What cultural etiquette should I know for San José?

The phrase you'll hear before your luggage hits the carousel at Juan Santamaría is 'pura vida.' It means 'pure life,' but Ticos use it for everything — greeting a neighbor on Paseo Colón, thanking the soda cook who just handed you a casado, answering 'how are you?' It's less a phrase than a social lubricant. For actual greetings, men shake hands; women who know each other exchange a single kiss on the right cheek. If you're meeting someone for the first time, a handshake works regardless of gender. One thing that catches visitors off guard: when you thank someone, the response is 'con mucho gusto' — with much pleasure — rather than 'de nada.' It's a small thing, but it signals the warmth Ticos put into even throwaway exchanges. Use it yourself and you'll get a noticeably warmer reception at the Mercado Central stalls.

Tipping in San José is simpler than most of Central America. Restaurants add a 10% 'servicio' charge to every bill — look for it on the receipt before you leave extra. If the service was good, leaving 500-1,000 colones on the table (roughly a dollar or two) is a kind gesture but nobody expects it. Taxi drivers don't expect tips at all; rounding up to the nearest 500 colones is fine. At your hotel, 1,000-2,000 colones per day for housekeeping is appreciated. The one place tipping gets awkward: tour guides. They've earned it — 5,000-10,000 colones per person for a half-day trip is the local norm. Coffee-shop culture in Barrio Escalante runs more like Europe — you order at the counter, pay, sit down. No tip jar guilt.

Tico time is real. A dinner invitation for 7pm means people start arriving around 7:30. A meeting at 10am might begin at 10:20. This isn't rudeness — it's the social rhythm, and getting visibly frustrated marks you as someone who hasn't figured out the pace yet. That said, buses and official appointments tend to run closer to schedule, so don't apply the relaxed clock to your airport shuttle. Costa Ricans are also conflict-averse in a way that can confuse visitors. Direct criticism feels aggressive here. If a waiter brings the wrong dish, a quiet 'disculpe' and a gentle correction lands better than flagging down the manager. Ticos will often say 'sí, sí' to avoid confrontation even when the answer is actually no — watch for hesitation or vague timelines, which usually mean 'probably not.' The humidity outside the Museo Nacional hits you like a warm towel, and tempers can run short in the midday heat. Keep yours cool.

Costa Rica is predominantly Catholic, and while San José itself is pretty relaxed about it, a few rules still apply. Cover your shoulders and knees when entering the Catedral Metropolitana on the east side of Parque Central — the dim interior and smell of old wood and candle wax deserve a moment of quiet anyway. During Semana Santa, the week before Easter, the city practically shuts down from Thursday through Sunday: banks close, buses thin out, and processions fill the streets of Barrio Amón with the sound of brass bands and the heavy sweetness of incense. Don't schedule anything logistically important that week. Day to day, San José dress is casual — jeans and a t-shirt work for most restaurants and museums. The one exception: if you're visiting a government building or attending a show at the Teatro Nacional, long pants and closed shoes are expected. Flip-flops on the Avenida Central draw stares, but nobody will say anything. They're just filing you under 'tourist.'