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Art City Tours

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Art City Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Art City Tours

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Art City Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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Southwest Airlines Inaugurates Direct Route Between Costa Rica and Orlando, Florida

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by TCRN Staff Starting today, night and art will become strategic partners to attract visitors to the Costa Rican capital.

The fourth edition of Art City Tour, a nine-night tour of San Jose art spaces, including both state museums and private galleries will start tonight at 6:30pm.

All you need is the desire to see art, for transportation as well as the museum entrance are free tonight.

“You just have to come and ride the small buses provided to go see artistic offerings as varied and interesting as our capital has to offer,” said event coordinator, Henry Bastos.

The Art City Tour was first conducted in September 2008, at an initiative by Karpio Jacob Gallery, and to date, various other museums and private spaces have joined in.

Bastos explained, each of the minibuses will be identified with a color (red, blue and orange) and each visit different places, so that participants must work a bit to see all of the different spaces.

The course covers the following areas: Museum of Contemporary Art and Design Gallery, Jacob Karpio, Central Bank Museums, National Museum, SJO Quisco Boutique, Restaurant Kaloo, Gallery Valanti, Teor Foundation / Museum Teor ethics / ethics.

The tour lasts two hours and the place to start is the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (formerly Fanal). At each point there will be departures from minibuses every 20 minutes and also guided tours of the respective exhibitions.

The organization confirmed that participants can be reassured about security, as several Municipal Police officers will be present at all points of travel.

“Each of the three previous editions at Art City Tour summoned about 450 people, and hopefully they will come again in this opportunity,” said Bastos.

Those who dare to experience the San Jose cultural evening will see from most contemporary artistic expressions to pre-Columbian archaeological treasures, currency, or Latin American art works.

No reservation is necessary, but punctuality is recommended to take the minibuses.

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U.s. temporarily shuts down mexico border and what it means for migrants, costa rica’s june gardening secrets: from lush lawns to bountiful harvests, costa rica’s central bank rejects industrial sectors’ economic demands, bus catches fire in costa rica, exposing passenger safety concerns, costa rica’s cultural art city tour: “vacations in chepe”.

The Art City Tour is back with “Vacations in Chepe”: the perfect opportunity to enjoy art and urban culture through various artistic manifestations, which will take over the center of the capital city for one night.

It will take place on July 13 at 5:00 pm, and each participant will be able to choose between the different routes to move around and enjoy the itinerary.

“Vacations in Chepe” will feature lectures, fixed and temporary exhibits, presentations, a fair, a workshop, a documentary, and a special area that will showcase the cultural and urban work of national and international artists.

The organizers scheduled three bus routes: Davivienda, Norte, and Escalante routes, and a walking route from the Jade Museum.

“A visit to San José’s Central Park was a good vacation plan in 1922. One hundred and one years later, we wonder what the must-see spaces are to visit in San José, what stories they have to tell us. From GAM Cultural, we invite the public to this wonderful vacation plan where culture is the protagonist,” said Henry Bastos, director of GAM Cultural and Art City Tour.

This edition features great activities such as the “Museum of Memory,” sponsored by AGECO. It is hosted by the National Museum of Costa Rica and invites the public to extol the memory and the words of the elderly, who have been protagonists of important events of the last 60 years in our country.

The “French Market” will be open at the Alliance Française, where cheeses, wines, and jams will be sold.

Also, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MADC) holds the exhibition “Peru, New Iconographies,” which features the work of more than 50 designers from Peru.

In addition, the documentary “Victoriosa” by Ángel Lara V will be screened at the Museum Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia.

“The Art City Tour program is committed to public-private partnerships as a sustainable model to create new cultural experiences. On this occasion, together with Davivienda, we were able to continue with this in-person experience that the public loves dearly,” explained Bastos.

All events are free. However, those who wish to participate must register at: https://artcitytour.gamcultural.com/04-2023-temporada-2/

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Costa rica weekly recap news recap for june 9, 2024.

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• Art City Tour

Programación: Oct 21

La quinta y última edición virtual de la temporada 2021 de nuestro programa art city tour, nos acercará a obras, procesos creativos, propuestas gastronómicas y rincones arquitectónicos, en un recorrido audiovisual con la compañía de sus protagonistas y expertos., conozca más sobre los protagonistas que participan en esta edición:.

