Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Rome to San Jose. While the departure offers Mediterranean coastal scenery, the arrival into Costa Rica provides more dramatic and visually distinctive geography—the volcanic cordillera and Central Valley are far more striking than the relatively flat Roman countryside. Right-side seats capture the best of the destination landscape.

During takeoff from Fiumicino (FCO), sit on the Left side for the best views. Left side offers views of the Apennine Mountains running south from Rome, plus the Tyrrhenian Sea coastline. Right side faces inland toward flat terrain with minimal visual interest during climb-out. Notable sights include: Apennine Mountains (south-southeast), Tyrrhenian Sea coastline, Pontine Islands (visible on clear days), Castelli Romani volcanic hills.

When landing at Juan Santamaria International (SJO), sit on the Right side for the best views. Right side provides views of the Central American volcanic cordillera and the Pacific coastal plain approaching San Jose. The descent path into SJO typically approaches from the northwest, making right-side seats ideal for viewing the mountainous terrain surrounding the Central Valley. Notable sights include: Cordillera Central volcanic range, Central Valley agricultural basin, Poás Volcano region, Pacific coastal plains to the southwest.

The flight from Fiumicino (FCO) to Juan Santamaria International (SJO) takes 10h 15m.

Atlantic crossing over the mid-Atlantic ridge area (no visible landmarks at cruise altitude); Azores archipelago region (if visible during daylight); Caribbean islands including Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Cuba depending on routing; Yucatan Peninsula and Gulf of Mexico coastlines; Central American isthmus with Guatemala highlands visible before descent into Costa Rica