San Pedro de Montes de Oca is a city in the Central Valley of Costa Rica east of the capital, San José. It is the main city in the canton of Montes de Oca, and is best known as the location of the University of Costa Rica, the largest public university in the country. The city is also known as San Pedro.
Understand
[edit]San Pedro is one of the most prosperous cities in the Central Valley and is close to other well-to-do neighborhoods such as Barrio Escalante to its west and Curridabat to its east. Its population is about 50,000, including students of the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and other local universities. There is a strong consumer economy, with many restaurants and malls found in this area. The southeast side of San Pedro, closest to Curridabat, is known as Lourdes (pronounced "Lewr-des" not "Lords").
The city's elevation is higher than that of San José due to being farther east in the Central Valley. The average elevation in San Pedro is about 1,400 m (4,600 ft) above sea level.
Climate
[edit]The climate is tropical, with rain concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere summer, and highest in June. Cloud cover is common throughout the year. The combination of high precipitation and elevation lead to temperatures being lower than expected at its altitude. Daily high temperatures are around 27 °C (81 °F) and low temperatures around 19 °C (66 °F) year-round.
Get in
[edit]
By bus
[edit]Buses run regularly to San Pedro from the city center of San José. Buses going to San Pedro are typically labeled "University / San Pedro" on the front window. Buses cost a few hundred colones and make several stops going east from the city center before turning to surface streets. Bus stops are often named after the nearest building or business.
By taxi
[edit]If coming from the airport, you can take an official airport taxi to San Pedro, but due to the distance this could be more expensive than a taxi to San José. Taxi drivers will accept colones or dollars.
Uber is widely available in the San José metro area and is cheaper than taxis.
By train
[edit]The San José-Cartago train has two stops in San Pedro: one at University of Costa Rica (to the west) and one at University Latina (in Lourdes, to the east).
Get around
[edit]The core area of San Pedro is fairly walkable. Bus routes around the city can be difficult to find online; Moovit and Google Maps are the two main options for bus information but often display conflicting information.
The application of choice for driving information and notifications of traffic, etc. is Waze. All locals have Waze and will expect you to have it. The application is used by businesses and individuals to share their location.
Street names and addresses are not used in San Pedro. Use parks and churches as landmarks to indicate where you’re going when riding on a bus or in a car (or the exact destination if that place is on Waze).
See
[edit]
- 1 Butterfly Garden at UCR. Garden at the center of the university's open campus grounds. There are walking trails across the garden and area tours available to pre-book.
- 2 Fuente de la Hispandad. Fountain in the center of San Pedro that serves as an important local landmark on the Central Valley's ring road. Not accessible to visitors as it is within the inside of the roundabout of a busy highway.
- 3 Museum of Insects, at the University of Costa Rica, ☏ +506 2511 8551, [email protected]. Costa Rica has a large and diverse population of butterflies, bees, and other insects. The museum contains exhibits and is found at the music building of the university.
- 4 Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (200 meters east of University Latina), ☏ +506 2225 2237, [email protected]. Parish church for Lourdes that's a local landmark and visible from the surrounding area due to its tower. Beautiful interior.
Do
[edit]- 1 Eugene O'Neill Theater, ☏ +506 8455 6666, [email protected]. Large theater on the border with Barrio Escalante. Not to be confused with the National Theater farther west in the capital.
- 2 Parque del Este (CR-202 east of San Pedro. Then turn left at the park entrance), ☏ +506 2273 1153, [email protected]. Recreational park with hiking trails into the forest east of the city.
- 3 Theater of Bolsillo (Teatro de Bolsillo) (100 meters east of Kennedy Park), ☏ +506 8714 6784. Small theater near Kennedy Park in the center of San Pedro.
Learn
[edit]- 1 Costa Rican Language Academy, ☏ +506 8392-3456, [email protected]. Costa Rican-run language school near the San Pedro Mall, primarily for university students but also including classes for adults. Also runs culture classes including in dance and cooking.
- 2 Máximo Nivel, Farmacia la Bomba 75 m sur (San Pedro, San José), ☏ +506 2253-9220. 7AM-8PM. Small group, online and individually tailored Spanish classes taught by certified native instructors. Spanish students can join free conversation practice with local residents who are studying in intensive English programs. Intensive TEFL/TESOL certification classes each month, to prepare for a job teaching English.
Buy
[edit]There are several malls, the largest being 1 San Pedro Mall.