Centro Cultural de España

Centro Cultural Histórico José Figueres Ferrer

Compañía Nacional de Danza

Compañía Nacional de Teatro

Galería Nacional

Museo Filatélico

Museo Nacional

Museo Penitenciario

Tecnológico de Costa Rica

Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica

Descargue el programa completo de esta edición en formato PDF aquí: 

El Art City Tour  es un programa de rentabilidad social de  GAM Cultural , gestionado desde la sociedad civil y la empresa privada mediante alianzas público-privadas.  

© Art City Tour 2024.

Por amor a Chepe: Primer Art City Tour del 2024

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• JUE 15 FEB HOY Por amor a Chepe: Primer Art City Tour del 2024 17:00 San José San José, Costa Rica Vários Expo
• VIE 17 NOV HOY Noche en blanco: Último Art City Tour del 2023 17:00 San José San José, Costa Rica Vários Expo
• JUE 13 JUL HOY Vacaciones en Chepe: Tercer Art City Tour presencial del 2023 17:00 San José San José, Costa Rica Vários Expo
• MIE 15 FEB HOY Por amor a Chepe: PRIMER Art City Tour presencial del 2023 17:00 San José San José, Costa Rica Vários Expo
• VIE 20 ENE HOY HASTA 25 ENE Musical Contramarea. Malpais en vivo 19:00 San José Teatro Auditorio Nacional, CCCC Davivienda Costa Rica Música
• VIE 18 NOV HOY Noche en blanco: el último Art City Tour presencial del 2022 17:00 San José San José, Costa Rica Vários Expo
• VIE 30 SEP HOY El arte de los Hostings Boards: La tabla de quesos ideal para esta ▸ 18:00 Online Online Vários Taller
• JUE 29 SEP HOY A cocinar con Frede Brocha: Preparaciones que no te imaginabas que ▸ 18:00 Online Online Vários Taller
• MIE 28 SEP HOY En busca de las civilizaciones antiguas: Los mongoles: el legado de ▸ 18:00 Online Online Vários Conversatorio
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• JUE 22 SEP HOY Cocina con el crack. Aprenda preparaciones deliciosas en freidora de ▸ 18:00 Online Online Vários Taller
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• VIE 16 SEP HOY Descubra el potencial de su imagen: Accesorios, escotes y cortes de ▸ 18:00 Online Online Vários Conversatorio
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• VIE 02 SEP HOY Descubra el potencial de su imagen: Identifique y potencie su estilo ▸ 18:00 Online Online Vários Taller
• JUE 01 SEP HOY Cocina con el crack: Recetas para sorprender a su pareja en Amor y ▸ 18:00 Online Online Davivienda Costa Rica Taller
• MIE 31 AGO HOY En busca de las civilizaciones antiguas: El concepto de civilización 18:00 Online Online Vários Literatura
• VIE 19 AGO HOY El arte de los Hostings Boards: Sorprenda a sus invitados con una ▸ 18:00 Online Online Davivienda Costa Rica Taller
• VIE 12 AGO HOY Desarrolle su inteligencia emocional: Cómo cultivar el liderazgo ▸ 18:00 Online Online Vários Taller

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Free Walking Tour - CRCity

San Jose, Costa Rica

Museum of Costa Rican Art

History of Costa Rica through the Visual Arts

The Museum of Costa Rican Art is the public entity in charge of preserving, salvaging, promoting and encouraging Costa Rica’s visual arts. It does so through diverse exhibitions and education projects.

Our free walking tour of San Jose starts at the  Costa Rican Art Museum, except on Mondays, or whenever the museum is closed.

The Golden Room will be our first priority. This upstairs room of the museum has Costa Rica’s extraordinary history on display; an exquisite 150 square meter, four-wall stucco mural, each wall an era; in each corner of the room a paradigm shift for this little country.

The Museum of Costa Rican Art allows us a wonderful opportunity to understand more about this Central American republic through paintings, murals, and sculptures. Our culture is vibrant and our history can be sometimes crazy.

The museum’s atrium and surrounding galleries exhibit creations from a collection of 6000 works of art dating as far back as the mid-XIX century.

There’s also an outdoor sculpture garden in the back displaying the work of native sculptors like Jimenez Deredia, Francisco Zuñiga, and Crisanto Badilla.

This art museum, as with every stop throughout our free walking tour of San Jose, has free entry.

International Airport of La Sabana, 1940

The beautiful Museum of Costa Rican Art hasn’t always been a museum. It was originally the International Airport of La Sabana catering to airplanes like the Douglas DC-6 and the Convair 340.

