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National Theater (Teatro Nacional)

Second Ave. and Fifth St., San Jose, Costa Rica
506-221-1329
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Ranked #2 of 33 attractions in San Jose
Type: Theatres, Historic Sites
Description: Since 1897, this elegant theater has been a source of pride.
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346 reviews from our community

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    4
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Date Rating
Windsor, Canada
Top Contributor
77 reviews 77 reviews
24 attraction reviews
Reviews in 35 cities Reviews in 35 cities
30 helpful votes 30 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2013 NEW

When Adelina Patti refused to come because there was no suitable venue the result was the building of the National Theater in San Jose at the end of the 19th century. For a relatively poor country this was an astounding undertaking. The history of the building and its construction, the story of its main pictorial element, and its small, but... More

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Paris, France
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 May 2013 NEW

One of the best thing to do in San Jose. Our guide, Jeffrey, was awesome. The theater is beautiful and has a very great history. During this tour, we've learned a lot about Costa Rica's history. I highly recommend this place.

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Melbourne, Australia
Top Contributor
80 reviews 80 reviews
22 attraction reviews
Reviews in 32 cities Reviews in 32 cities
44 helpful votes 44 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2013 NEW

Visited San Jose a couple of days ago and was very impressed with the national theatre built in 1897 modeled on the grand opera palaces of Italy and France. It is stunning both externally and more so on a internal inspection. The layout is not to dissimilar to La Scala and whilst we didn't see any works preformed the acoustics... More

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Somerset, New Jersey
1 review
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2013

A really impressive late 19th century building with a sense of old world charm that is rare in our hemisphere. Our tour guide Jeffery was knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

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Florida
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
12 attraction reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

Walking in was to experienc the 19th century. Staff extremely helpful and welcoming - wanting you to love the theater as much as they do. The cafe for a coffee and dessert was and is a must. Yes all historic theaters are similar but to see one of this beauty and magnatude was a wonderful surprise. If you enjoy history... More

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See 3 more reviews by gladbags for San Jose
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
10 attraction reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 May 2013

The cafe in the theatre is still as it was when it was built, with ornate cornicing and frescoed ceilings and is a lovely place to sit and have a coffee....lots of different choices available, as well as delicious hot chocolate, yummy cakes and charming service. I also paid quite a hefty $8 to look inside the theatre. The ticket... More

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See 2 more reviews by Nbichick for San Jose
West Bay, Grand Cayman
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 May 2013

No visit to San Jose' would be complete without a visit the building that was built because a diva refused to perform in the city and uttered the well-know phrase, "No way Jose!" to make her point about the facilities available for her performance in the city at that time. As others have said, it is a beautiful building that... More

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See 2 more reviews by Becky R for San Jose
Conway, Arkansas
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 May 2013

Saw a beautiful production of Nutcracker- a bit pricey, but cheap seats were fine. Nice, though aging, architecture. Take time to stroll down Avenida Central while you are there.

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Murray, UT
Senior Contributor
25 reviews 25 reviews
20 attraction reviews
Reviews in 22 cities Reviews in 22 cities
22 helpful votes 22 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 April 2013

A beautiful building with a rich history behind it! I was very lucky that we had a tour guide that took us through the theater and explained in detail the paintings, the architecture and the history. It is truly gorgeous inside, but I would make sure to brush up on the history of it or have a professional tour guide... More

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Vancouver, Canada
Top Contributor
50 reviews 50 reviews
15 attraction reviews
Reviews in 24 cities Reviews in 24 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 April 2013

Absolutely well maintained piece of history...wonderfull tour full of interesting facts about the building of the theatre and its architecture. Thoroughly enjoyable.

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See 6 more reviews by VancouverWomble for San Jose

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