City Info
Costa Rica | San José

The closeness to the capital city of San José makes the quiet location Coronado especially attractive for studying. The rural community is approximately 30 min. away from San José in a public bus and is located on the hillside of the central valley. The climate is kindly moderate, you are wearing long trousers and loafers and in general the people pay a lot of attention to clothing.

The people of the inland are outgoing, friendly and are very helpful even if your Spanish skills are little. But the inhabitants of Costa Rica’s cities are always a bit reserved, in contradiction to the people living in the coastal areas. This distance is caused by the more traditional way of life. The family is very significant and the grandparents often are the patriarchs of the extended family. In the evenings frequently all members of the family are coming together for a small talk. Cousins are often the most important friends and normally live very close.

The houses in the greater San José area often seem to be like fortresses and little inviting. From the inside normally they are furnished with love, you can find lots of old furniture and objects, and sometimes it feels like being in a museum.

The capital is a very busy town, just like any European metropolis, Coronado in contrast to this is quiet, cozy and safe. It is an idyllic suburb, which is also offering all conveniences. The typical activities of San Jose`s people and surrounding areas are absolutely comparable with the ones of Europeans: they meet for coffee, go to the cinema or to the gym, visit museums or galleries, go shopping in big malls or enjoy a football match, visit one of the various parks or go on trips to closer rural surroundings on their weekends.

But also anybody who is looking for sun and beaches won’t be disappointed; the position of San José and Coronado in the very center of the country offers the unique possibility to reach various beaches at the Caribbean and Pacific coast within the short time of just 3 to 4 hours.