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City in Costa Rica
Photo: Magalhães, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Cartago is a city in Costa Rica's Central Valley. It used to be the national capital before that honor went to San José and is one of the few places in the country where more than a handful colonial era buildings have survived to the present day.
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Our Lady of the Angels Basilica
As the legend goes, the Basilica was built on the exact site where a figurine of the Virgin Mary appeared to local native girl Juana Pereira in 1635, the girl brought the figurine to her house but it disappeared, without her noticing she found another figurine and brought it back again to find that the first one was missing, this happened many time and she told the local priest, who locked the figurine in a copher and the same thing happened again, therefore they built this site. Holy Water is available on the premises and is customary to fill a bottle by the visitors to bring back home. Also, the stone where the figurine kept appearing is located to the left and behind the altar of the Basilica.
Saint James the Apostle Parish Ruins
In the middle of the Main Square of downtown Cartago, these carefully preserved ruins include a small garden, but this garden is barred by steel gates most of the time and not commonly open to the public. As the legend goes, two brothers were in love with the same woman, one was single and was chosen by the woman, and the other a priest. In the first day of the year 1577 he saw his brother celebrate Mass, and he killed him in the night. For penance he built the church, which was obliterated by an earthquake the same day it was finished. This happened each time it was rebuilt, and it was never attempted again after the 1910 earthquake.
Irazu Volcano
Around 30 km from downtown Cartago, this is one of the most famous volcanoes in Costa Rica. This now-dormant volcano erupted in 1963 when John F. Kennedy was visiting Costa Rica. On Sunday mornings only, a bus from San José takes on passengers at an unmarked point near the bus terminal in Cartago sometime after 08:30 (₡4,000 return) and return at 12:30 from the National Park.
Durán Sanatorium
A sanatorium built in 1918 by ex-president and physician Dr. Carlos Durán for tuberculosis patients. The place has been abandoned for years and the local farmers have taken care of it. It is a popular place to spend the night as there are many scary stories regarding the place and the people that lived there. Beautiful views and fresh air year round.
East of downtown Cartago, this garden hosts the largest collection of orchids and epiphytes in Central America, they also have collections in open air of bromeliads, cacti, succulents, heliconians, bamboos, palms, ferns, a secondary growth forest and a Japanese garden donated by the Japanese Embassy.
Ruins of an ancient church built by the Spanish conquistadors, very peaceful surroundings with a hot spring nearby.
Saint Joseph Church of Orosi
A church built by the Spanish colonists in 1743, still in use and carefully preserved. National monument.
A national park with four hiking trails for all levels of difficulty, with beautiful views of El Salto waterfall, and it is possible to swim in the Grande de Orosi River.
Mirador de Ujarrás
Beautiful view of Orosi valley.
Mirador de Orosi
Beautiful view of Orosi valley.
A dam was built in the 1970s for hydroelectricity production, and the artificial lake is surrounded by beautiful mountains. Trout is cultivated in many places around the lake. The producers offer the whole experience of fishing the trout and then frying it for you. Plenty of restaurants nearby.
Dreamer's House
This is a place to buy wood crafts made from coffee roots.
A fun river to cross by foot, the locals ask for a collaboration, ₡1,000 or more is appropriate. If travelling in group by car, have the driver drop the group on the east side and then pick the rest of the group on the west side in Orosi town, which for the driver means driving to a road bridge down south, continue north and arriving to Orosi town.
Nice view of Cachí lake, on Sundays an all-you-can-eat buffet is available.
Restaurant located in a privileged place where you can appreciate a full view of the Cartago city while having lunch. Named as such because of the 1910 earthquake. Many antiquities on display.
With "Casa José" restaurant.
Double rooms with balcony, bath and included breakfast. Restaurant on first level.
Five-star resort in Orosi valley.
Overlook, restaurant and hotel.
In Orosi valley.
In Orosi valley.
In Orosi city.
By car
By train
There's a commuter train from San José. The train has a handful of stops between its Terminus at Estacion Atlantica in San José and Cartago and a few trains continue on to a place called Los Àngeles.
By bike
There is an effort by the local city government to make Cartago a bicycle-friendly city, because of that and thanks to a donation, the city constructed a bicycle-only loop track around the city.
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San José (Alajuela) · International · SJO
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