Luxury holidays in San José Province

Sprawling the striking plateaus of Central Valley, San Jose Province serves la Pura Vida with a side of metropolitan modernity. Home to Costa Rica’s capital, the city of San Jose has undergone a cultural renaissance in recent years, its blossoming barrios now thronged with art galleries and museums, craft breweries and sophisticated sodas, all the while retaining its colourful Tico charm. Outside of the city, natural pursuits are plentiful. The province’s undulant terrain is bestrewn with soaring mountains, dense jungle and jagged volcanos; climb the lofty crater of Irazu, Costa Rica’s tallest volcano, or experience the steaming cobalt caldera of Poas. For those partial to a caffeine hit, explore the region’s world-famous coffee plantations. Or, if it’s adrenaline you’re chasing, try white-water rafting down the Pacuare River through postcard-worthy rainforests and cascading waterfalls – and keep an eye out for the locals: the Rio is home to an incredible roster of wildlife, from swift-footed jaguars to smiling, laissez-faire sloths.