- 2 Artesanía del Este (on the main highway going east toward Curridabat), ☏ +506 2224 7156, [email protected]. Craft pottery, baskets, etc.
- 3 House of Colors (2 blocks south of U. Latina Train Station), ☏ +506 6418 5581, [email protected]. Arts and crafts store near University Latina.
- 4 Palacio Regalo (El Palacio del Regalo) (CR-203 200 meters before Calle Siles). Christmas market selling a general variety of goods as well as fresh fruit and vegetables.
Eat
[edit]
American and Asian restaurants are popular in the San Pedro area. "Typical" cuisine, the local name for Costa Rican food, is harder to come by. Italian and Mexican restaurants are also common. American and Costa Rican restaurants tend to be the cheapest, while Italian and Mexican restaurants are more expensive. Argentinian restaurants are the most expensive.
- 1 Antojitos Gabriel (100 meters south of Colegio Monterey), ☏ +506 6086 7224, [email protected]. Pizza restaurant and soda near the eastern edge of the university campus.
- 2 Cabo & El Fuego Smokehouse, Avenida 8, ☏ +506 8384 9048, [email protected]. American and Costa Rican cuisine — hamburgers, samplers, and quesadillas. Also serves wines and cocktails.
- 3 Donde Carlos Parrillada (100 meters north of Our Lady of Fátima Church), [email protected]. Argentinan cuisine: steaks, fish, and pasta.
- 4 El Sabor de la Tortilla Sabanilla, Calle Damiana (west of Sabanilla Park). Traditional Costa Rican casados and other common (típico) dishes.
- 5 Happy Fish (Happy's Fish), ☏ +506 4080 6744. Cooked fish and Costa Rican seviche (raw fish) in a soda.
- 6 Il Padrino, ☏ +506 2234 0278. Upscale Italian restaurant. One of four Il Padrino restaurants in the Central Valley; the others are in Pavas, Rohrmoser, and Lindora.
- 7 Los Quesada, Calle 69, ☏ +506 6015 7848, [email protected]. American/Venezuelan-Asian (sushi) fusion cuisine.
- 8 Pizzeria Il Pomodoro, Cerca de Parque Kennedy y Banco Nacional en San Pedro. One of the best–known casual restaurants in Costa Rica. Italian cuisine, pizza and pasta, good cheap wine, from second floor great view of the mountains to the west.
- 9 San Bosco's Soda, ☏ +506 2225 7493. American and Costa Rican cuisine in a soda.
- 10 Yokohama (200 meters south of University Latina, then turn left), ☏ +506 2273 1828. Japanese restaurant with sushi, bentos, and other traditional recipes. There is another in Heredia.
Drink
[edit]Bars
[edit]San Pedro is home to many bars and clubs. Try to avoid the University of Costa Rica area at night as the many bars in the university district tend to attract brawls and even the occasional bullet shot. The other bars and clubs in San Pedro are free of trouble.
- 1 Fito's Bar (east of the UCR train station). Bar, also offering casados and American food, adjacent to the university.
Cafés
[edit]- 2 Casa Roosevelt (Máximo Fernández Plaza), ☏ +506 8783 5876, [email protected]. Coffee shop and art gallery. Serves Costa Rican cuisine.
- 3 Magikus, CR-203 (next to Palí). Coffee shop with appetizers, lunches, and desserts in front of the Palacio Regalo market.
- 4 Ondina Café & Restaurant (near the university's health campus), ☏ +506 8535 1333. Costa Rican and traditional American cuisine close to the university campus.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Aparthotel Tairona (north of San Pedro Mall and across the railroad tracks), ☏ +506 2234 0146, [email protected]. Modern-style hotel close to the San Pedro Mall.
- 2 Hotel Ave del Paraiso, ☏ +506 2225 8515, [email protected]. Boutique hotel near the circumnavigation (ring) road. Easy to spot due to the colonial architecture of the buildings on the block. There is a conference room, included breakfast, and restaurant on-site.
- 3 Boutique Hotel Casa Orquídeas, Central Ave, ☏ +506 2283 0095, [email protected]. Boutique hotel in Barrio Dent. Typical rooms are about $70 per night.
Stay safe
[edit]San Pedro is one of the safest parts of the greater metropolitan area. Take normal precautions and don't flaunt valuables. The risk of violent crime is low.
Go next
[edit]- The adjacent neighborhoods in San José are Barrio Escalante to the west/northwest and La Cali farther west.
- To the east is Curridabat and, continuing east across the mountains, Cartago.