Ah San Jose, what can I say about you? You’re not the prettiest capital city I’ve ever seen…. but you just might be the ugliest.
In fairness, arriving on New Year’s Day when everything is closed and the clean up from the night before is still to begin, probably won’t make the best first impression for any city.We explored downtown SJ fortified by Starbucks coffee. Having seen the pigeon infested squares and parks, it was clear you need to look a little harder for this city’s charms and points of interest.
There seems to be a thriving graffiti culture. Street art manages to lift some otherwise depressingly decrepit buildings and street scapes.
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here are also some interesting brutalist buildings in the city, nonetheleast being the gold museum underneath the Plaza de la Cultura.The Gold Museum’s pre-Columbian displays are interesting, but the space itself was the star for me.
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If you’re still struggling to engage with the city then do some research on some of the cooler restaurants and bars. Prices are reasonable and there is some great locally influenced cuisine to be had.Restaurante Azoteca Calle 7 is excellent with a lovely rooftop bar. And the neighbourhood around Barrio Escalante on Calle 33 for a great selection of bars and eateries.
brettaway.com 
I enjoyed how you candidly described San José on New Year’s Day—arriving during the quiet clean-up period clearly shaped your first impression. Your observations about the vivid street art and striking brutalist architecture—especially at the Gold Museum—bring out a subtle character in a city that might otherwise be overlooked. It’s refreshing how you encourage digging a bit deeper—seeking out local eateries, bars, and unique spaces—to really connect with what the city has to offer. Well written and evocative.
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