La Sabana International Airport opened for business April 7th, 1940, becoming the main air terminal for Costa Rica until 1955. It’s art deco lines were kept relevant in 1940 by applying beautiful neo-colonial features to the architecture

Back in 1940, San Jose was a town covering a small hill in the distance. It’s church towers prominent over its residents. Tall and beautiful jungle like forests surrounded the airport, in actuality these forests were organic coffee plantations. Back then everything was organic.

La Sabana International Airport was built by the Leon Cortez administration next door to the National Stadium. That’s why his monument is out front.

The architect was Jose María Barrantes, Leon’s favorite. The engineer, Luis Paulino Jiménez Montealegre. These three names came up a lot during Costa Rica’s infrastructure expansion in the 1930’s and 40’s and they weren’t going to let the National Stadium get in the way of their airport.

In 1977,  the former International airport became the Museum of Costa Rican Art, by decree.

This historic building is so beautiful, its neo-colonial architecture so stricking; on top of this, the artistic, cultural, and educational value found in the Golden Room upstairs has led the Costa Rican authorities, back in 1986, to declare the old airport Historical and Architectural Patrimony.

Today, in 2022, this part of the city of San Jose is quite nice to live in. The old International Airport offers it’s visitors a vintage palace of art where peace and tranquility reigns.

The old runway is now a massive metropolitan park known as La Sabana. La Sabana Metropolitan Park is covered in trees and recreational activities with nice neighborhoods on all sides. The National Stadium is still there. All walking distance from downtown. I hope you like to walk.

The Golden Room

Sculptures and paintings will nourish your artistic cravings inside and outside the Costa Rica Art Museum, but its a room upstairs with precious hardwood floors that’s considered the museum’s astonishing masterpiece. This room is known as the Golden Room.

The Golden Room is a 150 square meter mural made up of exquisitely crafted stucco illustrating Costa Rica’s history in chronological order along its four walls.

Key figures in Costa Rica’s history are represented in the Golden Room, the likes of Christopher Columbus, Juan de Cavallón y Arboleda, Juan Vasquez de Coronado, Braulio Carrillo, Tomás Guardia, and many others.

Each wall an era, beginning with the pre-Columbian era. A Costa Rica prior to Christopher Columbus shows indigeneous people hunting, fishing, and harvesting the original flora and fauna of the country.

The second wall, moving forward, represents the discovery and conquest of Costa Rica by the Europeans along with the crops and animals brought over from across the Atlantic Ocean.

The third wall illustrates colonization after the city of Cartago was built. There’s also pirate incursions and Costa Rica’s struggle to connect the Central Valley with the Pacific coast.

The mural comes full circle with the fourth wall dedicated to the conception of the Republic of Costa Rica after it’s independence from Spain in 1821 and the political spectrum that originates from then.

Outdoor Sculpture Garden

As you walk through the atrium of the Museum of Costa Rican Art, an open door will catch your eye. You are being lured to go outside. Imagen Cósmica does not want you to remain indoors. Step out into the garden where sculptures are fronzen in time as the seasons color trees and the sunlit sky.

A very nice sample of Costa Rica’s finest sculptors has chiseled its way to the Sculpture Garden behind the Museum of Costa Rican Art.

In display you’ll find names like Jimenez Deredia, Francisco Zuñiga, and Crisanto Badilla. Their work buffers the museum from La Sabana Metropolitan Park.

Extra points if you find, what appears to be, a pre-Columbian sphere hiding in a corner, most likely placed there by Jimenez Deredia, the garden’s designer and sculptor of “Imagen Cósmica;” the centerpiece in the garden.

Jimenez also shares real estate with Michelangelo in Saint Peter’s Basilica, by the way.

Jimenez Deredia

Costa Rica’s most renown contemporary sculptor is by far, Jimenez Deredia.

Jimenez Deredia was the first contemporary to showcase his work in the Roman Forum.

Jimenez Deredia’s “San Marcellino Champagnat” was commissioned for The Great Jubilee of the year 2000. A niche designed by Michelangelo himself was to be this sculpture’s home inside the Vatican City’s Saint Peter’s Basilica.

As you can see, Jimenez Deredia is kind of a big deal.

As a true Costa Rican, he’s chosen the pre-Columbian Costa Rican sphere to inspire his work. You see, Costa Ricans will leave a hidden sphere somewhere within our work, sometimes hidden in plain sight. It’s like our signature.

