Aside from coffee, the range of high quality items made in Costa Rica is sadly limited. That’s why this shop is a stand-out. A friend and I, both New Yorkers, spent considerable time trolling San Jose’s streets in search of interesting gifts over the course of two separate trips. Each time, we ended up coming back to Pura Vida Souvenirs for our final choice of items to load into our suitcases.
They’ve got the tchotchkes, yes, but also a great selection of things we didn’t see anywhere else: colorfully hand-painted wood crafts, fabric unisex purses, framed pictures of native birds, well-made embroidered clothing, and much more. They shop is not huge, but the selection is tastefully winnowed down to items that will not exacerbate a condition I call “tacky goods eye fatigue.”
My favorite part of the shop is in the rear with a nice selection of goods from Guatemala and other Central or Latin American countries. My friend and I loaded up on embroidered Guatemalan bags from that section. My most appreciated gift from Pura Vida Souvenirs though was a lovely hand-painted coffee stand (definitely made in Costa Rica!) and a matching tray.
Both times I visited this shop, I dealt with the owner’s son, a charming university student studying computer science. Give Pura Vida Souvenirs a try. You could--and probably will--do a lot worse in downtown San Jose. We’ll be going back.