Central American Arts and Crafts

San Jose Costa Rica

Downtown San Jose Costa Rica has lots to offer. Yes there are great beaches, and mountains, but San Jose is the BIG city of Costa Rica. Here you will find Cultural attractions, history, restaurants, night clubs and things to buy. If you spend a day walking to the sites in San Jose, you will find the artist and painters market in the "Plaza del Democracia." This markets is on 2nd Avenue by the National Museum.

Are you looking for cowrie shell jewelry, pre-Columbian pottery, jade, turquois and tagua jewelry? In Costa Rica you will find a large variety of crafts, art, and jewelry. You can see wools cloths, carved wood, decorative leather, resin art and even eat lunch.

If you have questions please email me at harlan@sensationaltropics.com. Need to see more, see this page of Costa Rican Art.

When you enter the Mercado you will be greeted by a large water color painted on the roofline.

You will find many versions of the oxcart

Tagua Jewelry is made out of the palm nut. Tagua and Silver Jewelry

Shops in the Artist Market.

Artist Booth

Most of the Venders belong to the same families making the Jewelry Tagua jewelry

Mixed Material Art by Jeannette Ramirez

Costa Rican Water Painting

Colorful Tropical Art on Feathers Paintings on Macaw Feathers

Wood Dishes

Cuadros en Relieve Mixed Material Art

Wood key Chains

Wood Nut Cracker.

The best place for Turquoise Jewelry

Park in the "Peace" parking lot next to the Market.

Wood Working

Lots of jewelry and earings made from coconut shells

Shells are colored and used to make jewelry Costa Rican Bracelets

Many Venders sell replications of historical pottery Columbian Pottery

Tagua seed necklace, earing and bracelet jewelry sets. ivory nut jewelry

Cowrie shell jewelry, and corral jewelry is well known in the USA, but there is a difference in the shell jewelry you will find in Costa Rica. I notice, in the US this type of jewelry is made by stringing shells, beads and corral on a string. Here in the Market, the craftmanship is at a higher level. You will notice the beads, shells and coconut wood are made into designs using intricate knotwork. This is also called hemp macrame. Popular with the hippie type. Most of the items are make by independent craftspeople. Costa Rica is a great place to find tropical jewelry The retail stores in the US generally cannot afford the high cost to produce jewelry with this much detail but in Costa Rican the supply in endless.

There is more than cowrie shell necklaces. If you have not seen tagua jewelry you will be surprised at the bright colors of this jewelry as well as the ivory feel. These colored seeds make great jewelry and predate plastic. Jewelry is also made from stones. You can see turquoise, jade, and agates. If there is something special you are looking for don't be afraid to ask one of the venders. All speak some English. Also because of the large variety of artists in this market, your chance of finding what you really want is great. Of course you will also want to save some money for the beach side markets you will encounter.

Costa Rica is committed to environmental responsibility. Some tourist web sites warn against buying anything but coffee in Costa Rica for fear of purchasing something that promotes explotation of endangered species such as sea turtles. No jewelry made from sea turtles is sold at the market. Everything sold is according to the Costa Rican Laws. Some items should not be imported into the USA. For example you can buy Cuban Cigars at the market. You will have to smoke these before taking a trip to the USA. Also you will find paintings on Macaw feathers. You cannot transport these over international boarders. If you have questions you can ask but please take advantage of all the arts and crafts in Costa Rica. These make great gifts.

If you plan to drive or walk in San Jose you need to read this Walking Guide of San Jose Costa Rica This narrative is one of the most clearly written understandable descriptions of a downtown layout I have ever read. Print it out and read it on the airplane. Also please take a look at this Grid Map of DownTown San Jose Costa Rica The Plaza de la Democracia is shown on the map, and this is also the location of the Artist Market.

Central American Arts and Crafts

San Jose Costa Rica

Artists at the Mercado

Spanish words for Costa Rican Cradts.