Imagen Cósmica translates to Cosmic Image. Made from the finest Italian Carara marble, it gives notion to planetary germination. As living and evolving individual beings, we are subdivided by time. The seasons have made us grow. In a fractal universe, we’ve all begun as an itsy bitsy sphere somewhere in the great infinity.

The grooves on the marble arch are inspired by giant foliage from the poor man’s umbrella leaf, also known as Gunnera insignis. What does the arch itself mean? It would be nice to ask Jimenez Deredia someday.

Francisco Zúñiga

Francisco Zúniga (1912-1998) is claimed by two countries. He was born and raised in Costa Rica, but his work found fertile soil during his time in Mexico.

Many consider this to be Francisco Zuñiga’s masterpiece. The fourth edition of “Tres Mujeres Caminando” went for more than a million dollars at Sotheby’s back in 2006. Oprah is said to have another edition. There’s one at Wichita State University campus as well.

Museum of Costa Rican Art Picture Gallery

Art City Tours

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ART CITY TOURS (San Jose) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Explore the Magic of San Jose: Art City Tour - Gateway to Culture

The Art City Tour in San José is a gateway to the cultural richness of the city, offering a variety of ways to enjoy this unique experience. Whether by bus, bicycle or on foot, this initiative invites you to explore Costa Rican culture in an accessible and diverse way. Can you imagine touring museums, galleries and cultural centers in San José, Costa Rica, under the magical moonlight?

This is possible thanks to the fascinating "Art City Tour", an initiative that allows you to explore the city's rich cultural heritage for free and in a unique nighttime atmosphere. Get ready to immerse yourself in an unforgettable cultural experience! Keep up with the latest cultural activities and interesting events for all ages in San Jose by following the official "Art City Tour" Facebook page. Here you will find information about exhibitions, shows and activities that will enrich your cultural experience in the city.

Don't miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in this cultural adventure on your next visit to San Jose!

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The best city tour in Costa Rica!

San jose city bus tour vip city bus costa rica.

Vip City Bus has the best city tour in Costa Rica at your disposal. Our unique sightseeing double decker bus will take you to downtown San Jose from your hotel to witness the city’s main historical landmarks for an immersive and panoramic cultural experience and a better understanding of Costa Rica’s evolution. Our favorite places to visit for a guided walk in San Jose include Costa Rica’s cherished National Theater (lobby), Art Museum, Metropolitan Cathedral the old and authentic Central Market, the impressive Gold Museum (lunch tour), an in-depth description of the National Monument, and the influential historical episode that took place at the Democracy Plaza. Our VIP City Bus tour will take you comfortably and safely through San Jose’s narrow and busy streets driving by beautiful outdoor city attractions. The living city is our museum.

VIP Double Decker Bus + Welcome Natural Local Drink + Bilingual Guide + Folklore Music + Authentic Lunch + Round Trip Hotel Transfer + Guided Walking tours to (Gold Museum (lunch tour), Art Museum, Metropolitan Cathedral, National Monument, Central Market (shopping) and National Theather Lobby)

Our schedules:

Vip city tour with lunch / con almuerzo 10:30 am to 3:00 pm.

Includes: VIP Double decker Bus + Bottled Water + Bilingual Guide + Authentic Lunch + Round Trip Hotel Transfer Walking tours: National Theater Lobby, Art Museum , Shopping at Central Market, Gold Museum and National Monument.

Vip City Afternoon Tour with Dinner/ Tour de la Tarde con cena 03:15 pm to 07:00 pm

Includes: VIP Double decker Bus + Bottled Water + Bilingual Guide + Authentic Dinner + Round Trip Hotel Transfer Walking Tours: National Theater Lobby, Art Museum, Shopping at Central Market, Metropolitan Cathedral, Plaza de la Democracia, Central Avenue and National Monument.

NEW!!! Vip Night Tour with Dinner and Drinks / Tour Nocturno con Cena y Bebidas 06:45 pm to 10:00 pm

Includes: Double decker bus  –  Imperial Beer Aboard – Bilingual Guide – Roundtrip Transportation to hotel –  Dinner with shots or beers. Walking Tours: Plaza la Cultura – Corte Suprema- Monumento Nacional – Barrio Amón Live music show is available if is a group.

