The Charming Town of Zarcero

Zarcero, Costa Rica

Zarcero is a nice small picturesque town to visit on a nice afternoon.  It is a mere 1 hour and 30 minutes from San Jose.  The drive is simple enough head out of San Jose on the General Cañas Highway going toward the airport and Alajuela.  The drive is pleasant and once you get past the airport you continue on the highway.  You will go through some rolling hills with sugar cane growing on the side of the highway.  You continue driving to the Naranjo exit and get of the highway and follow the signs to Naranjo on the way you will fields of coffee growing along the road and deep valleys.  When you arrive in Naranjo a typical Costa Rican town you will follow the signs to Zarcero about 30 minutes.





Hotel Don Beto Zarcero, Costa Rica



The first thing you will notice when you arrive in Zarcero is the park with all its cypress cut into arches and animal shapes and the church just beyond the park.  This is the main attraction for visitors to Zarcero and does provide picture taking opportuities.  You will not encounter many tourists or foreigners in this town this is a town where those living there enjoy the simple life.  On a sunny Saturday afternoon you will see families in the park sitting on there blankets and the children playing just enjoying the day.

There is a small hotel in town on the north side of the church, it is Hotel Don Beto.  There are several typical restaurants just outside of town.





Cafe Canela Zarcero, Costa Rica



We ate in town at a place called Cafe Canela at first we thought the just served coffee but they also serve food we had the chicken lasgna with salad for 2000 colones each and a strawberry batido with milk 800 colones each.  This is not a fancy place but the service was good, it was clean, and the food was a good price.

For those taling the bus from San Jose you would take the San Carlos bus from Terminal del Atlántico Norte in downtown San José the cost at this time is 1500 colones per person.  You need to buy a ticket at the window and then get in line to board the bus.  A word of advice once in San José take a taxi to this bus terminal.  For the return to San José the bus stop in Zarcero is in front of the park and you pay the driver directly.  You don't need to take the bus all the way to the terminal if you wish you can get off at Paseo Colon.

 

Cafe Canela Zarcero, Costa Rica

Zarcero, Costa Rica