Costa Rica is a rather unusual country. So many diverse natural complexes are concentrated here on a small area, which is not always found on the territory of many times large countries. In just a few hours here you can see the evergreen selva and volcanic wastelands, the savannah stretching for hundreds of kilometers and the rainforests of the mountain slopes, the long beaches of the coasts and the long coffee banana and coffee plantations – all this justifies the name of the country (“Costa Rica” in translation from Spanish – “Rich Coast”). Numerous national parks, caves (including underwater ones), various historical sites and architectural monuments, archaeological sites and ancient Indian settlements, as well as waterfalls, picturesque mountain and river valleys. See Countryvv for labor market in Costa Rica.
San Jose
The capital of the country, San José, was founded in 1737. Located at an altitude of 1155 meters above sea level, the city is famous for its pleasant climate. The exterior of the city is a colorful mixture of different styles – from traditional Spanish architecture to cutting-edge modernist trends. In the heart of San José lies the beautiful Plaza de la Cultura, surrounded by the buildings of the unique Pre-Columbian Gold Museum (Museo de Oro Precolumbino), the ICT information center and the National Theatre. Nearby you can find the imposing building of the National Museum (1887) in the building of the former Bellavista barracks and Plaza de la Democrasia, the colorful buildings of the Legislative Assembly and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (“Casa Amarilla”), the magnificent Jade Museum in the Barrio Otoya area, as well as Parc España (Parc de la Expression), where local artists exhibit on Sundays. The Cathedral of San José (Cathedral), the Museum of Natural History in Sabana Park, the National Theater (a historical monument of national importance), the tower of the Aurora Hotel and the National Bank, the Centro Nacionale de Culture with the Museum of Art, the Simon Zoo deserve special attention. Bolivar, the Children’s Museum and the Museum of the History of the Penitentiary in the Centro Costariciense de la Sienza complex (located in the building of the former prison of San José), Parc la Sabana with the colorful building of the old air terminal (now the Museum of Costa Rican Art is located here) and Paseo Colon commercial area, ICE (Institute Costarricense de Electricidad) and INS (Institute Nacional de Seguros) skyscrapers, Insect Museum, Press History Museum and Forensic Science Museum.
Near the capital, you can visit the second largest city in the country – Alajuela (here are interesting butterfly farms and the Museum of Juan Santamaria in the building of the former prison), Poas volcano (2705 m.) – one of the most visited volcanoes in the country, Zoo and children’s entertainment complex “El -Bosque Encantado” in La Garita, the La Guasima butterfly farm in the town of the same name (one of the largest in the world), “the cleanest city in Latin America” - Grecia with a picturesque “red church”, a center for the production of handicrafts made of wood in Sarchi, the old Spanish fortress of Fortín in Heredia, the Coffee Museum in Szn Pedro de Barva and the Coffee Institute in San Pedro de Heredia.
Cartago
The province of Cartago is located southeast of San José and is famous for its green valleys covered with coffee and sugarcane plantations. The city of Cartago itself was founded in 1563, and until 1823 was the capital of Costa Rica. Today it is the largest religious center of the country, although its former grandeur has almost not survived to this day (the historical center of the city was completely destroyed by earthquakes in 1841-1910). Only Cartago Cathedral and the famous Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles (“Our Lady of the Angels”) remind of the glorious past of the city. Every August, thousands of pilgrims flock to the basilica, passing 22 km. from the capital to bow to the patroness of the country. You can also visit the Ethnographic Museum, which houses an extensive exposition of objects from the pre-Columbian era and the colonial period.
Southeast of Cartago is Mirador Sanchiri – the center of the famous Orosi Valley, which is a continuous cover of amazing green vegetation, dominated by coffee trees. In the town of Orosi itself, it is worth visiting the small Museum of the History of Religion and Antiquities, located near the church of the early 18th century. Nearby, in Ujarras, you can find the ruins of the oldest church in the country (1681-1693). Near Turrialba is the world famous center for the study and cultivation of tropical crops “Centro Agronomico Tropical de Investigación y Ensenyansa” (CATIE). 31 km. northwest of Cartago is the active volcano Irazu (height 3432 m.), Around which lies the National Park of the same name, and 19 km. to the north – Guayabo National Archaeological Site.
