Volcanoes, cloud forest and two oceans, in a country that protects a quarter of its land.
Avianca flies from Madrid to San José, Costa Rica, from €437 return, with a stop in Bogotá each way. The price is the same in April and May 2027.
✈️ The Deal
- From: Madrid, Spain
- To: San José, Costa Rica
- Airline: Avianca
- Stops: 1 stop in Bogotá
- Price: €437 return
- When: April - May 2027
Example dates:
09/04/2027 - 23/04/2027
05/05/2027 - 19/05/2027
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On the May dates you leave Madrid at 02:20, stop for 1h50 in Bogotá and land in San José at 08:50. The flight home leaves at 16:00, stops for 2h30 in Bogotá and lands in Madrid at 14:05 the next day. On the April dates you leave at 08:10 and spend 11h05 in Bogotá on the way out, with a 2h55 stop on the way back. The Light fare includes a cabin bag, with no checked bag.
💰 How far does your money go?
A caña on a Madrid terrace costs about €3. In Costa Rica, a casado at a roadside soda (rice, beans, plantain, salad and grilled chicken) costs about €6, a cold Imperial beer €3 in a bar, and a fresh fruit batido €2.50. Costa Rica is not the cheapest country in Central America, but eating local keeps a day well under €50.
☀️ The Weather
April is the end of the dry season, with sunny mornings in San José at 26-27°C and nights around 17°C. The rains start in May, usually as a heavy shower in the afternoon after a clear morning. Prices drop, the rainforest turns greener and there are fewer visitors at the national parks.
🏨 Where to Stay
Most trips head north to Arenal, so here are three bases near the volcano.
Arenal Backpackers Resort · 8.3/10 · From €44/night
A hostel with a pool facing the volcano, with dorms and private rooms, ten minutes on foot from La Fortuna.
Arenal Springs Resort · 8.8/10 · From €155/night
Thermal pools fed by the volcano and bungalows with Arenal in the window.
Nayara Springs · 9.3/10 · From €550/night
Adults-only villas with private plunge pools in the rainforest.
⏱️ Making the most of your layover in Bogotá
On the 09/04 departure, the outbound stop in Bogotá is 11h05, during the day. Spanish and other EU passport holders can enter Colombia without a visa, after filling in the free Check-MIG form online. The historic centre is about 40 minutes from El Dorado airport by taxi.
Bogotá stopover city tour: An express tour from the airport to La Candelaria, the old colonial centre, with the option to ride up to Monserrate at 3,152 m.
Private layover tour: A local guide plans the tour around your flight times: Gold Museum, Plaza de Bolívar and street food.
If you'd rather rest:
Hilton Garden Inn Bogota Airport · 8.9/10 · From €96/night
About 2 km from El Dorado, with a free airport shuttle.
Courtyard by Marriott Bogota Airport · 8.7/10 · From €119/night
Next to the airport, quiet rooms and a restaurant open all day.
🎯 What to Do
Costa Rica is volcanoes, wildlife and hot springs.
Arenal hanging bridges and waterfall: Suspension bridges through the rainforest canopy, the volcano and the La Fortuna waterfall in one tour.
Arenal Volcano and hot springs from San José: A full day from the capital to the volcano, with lunch and an evening in the hot springs.
Night wildlife walk: Frogs, snakes, sloths and insects in the rainforest after dark, with a guide and a torch.
Coffee and chocolate tour: From the cacao pod and the coffee bean to the cup, on a farm near La Fortuna.
🗺️ Where to Go From Here
San José is the hub, not the destination.
La Fortuna and Arenal: The volcano, the hot springs and the hanging bridges, about 3 hours by shuttle.
Monteverde: The cloud forest and its suspension walkways, about 3 hours by road.
Manuel Antonio: A national park with beaches and monkeys on the Pacific, about 3 hours by road.
Tamarindo: Surf and sunsets in Guanacaste, about 50 minutes by air. Search flights
€437 return from Madrid to Costa Rica, at the same price in April and May. The May dates have the shortest stop, so start there.
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