San José
For a foodie-friendly cultural experience, don't miss this fabulous Saturday market, a meeting place for San José's artists and organic growers since 2010…
Must-see shopping in Costa Rica
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Monteverde & Santa Elena
In a new home next to Pensión Santa Elena, this cute gallery and gift shop is packed to the gills with locally made jewelry, clothing, soaps, sculpture…
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Southern Costa Rica & Península de Osa
Near the entrance to Boruca village (coming from Curré), this excellent shop stocks a wide range of local crafts, including some superb examples of…
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Puerto Jiménez
A terrific, well-stocked crafts shop, featuring local art and jewelry, a wonderful collection of colorful Boruca masks and black-and-ocher Guaitil pottery…
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La Fortuna
There’s no shortage of souvenirs for sale in La Fortuna, but this shop is something special, carrying an excellent selection of arts and crafts by local…
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San José
Located in the hills of Bello Horizonte in Escazú, the workshop of Biesanz Woodworks can be difficult to find, but the effort is be well worth it. This…
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Monteverde & Santa Elena
You’ll find several rooms stuffed with colorful Costa Rican artistry here. The goods include jewelry, ceramic work, Boruca textiles and traditional…
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Playa Sámara
Carlos Caicedo travels around South America to procure gorgeous semiprecious stones, which he crafts into fine jewelry right here in the back of his shop,…
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San José
In downtown Escazú, this art and design shop is ensconced in a 150-year-old house with adobe walls, near the southwest corner of Escazú's church. It's…
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La Fortuna
On the road to La Fortuna Waterfall, Rastaman Daniel been watching the tourist traffic come and go for more than a decade while he and Yesenia weave magic…
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Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Don't miss the weekly organic market, where local vendors and growers sell snacks typical of the region, particularly tropical produce and chocolate…
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Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
On a backstreet parallel to the main road, this gallery carries folk art, jewelry, ceramics, embroidered purses and mosaic mirrors, among many other one…
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San José
The Bribrí word for jaguar, Namu fair-trade gallery brings together artwork and cultural objects from a diverse population of regional ethnicities,…
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San José
With a focus on sustainable design by Costa Rican artisans, this sleek shop in Barrio Escalante stocks handmade jewelry, hand-tooled leather bags,…
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San José
A long-standing, oversized ceramic store and pottery workshop on the curving country road from Santa Ana to Salitral. There are some great finds here,…
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Central Pacific Coast
This strip mall had been abandoned after the housing slump of 2008, but was rescued in 2017 from disrepair and revamped by a local visionary. With a fresh…
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Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Québécois partners Martin and Nelson have turned this tidy air-conditioned shop into a must-stop for local Talamanca chocolates (five different brands)…
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Monteverde & Santa Elena
Coopeldós is a cooperative of 450 small- and medium-sized organic coffee growers from the area. You can visit this coop store and buy their coffee…
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Caribbean Coast
For three decades and across several countries, expat master craftsman Brian Erikson has been fashioning wonderful things out of bamboo. You may have even…
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Playa Tamarindo
If you're still into the non-downloadable beach tome, 'Jimmy Danger' is your man. He's got a treasure trove of used travel guides, fiction, CDs and DVDs…
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Tortuguero Village
Colorful artworks made of recycled driftwood, jicaro fruit and the flower pods of coconut trees are housed in this sleek white gallery space on Tortuguero…
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San José
Dog-eared paperbacks in mostly English but also Spanish, French and German teeter in precarious towers atop crammed shelves at this chaotic jumble of a…
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Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio & Around
It's pricey and geared towards monied tourists, but the products are top quality. Stock up on local chocolate and all manner of local and imported organic…
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San José
This hip little design shop across from Casa Amarilla sells all manner of pieces crafted by Costa Rican designers and artists, including clothing, jewelry…
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San José
Quirky new store in Barrio Aranjuez that stocks art, jewelry, furnishings and clothing, along with little plants and other odds and ends. Each item is…
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San José
Cool design store where you can pick up interesting art, clothing, jewelry and other odds and ends created by a couple of dozen local artists.
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Monteverde & Santa Elena
Formerly the Monteverde Cheese Factory, this business was started in 1953 by Monteverde’s original Quaker settlers. It produced everything from a creamy…
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Monteverde & Santa Elena
Begun in 1982 as a women’s cooperative representing eight female artists, today Casem has expanded to reportedly include almost 150 local artisans (some…
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Southern Costa Rica & Península de Osa
Colorful Boruca weavings and balsa masks decorated with jungle birds and animals are for sale here. Sometimes there are also cedarwood devil masks…
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Southern Costa Rica & Península de Osa
Large duty-free shopping area inside the Zona Americana that's now the lifeblood of Golfito. Here you can buy manufactured goods imported from Panama with…
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Playa Sámara
Part cafe, part downtown surf shop, it rents gear, offers lessons, and has top-quality rash guards, board shorts and boards for the buying. Bonus: the…
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San José
Costa Rica’s most stylish and massive shopping mall has everything you need (or don’t). If you’re coming from San José, the mall can be reached by taking…
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San José
A touristy open-air market that sells everything from handcrafted jewelry and Bob Marley T-shirts to elaborate woodwork and Guatemalan sarongs.
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San José
Good selection of English-language books, maps and guidebooks (including Lonely Planet). There are a half-dozen branches around town.
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Puerto Jiménez
This locally run souvenir shop has interesting handmade carvings, furniture and other handicrafts, all made by Costa Rican artisans.
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San José
On Saturday, head down to the farmers market that's held along Avenida 2, just south of the park in Escazú Centro.
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Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Come to the area of the beach at the southern end of town for souvenirs, brightly colored vests, multicolored harem pants, beach dresses and reggae…
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San José
This busy four-story mall (often used as a landmark) houses a multiscreen cinema, a food court, a video arcade and the usual mix of clothing, phone and…
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Caribbean Coast
A couple of minutes' walk from the boat landing, this is the place to get your groceries, including fresh meat, bread, fruit and vegetables. Also stocks…
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Tortuguero Village
On the main street, this is the place to pick up a postcard, a Tortuguero turtle T-shirt, a pack of turtle-themed playing cards or some local woodwork…
