A2Z Languages - Costa Rica - City Guide

Population: 10,000-15,000 (Heredia, 3 miles away, is a city of 100,000)
Location: Centrally located in Costa Rica

Heredia is a small city located a short bus ride from the capital, San Jose. The city has been referred to by some as the "the City of the Flower" due to the abundant gardens and vegetation in the area. The city provides the feel of a smaller cities yet has the services one would expect in a larger city. Furthermore if Heredia doesn't have something you want, San Jose is only 20 minutes away. The heart of the town still has a quaint colonial feel to it. Surrounding the plaza, a very popular meeting place, is the historic church and a variety of interesting shops and restaurants.

From the city, one has a spectacular view of the Poas and Barva volcanoes. CPI is popular with those students who wish to study Spanish in a small town setting. When students want to get away, Heredia and San Jose are easily accessible.

San Joquin de Flores

San Joaquín de Flores, is only 3 miles from the city of Heredia. San Joaquín, a suburb of Heredia, is popular among those who wish to be away from the traffic, pollution and tension of the city, yet still want the advantage of easy access to Costa Rica’s capital. Excellent bus service provides transportation from San Joaquín to both Heredia and San José. An additional advantage of San Joaquín is the opportunity to gain an increased insight into Costa Rican culture in a town that is typically “Tico”.

San Jose

an Jose is located in the heart of Costa Rica in an area referred to as the Central Valley. The valley itself is extremely fertile and as one travels through it you will find numerous farms and coffee plantations. Surrounding the Central Valley are 3 of Costa Rica's most prominent volcanoes, the most well known being Irazu. The slopes of the various volcanoes are home to coffee plantations, small villages, rolling hills, and farms. San Jose itself is home to the majority of Costa Rica. While some people may think the city is noisy and congested, others think the city has a distinctive charm to it. The city is home to some nice museums, theaters, great restaurants, bars, discos, and of course, neighborhood markets. Above all, the warmth and hospitality of the locals (ticos) make a stay in Costa Rica, and especially in San Jose a memorable experience.

San Jose is an excellent jumping off point to visit the rest of the country. Moving out in all direction from the city lies a vast network of roads which will enable you to reach just about any point in Costa Rica in a matter of hours. On one weekend you might visit one of the beautiful Pacific beaches, the next trek through a pristine rainforest, the following, hike up one of the many cloud covered volcanoes. The options are endless!

Without a doubt, Heredia is an ideal location to learn Spanish and experience Costa Rica!

Much of the information on our site as it relates to Costa Rica is:

A2Z Languages highly recommends Christopher P. Baker's book: Moon Handbooks Costa Rica. Click on the image to visit his website where you can purchase this book or find out more about the author.

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