Visiting Costa Rica’s National Theater—Photos And Brief (5-Minute Read): San Jose, Costa Rica

Written by Nikki Solano

Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️

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IMPORTANT: This article is part of our Memorable Costa Rica series.

The revered Latin American female writer Isabel Allende once advised: “Write what should not be forgotten.” Inspired by the quote’s brevity and the subject matter of lasting significance, the articles in our Memorable Costa Rica series are concise and highlight what we feel are the most memorable aspects of featured Costa Rica experiences. If you don’t want to waste time rereading the repeated facts and long-drawn-out paraphrased summaries that some other Costa Rica resources offer, then the personal briefs in our Memorable Costa Rica series are perfect for you. Use them to discover the unique qualities and unforgettable moments that we believe each Costa Rica experience provides, so you can easily decide which experiences are worth incorporating into your trip, and in only five minutes or less. 👍🏽

Estimated reading time for this article: 5 minutes

Costa Rica’s National Theater brief

There’s a lot that’s worth appreciating about Costa Rica’s National Theater, but from a tourism perspective, my favorite thing about it is that it’s quick and easy to tour. If you’re part of the small percentage of Costa Rica travelers who give themselves time to explore downtown San Jose during their trip, you probably have only one day (or maybe only part of a day) to squeeze in as many sights as you can around the capital. A guided tour at the centrally located theater, which, conveniently, is within walking distance of most other top attractions in San Jose, clocks in at less than one hour—long enough for the experience to be captivating from start to finish and short enough for it to avoid dragging on and wasting what limited time you have in the city. Also convenient is the theater’s small size, which means walking during the tour is kept to a minimum. The tour covers the theater’s main room, known as the sala principal, where most performances take place and where Costa Rica’s coat of arms and the theater’s “TN” (Teatro Nacional) emblem are proudly displayed; a sitting room, where attendees would and still do gather during performance intermissions; and the grand staircase that connects the theater’s floors. At each place, the theater’s lavishness is obvious; it’s carved into marble fixtures, hangs on velvet textiles, shimmers in gold leaf trimmings, and romanticizes rooms with dreamy paintings. The most talked-about and gawked-at painting is The Allegory of the Coffee and the Banana, a famous work of art that was once featured on Costa Rican currency but, as you’ll learn during a theater tour, is rather misleading. (I spy female workers, upside down bananas, coffee by the beach, and more.) Other topics briefly discussed during theater tours include the history and cultural significance of the theater; the construction, design, and assignment of seats in the theater (from the president’s chair to wooden benches in the upper balcony area, where peasants traditionally sat); and most awe-inspiring, the theater’s moving floor, which gets lowered so floor seating can be used for performances and then raised to stage level for the use of ballroom events. (Note that some theater tours also include a dramatization of the theater’s history, so be sure to reserve a theater tour + dramatization option if you’d like to see it.) Before or after your tour, don’t miss the pairs of music and dance and comedy and tragedy statues in the theater’s main entrance, as well as the on-site cafe if you wish to couple your theater visit with a cup of coffee, a slice of cake, or other light fare.

Costa Rica’s National Theater photos

Map of Costa Rica’s National Theater

More information about Costa Rica’s National Theater

For more information about Costa Rica’s National Theater, including guided tour options, visitor information (hours of operation, tour rates, location information, etc.), and performance schedules (the cartelera, in Spanish), please see the theater’s website.

Pura vida!

Do you have questions about Costa Rica’s National Theater, want help deciding if this attraction is worth visiting based on the experiences you’re looking to have, or need help determining how to best incorporate a visit to the theater into your vacation? No problem! When you’re ready, make an appointment here to communicate with me (Nikki) privately and we can discuss these and other topics to get your questions answered fast and your Costa Rica trip poised for success. Pura vida, amigos! 🙂

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