National Theater of Costa Rica

Performing arts theater · San José

National Theater of Costa Rica

Performing arts theater · San José

Avenida 2, C. 5, San José, Catedral, Costa Rica

Highlights

Nestled in downtown San José, this stunning 19th-century theater captivates with its ornate interiors and lively performances, making it a must-see gem.

Avenida 2, C. 5, San José, Catedral, Costa Rica Get directions

teatronacional.go.cr

@afar

"For three centuries, Costa Rica ’s national theater has been an important cultural forum, and its beautiful structure is a designated national monument. Docent-led tours of the Renaissance-style building and its performance hall are highly recommended. If you’re making your way on your own, start from the architecturally eclectic entrance and its opulent neoclassical froufrou, then ascend the magnificent marble stairs to the mezzanine. Don’t miss the cedar- and mahogany-inlaid floor (much of the wood was sourced from Alajuela). Inside the auditorium, ceiling frescoes are arguably more impressive than even the profusely decorated balconies, awash in gilt. An in-house café serves brews from every corner of the republic. Hour-long matinees on Tuesdays, featuring top international artists, are a midday delight. By Travesías"

The Perfect Day in San Jose

View Postcard for National Theater of Costa Rica

Mike Z

Google

Probably most memorable building inside and outside in Costa Rica, kind of a hallmark of the capital. Since I have been in the area in the morning and couldn’t wait couple of hours for English speaking tour, I’ve got tickets for one in Spanish just to get an opportunity to check out interior of the theater. It is really gorgeous, but to my surprise the two tour guides were actually acting different roles and even singing while presenting premises. Visitors had the chance to sit in both orchestra and balcony to get a feel of what might be going on during the performance. Could be better if I understood the plot, but still quite happy with experience.

Debbie SALAZAR

Google

A visit to downtown San Jose should include a stop at the beautiful National Theater. It is located in the central section of the city, right off Avenida Central. Tours are offered daily and tickets can be purchased at the box office. It is considered to be the finest historic building in the capital, opening to the public in 1897, and is well known for its exquisite interior and lavish furnishings. We attended a recent Symphony concert and we were able to admire the beauty of one of Costa Rica's National treasures.

Judy Chasey

Google

Visited this in 2003 and again this January. In the heart of San Jose, Costa Rica it is a theater built in the late 1800's and modeled after the Opera House in Paris. Tour cost $7 and is worth it. It has been maintained beautifully and the paintings, statues and gold plating are in excellent shape.

Reza Sattarzadeh Nowbari

Google

This is an absolute gem in the heart of San José, and a place not to be missed when you are in town. They have tours on the hour but you need to check when the tours are done in English and when in Spanish. As you enter the main auditorium, you can't stop but to admire the beauty and majesty of the building, which dates back to over 100 years ago. The guides are efficient in their explanation of the history, design, and important events in the theatre. You will also learn about the restoration process going on at the theatre. Overall, it was a great informative tour. The only suggestion is that we could spend more time in the upper hall where the restoration was going on.

Steph

Google

What a beautiful theatre and it’s great to learn the history of the theatre. Tours are done in English and Spanish. Very beautiful place and it’s currently going through restoration so there’s a lot of areas that look like a construction site. It’s cool how they have the restoration pieces there. The guides were great and tell you everything in a comical and theatrical way. I do wish there was more opportunities to pause and take photos it was kind of moving us along once we left the main performance room.

Natalia Bogdanova

Google

We took a tour of the Theater and were amazed at its beauty, complexity of construction (moving floors!) and the amount of work being done to restore and preserve this architectural gem! The sculptures are beautiful and the tour gave a great introduction to the rich history of Costa Rica. The sculpture of Mother and the Baby (Heroes de la Miseria) by Costa Rican artist Juan Ramon Bonilla is breathtaking. Thank you so much for preserving this amazing place for the world! Will make sure to attend a performance the next time we are in San Jose. The cafe is lovely and serves wonderful delicious pastries.

Google

Beautiful theater with lots of art pieces. Worth a visit for sure!

Sanjeeta Pai

Google

We went with a tour group and it was a nice stop as a part of our walking tour. We were there for a short time but was nice to learn about the history, take some pictures. The positions on the celebrating are also very pretty. A nice cafe there.