San José City

San José needs 2 days: the National Theatre and the Central Market on one, and a trip to nearby volcanoes (Poás or Irazú) on the other. December-April is the dry season. It's cheaper than Costa Rica's beach areas. It's the capital of a country that abolished its army in 1948 and redirects those resources to education and environmental conservation, and it serves as a practical base for exploring the extensive national park network that covers over 25% of Costa Rican territory.