Tienda Eñe
Barrio Amón
Fodor's choice
The big red Ñ on the window marks this cute little boutique with goods all made by Costa Rican artists and designers. Look for prints, bags, jewelry, and a big selection of mugs.
7 Best Shopping in San Jose, Costa Rica
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Although it might seem more "authentic" to buy your souvenirs at their source, you can find everything in the city, a real bonus if you're pressed for time. If the capital has any real tourist shopping district, it's found loosely in the cluster of streets around Parque Morazán, just north of downtown, an area bounded roughly by Avenidas 1 and 7 and Calles 5 and 9. Stroll and search, because many other businesses congregate in the area as well.
The northeastern suburb of Moravia has a cluster of high-quality crafts and artisan shops—for good reason very popular with tour groups—in the three blocks heading north from the Colegio María Inmaculada high school. The street is two blocks behind the city's church.
Prices in shops are fixed and fair. You might be able to bargain at the Calle Nacional de Artesania y Pintura, but bargaining isn’t the sport it is in other countries. Haggling, even if not ill-intended, will come off as rude. Your best bet for getting a deal is to simply suggest you’ll come back later and walk away. If the vendors really want to lower the price, they will.
Artesanía Zurquí
You'll find a well-rounded selection of ceramics, wood, and leather at Artesanía Zurquí.
Calle Nacional de Artesanía y Pintura
Some 100 souvenir vendors congregate in the so-called "National Street of Artisanry and Painting," a block-long covered walkway on the west side of the Plaza de la Democracia. As you approach, the whole affair looks like a string of metal shacks, and the setup here doesn't live up to the grand name. Some of the sellers do offer bargains on hammocks, wood carvings, and clothing; others sell trinkets probably made in China. Look carefully.
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Mercado Central
This maze of passageways is where the average Costa Rican comes to stock up on day-to-day necessities, but a few stalls of interest to tourists congregate near the southeast entrance. Pickpockets frequent the crowded market; exercise care.
Mundo de Recuerdos
If you can't find it at Mundo de Recuerdos, it probably doesn't exist. Here's the largest of the Moravia shops with simply everything—at least of standard souvenir fare—you could ask for under one roof.
Museo del Jade
The small shop in the Jade Museum sells replicas of many of the pieces in the museum collection. The shop is accessible only if you've paid the $16 museum admission.
Museo del Oro Precolombino
The shop at the entrance of the Museo del Oro Precolombino (Gold Museum) offers a great selection of pre-Columbian-themed jewelry, art, exclusively designed T-shirts, coin key chains, notebooks, and mouse pads. You can access the shop without paying the museum admission.
