To help readers make their vacation and fiesta plans, here’s a list of what’s open and what’s closed in the weeks ahead:
BANKS: BAC San José (2295-9595) will be closed Dec. 25-26, 30-31 and Jan. 1-2; offices will close at noon Dec. 24 and 31. Banca Promérica (2519-8090, 2258-2212) branches will close at 4 p.m. Dec. 24 and at 2 p.m. Dec. 31. Banco de Costa Rica (2287-9000) branches will close at 4 p.m. Dec. 24 and will be closed Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. Banco Nacional (2211-2000) will close its offices at 3:45 p.m. Dec. 24 and 31, and will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1-2. Banco Popular (2211-7000) will be closed from noon Dec. 24 through Dec. 28 and from Dec. 31 to Jan. 4. Bancrédito (2550-0202) will close offices at 3 p.m. Dec. 24 and will be closed Dec. 31. HSBC (2287-1111) will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Mutual Alajuela (2437-1000) branches will be closed Dec. 31 and most offices will close at 4 p.m. Dec. 24 through Dec. 27, and from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2. Scotiabank (2210-4000) holiday hours were not available at press time.
EMBASSIES: Holiday closures at major embassies are as follows: British Embassy (2258-2025), Dec. 27-29; Canadian Embassy (2242-4400), Dec. 28-29, Jan. 3; French Embassy (2234-4167), no closures; Japanese Embassy (2232-3787), Dec. 23, Dec. 29 to Jan. 4; U.S. Embassy (2220-3939), Dec. 24 and 31.
GOVERNMENT OFFICES: Most government offices will be closed Dec. 23 through Jan. 3. The Judicial Investigation Police (OIJ) and Supreme Court will have a limited area open 24 hours a day for emergencies and urgent proceedings, though all administrative areas will be closed. For emergencies, dial 911.
HOSPITALS AND PHARMACIES: Rest assured that hospital emergency rooms will remain open 24 hours a day. The Red Cross (tel. 128) and National Insurance Institute (INS) (800-800-8000) also attend emergencies at all hours. Those who overeat at Christmas dinner can get their Alka-Seltzer and more 24-7 over the holidays at Clínica Bíblica Hospital drugstore and emergency room (2522-1000) in downtown San José; La Católica Hospital drugstore and emergency room (2246-3000) in Guadalupe; and Farmacia Sucre Los Angeles (2262-3111) in Heredia.
MAIL AND SHIPPING: Aerocasillas (2208-4848) will close at 3 p.m. Dec. 24 and at 1 p.m. Jan. 31; and all day Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Correos de Costa Rica (2202-2900) will be closed Dec. 25, 31 and Jan. 1. DHL (2209-0000) will close its offices at noon Dec. 24 and Jan. 31.
MOVIE THEATERS: At Cinemark Escazú (2201-5050) in Multiplaza Escazú and Cinemark del Este (2280-0490) in Multiplaza del Este in Zapote, the last show on Dec. 24 and 31 will be at 3:30 p.m. Cadena de Cines Magaly, which represents most of the country’s movie theaters, will have all its theaters closed on Dec. 24 and 31. The independent Sala Garbo in San José will have shows at 2:45, 4:45, 7 and 9 p.m. Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Cinépolis theaters in Terramall and Desamparados will close at 6 p.m. Plaza Grecia Cinemas will close at 7 p.m. Dec. 24 and 31. Multicines Plaza Liberia in Guanacaste and Nova Cinemas in Escazú had not defined their holiday schedules by press time.
MUSEUMS: The Central Bank Museums (also known as the Gold Museum, 2243-4202) underneath Plaza de la Cultura and the Children’s Museum (2258-4929) at Ca. 4, Av. 9 will be closed Dec. 24, 25, 31 and Jan. 1. The National Museum (2257-1433) at Ca.17, Av. Central/2, will be closed Dec. 24-27, and Dec. 31 to Jan. 3. The Contemporary Art and Design Museum (2257-9370) at CENAC, Av. 3/5, Ca. 15/17, will close Dec. 23 and reopen Jan. 4. INBioparque (2507-8107) in Santo Domingo de Heredia will be closed Dec. 24 to 25 and Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. The Costa Rican Art Museum will keep its regular hours (Tues.-Sun., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.) throughout the holidays.
SUPERMARKETS: Auto Mercado (2257-4242) will close all its supermarkets at 10 p.m. Dec. 24; the store in downtown San José will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1; most stores will be open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Dec. 25, and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Dec. 31, except Herradura, Tamarindo and Coco, which will be open 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Dec. 25 and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Jan. 1. Hipermás (2286-0033) stores in Heredia, Escazú, Guadalupe, San Sebastián, Cartago and Curridabat will close at 9 p.m. Dec. 24, 25 and 31 and Jan. 1, and will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 26-30. Most Más x Menos (2243-7100) supermarkets will be open until 9 p.m. Dec. 24 and 31; from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 (except Cuesta de Moras store, which will be closed, and Jacó store, which will be open 9 a.m.-8 p.m.). Megasuper (2246-0400) will be open until 10 p.m. Dec. 24 and 31, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 25 and Jan. 1; the store near Mercado Borbón in San José and the store in Jacó will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Muñoz y Nanne (2253-4646) in San Pedro will be open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 24, 30 and 31, and will close at 6 p.m. Dec. 29. Palí (2243-7100) stores will be open 8:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Dec. 24, 30 and 31; and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. PriceSmart stores in Escazú (2288-0008), Heredia (2262-4848), Zapote (2283-9464) and Tibás (2297-2343) will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1; on Dec. 24 and 31 the stores will open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saretto (2228-6703) supermarket in Escazú will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.
THEATERS: Arlequín (2221-5485) at Ca. 15, Av. 2/6, is closed until Jan. 14. Teatro Torres (2256-4295) at Av. 8, Ca. 11/13, is showing “Máscaras afuera,” “Mi primera vez,” and “Las mil caras de María,” and will be closed Dec. 24 and 31 only. La Esquina Theater (2257-0223) at Av. 1, Ca. 21, is showing “Taxiando por un sueño” Dec. 25-26 and Jan. 1-2. El Triciclo Theater (2222-2624) at Ca. 15, Av. 8/10, will be closed until Jan. 7, when it will reopen with “Los fabulosos reyes de la comedia.” La Máscara Theater (2222-4574) at Av. 2, Ca. 13 bis, will resume showing the comedy “La otra cara del matrimonio” Jan. 15.
VETERINARIANS: The National University Veterinary Hospital (2260-9234; call before going) in Barreal de Heredia is open 24 hours. Dr. Bitter’s clinics (2227-5017, 2228-1753) in San José and Escazú will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Dr. Adrián Molina (2228-1909, 2288-1716, emergency 2225-2500) in Escazú will close at noon Dec. 24, reopen Dec. 27-29 and close again Dec. 30 to Jan. 3.
