Oustside Costa Rica's Central Valley

Zarcero, Costa Rica

When you leave Costa Rica's Central Valley and head west there are many small towns that are quaint and typical traditional towns.  These towns include Zarcero, Grecia, Atenas, and many more.  The best way to is to get out and explore these typical traditional towns either by car or bus.  These towns are further from the services that most expat's are accustomed to such as shopping, medical services, restaurants, etc.  Living in a typical traditional small town can truely give you a sense of belonging to a community  .If considering living in a smaller town away from the larger cities it is recommended to visit such towns and spend a little time there to determine if it is suitable for you.

Barva de Heredia

Downtown Barva de Heredia

Traveling up from Heredia you reach the town of Barva.  Barva is a typical Costa Rican town with many home with thick walls made of adobe with roofs made of red barrel tile.  This is a quaint town with not much English spoken but definately a relaxing place to live.  There is a church in the middle of town with a park across the street.  There are a number of small sodas (small restaurants) and pulperias in town.

For shopping one would go back down to Heredia which is only 10 minute back down the road.  There are several large shopping malls and supermarkets available in Heredia.  Barva is also only about 30 minutes to Escazu and San Jose.

Heredia

The capital of Heredia province is the small yet quaint Heredia city, which is just 10 km from Northern San Jose at the foothills of the extinct Barva Volcano. One of Costa Rica’s most historical cities, Heredia was founded in 1705 and is nicknamed “City of Flowers,” due to the many beautiful gardens and wonderful flora found around here. Located in central Costa Rica amidst vast coffee plantations and lush greenery, Heredia is the ideal place to to live or visit.

A relaxed and laidback place, the main attraction of Heredia is its superb colonial architecture that can be seen all over town. In the heart of the city, surrounding the main square, which is a popular gathering place, is Heredia’s historic La Inmaculada Concepcion, a majestic church built in 1796, with bells imported all the way from Cuzco, Peru. The stained glass paintings in the church are some of the oldest in the country. This church stands in Heredia’s Parque Central or Central Park, and has a variety of shops and restaurants neighboring it.

Also found in Parque Central is a music temple, as well as El Fortin, a wonderful colonial tower of an old Spanish fort. Besides some old buildings, the park is home to the La Casa de la Cultura as well, which holds historical and art exhibitions on a regular basis.

Another reason for Heredia city’s popularity is the fact that the country’s national university, Universidad Nacional is situated here, which has one of the foremost veterinarian schools in Central America, as well as an outstanding marine biology department. This is why one will find plenty of students teeming all over the city.

When exploring Heredia, do go to the top of Monte de la Cruz, where you will be treated to some spectacular views of the city, its surrounding areas and huge coffee plantations. From Heredia, one also gets the opportunity to view both the Poas Volcano and Barva volcano in the distance.

The perfect location to be considered for living, Heredia is a great place to live because the weather here is mild and temperate all year round, and with its close proximity to Downtown San Jose.