VIP West Wonder Tour Indigenous Reserve 9:00 am to 2:00 pm

Includes: Double decker bus- welcome cocktail – round trip transportation to hotel- Authentic lunch – Tour Guided by local experts- Entrance and activities in Indigenous Reserve- Guided walking tours at local towns – Marimba live show and ride on the Oxcart pulen by Oxen

An amazing luxury bus ride

We are the first tourist bus in Costa Rica! With this in mind we wanted to start as it should, with a totally innovative bus service where the star is YOU and the city to make the experience complete. It is not about going form point A to point B, our goal is that all your trip is a delightful and fun experience.

Best of the culture

Costa Rica is synonymous with culture and we wanted to reflect it from the first moment you set foot in our bus. Feel the Costa Rican culture from the very beginning to the end with our rich culture exposure through our knowledge of the city, sample our culture and cuisine in the bus all the way through!

The VIP CITY BUS is not the traditional tourist bus, our modern bus has two plants filled with pure style and luxury from head to toe! Feel like you deserve it and prepare to enjoy the trip!

Declared Of Cultural Interest by the Costa Rican Authorities in the Ministry of Culture.

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Destination of the Year 2024: Costa Rica

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Introduction

Picture yourself on a white-sand beach, surrounded by palm trees. In the distance, surfers ride the breaking waves. Behind you rises a dense rainforest, where white-faced capuchin monkeys jump from branch to branch. Welcome to Costa Rica . 

I grew up in Costa Rica, and while I’ve lived all over the U.S., I'm always drawn back home. In the northwest, a dry tropical forest stretches down the Nicoya Peninsula. The laid-back beach towns that dot this part of the Pacific coast include Nosara, a mecca for surfing and yoga, and my favorite, the lesser-known San Juanillo, which still has the charm of a small fishing village. Farther south, Santa Teresa has an intriguing mix of cultures and superb international cuisine.

Venture inland and you’ll reach the Guanacaste pampas, with its sabaneros — Costa Rican cowboys — and rich pre-Columbian and colonial history. I love to walk through the town of Nicoya, one of the first Spanish settlements in the country and the home of the Chorotega people.

On the Caribbean side of the country, you’ll find the freshwater canals and serene rivers that meander through the rainforest of Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge and Tortuguero National Park. In Limón, the vibrant Afro-Caribbean culture includes the sounds of calypso and an aromatic cuisine built around strong spices and coconut milk.

If hiking is your passion, try the Camino de Costa Rica, a 174-mile trail that cuts across the country: starting in Barra del Pacuare on the Atlantic coast and eventually winding into the Dota Mountains — the place where I grew up. 

Off the Osa Peninsula, in southern Costa Rica, is the Golfo Dulce, a sanctuary for Pacific humpback whales. The region is defined by mangrove swamps and Corcovado National Park, which protects one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world — and where it is possible to see a jaguar strolling along a white-sand beach.

I could go on and on. There is no single recipe for enjoying Costa Rica. Any road you take will likely bring the same result: a sense of wonder and a desire to return. We Costa Ricans are relatively few — the population barely exceeds 5 million. But we’re proud of our shared idea that things will always turn out fine and that life is, above all, beautiful.

— Ronny Rojas

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Cover Story

If 2024 is your year for retirement, then one, congratulations, and two, we've got a destination for you to consider moving to in your golden years. 

Travel Tips

Experiences, culture & style.

Raymond Forbes Photography / Stocksy United

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Expert guidance to help you plan your trip.

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On a recent trip to Costa Rica, on a hike in the remote forests of Volcán Tenorio National Park, the sky unexpectedly opened up

Transportation

If you're wondering how to navigate Costa Rica's roads, airports, and ferry terminals, here's the scoop on getting around this impressive country.

Visa Requirements

Costa Rica is a stunning country that's beloved by travelers. Here's everything you need to know about its entry requirements before you go.

Money and Costs

There are plenty of ways for cost-conscious travelers to save some colones– here are ten top tips for traveling on a small budget in Costa Rica. 

Traveling with Kids

Costa Rica is the easy way to dive into Central America with kids in tow. Here are our top family adventures, from surf beaches to volcano hikes.

Best Road Trips

Experience the best of Costa Rica with these top road-trip routes.

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Latest stories from Costa Rica

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Jun 4, 2024 • 7 min read

Costa Rica and Panama offer a wealth of wildlife, untamed nature, and stunning beaches. So how do you choose which to visit? We can help you decide.

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