. To reorder the selected sights, simply drag and move them up or down the list in the left column.

Click here to view route map

Enter a name for your custom walk, along with your email address, in the fields below. You will receive the instructions for retrieving your custom walk in the GPSmyCity app by email. The GPSmyCity app offers turn-by-turn travel directions to guide you from one attraction to the next.
Walk Name*:
Email*:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I access my walking tour in San Jose?
Save your walking tour on the website. Then download the GPSmyCity app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and sign in to your GPSmyCity account. Next, download “San Jose Map and Walking Tours” within the app. Your walk will appear on the Walks screen.

2. How do I view other attractions in San Jose?
At the upper-right corner of the map above, click the “Nearby Sights” button to show or hide other sights in the city. Click a map pin to view details about a sight. To add a sight to your walk, find it in the right column of the WalkBuilder tool above and click the “+” button next to it.

3. How do I re-arrange the sight order?
In the left column of the WalkBuilder tool, drag a sight to move it up or down the list. Then click “Click here to view route map”. Repeat this process until the route meets your needs.

4. Can I add my hotel to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add your hotel as the starting point, the ending point, or both (creating a loop route). This feature is currently available only in the GPSmyCity app.

5. Can I add my own sights to a walking tour?
Yes. You can add sightss that are not in our database and include them in your walk. To do so, sign in to your GPSmyCity account on the website or use the GPSmyCity app.

6. How many sights can be included in a walking tour?
For technical reasons, the number of sights in a walking tour is currently capped at 20. This limit may be increased over time.

Walking Tours in San Jose, Costa Rica

Create Your Own Walk in San Jose

Creating your own self-guided walk in San Jose is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

San Jose Introduction Walking Tour

Ricardo Jimenez Oreamuno, former president of Costa Rica, once said: “San Jose is the heart of Costa Rica, where the pulse of the nation beats.”

San Jose, Costa Rica's capital, has a rich history dating back to the early 19th century. The city's origins are tied to the country’s shift toward independence and urban development. Before becoming the capital, Costa Rica’s main... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles

Historical Buildings Tour

What's known today as San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, came into being as a small settlement during the Spanish invasion, circa the mid-16th century. From a town of little importance, San Jose eventually evolved into a densely-populated cosmopolitan city, built mostly with proceeds from coffee trade.

The historic architecture of San Jose is a mix of European and Latin American styles... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip

17 Uniquely Costa Rican Things to Buy in San Jose

Not to be confused with San Jose, the sunny California, San Jose, Costa Rica is the capital city of a wet (250 centimeters of rainfall per year) and colorful Latin American country renowned for its diverse craftsmanship (courtesy of the numerous indigenous tribes), splendid coffee and rich cultural...