Kiosco
Ensconced inside Barrio Escalante's trendy Kalú restaurant, the equally trendy Kiosco proffers a good selection of locally made woodwork, fabrics, and ceramics.
11 Best Places to Shop in San Jose, Costa Rica
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.
Chietón Morén
A nonprofit association assembles the works of 220 artisans from Costa Rica’s eight original indigenous communities in this attractively arranged setting on the pedestrian mall south of the Museo Nacional. While the place bills itself as “part museum,” all works are for sale at prices fair to the creators and fair to you. (The name translates as “fair deal” in Costa Rica's indigenous Boruca language.) You'll find a good selection of ceramics, jewelry, weavings, and paintings here.
Feria Verde
It's a tad out of the way, but just up the street from the Hotel Aranjuez is the city's best Saturday morning farmers' market. Stock up on organic fruits and veggies and take in the local scene. For something tropical, try some coconut water—you'll get a coconut whacked in half by a machete, and you can sip the water through a straw. Things get underway at 7 am and wind down at 12:30.
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Tienda Eñe
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.
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.
Hotel Grano de Oro
The small gift shop at the Hotel Grano de Oro has an impressive selection of carvings and jewelry on hand.
Librería Internacional
Costa Rica's largest chain of bookstores evokes that Barnes & Noble ambience, though on a much smaller scale. It stocks English translations of Latin American literature, as well as myriad coffee-table books on Costa Rica. In addition to this downtown branch, there are 21 other outlets around San José and the Central Valley.
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.
Mercado Municipal de Artesanías
Several dozen souvenir vendors congregate in this one-square-block building on the south side of a small downtown plaza. It's a real mix here. Some of the sellers do offer bargains on hammocks, wood carvings, and clothing; others sell trinkets probably made in China. Look carefully.
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 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.
