Holiday Destination: Alajuela

Alajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. It is also the capital of the namesake province. Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays englobed in the conurbation of Great Metropolitan Area. This inland region is marked by natural beauty and a series of spectacular volcanoes that make up the Cordillera Central mountain range. Volcan Arenal, Alajuela’s main attraction, is the most spectacular volcano in Costa Rica and possibly the world. Visiting Alajuela are there for the volcanoes. Volcan Arenal is the most stunning view, but is out of the way and takes several days to visit. Arenal erupts regularly and on clear nights visitors can see the orange lava flow down the mountain. Arenal is next to Laguna de Arenal, Costa Rica’s largest inland body of water, which covers 48 square miles. The lake’s natural depression is about two million years, but was expanded by engineers in 1973.

Climate

Summer 22.3 °C (71.8 °F), Winter 21.7 °C (42.5 °F)

Tourist Season

January to April is the best for visiting Alajuela.

Accommodation

Hotels.

General Information Of Alajuela

• Land Area: 3.43 sq mi (8.88 km2)
• Population: 50 Thousand.
• Capital City: Alajuela.
• Language: Spanish and English.

Tourist Attraction in or Near by Alajuela

Zoo Ave

Zoo Ave, Ave meaning Bird in Spanish, is a remarkable rescue center that is home to hundreds of species of birds, reptiles and mammals. This rescue and rehabilitation is located in La Garita de Alajuela, making for the perfect day trip for those that are traveling to or from San Jose as it is close by. Zoo Ave has a remarkable display of the most exquisite animals and birds making for great photos. Zoo Ave is the only place in all of Costa Rica that visitors are guaranteed to see the quetzal! This beautiful bird with its vibrant colorful body and long feathers is Zoo Aves main attraction. This rescue center also houses king African cranes, monkeys, sloths and many more.

Turu BA RI Tropical Park

The Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park is a collection of botanical gardens reflecting each of the topographic zones native to Costa Rica. As you walk along impeccably manicured trails, you’ll pass through palm forests, pasture lands, herbariums, cactus fields, bamboo groves, bromeliad gardens, orchid beds and a loma canopy. The gardens are accessed by an aerial cable car. If you’re an adrenaline junkie, there is also a canopy tour that has you swinging through the trees, as well as opportunities for horseback riding and rock climbing. If you’re traveling with the little ones, they’ll be content for hours either playing in the two hedge mazes or checking out the exhibits in the reptile house.

Alajuela Cathedral

The Catedral de Alajuela is one of the most important churches in Costa Rica, its story begins in the years of 1777 because many families living in great poverty, had to travel to church services from the area called The Lajuela and adjacent to the parish of Villa Vieja, and distance prevented them from attending the temple.

Poás Volcano National Park

Poás Volcano National Park, in Spanish Parque Nacional Volcán Poás, is a National Park that covers an area of approximately 16,000 acres the summit is 8,900 feet. One of the attractive features about Poás is that you can get all the way to the edge of the crater. The volcano is located in the Central Volcanic Conservation Area located in the Alajuela Province near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, which encompasses the area around the Poás Volcano. The main crater is 950 feet deep and is quite active with frequent small geyser and lava eruptions, however the last major eruptions were during 1952/54. Two more craters make up parts of the park, the extinct Von Frantzuis crater and the Botos crater. Botos is a beautiful cold, green water crater lake with a diameter of 1,200 fee. The Botos crater has not erupted for about 7,500 years. Well marked trails will take you to see the two inactive craters.

Jardín Botánico Else Kienzler

Else Kientzler Botanical Garden has around 2000 species of plants in its 11 gardens and 7 hectares. In the Botanical Garden you can take a walk, take pictures, and have lunch, even to organize your events or enjoy our different activities. The Botanical Garden is located Kientzler Else in North Sarchi, Alajuela province. IInnovaplant is part of Costa Rica SA, a company dedicated to agricultural exports of ornamental plants, which has an area of ​​greenhouses for the production of cuttings and a laboratory for the cultivation of plants in vitro. In celebration of the centenary of the company. Mr. Ludwig Kientzler, owner of the company, the name of the garden dedicated to his mother, Mrs. Else Kientzler. The Botanical Garden was first developed in 1998 a section of the company that was planted with coffee.

Sarchí

Sarchí is the capital city of the canton of Valverde Vega also known as Sarchí in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. The district of Sarchí covers an area of 15.11 km², including the central area of the city. Sarchí is Costa Rica's most famous crafts center. The district of Sarchí Sur covers an area of 6.51 km². The city lies at an elevation of 1000 meters above sea level on the slopes of the Cordillera Central at the eastern edge of the Central Valley. It is 27 km northwest of the provincial capital city of Alajuela, and 46 km from the national capital city of San Jose.

World of Snakes

The project World of Snakes has been started 1994 in the tropical, middle american country of Costa Rica by two Austrian snake specialists. Since then it has grown to one of biggest and species-richest projects of this kind worldwide. The location, close to the small town of Grecia, on the base of the volcano Poás, in Costa Rica, Middle America, has been chosen for several reasons. Costa Rica is not only a fantastic goal of countless tourists, it is also famous for its incredible biodiversity. It is further a secure, politically and social stable country with an enjoyable tropical climate for the whole year and provides a highly developed tourism infrastructure.

Juan Santamaría Museum of Cultural History

Juan Santamaría, a humble drummer boy, became a national hero when he gave his life for his country on April 11th, 1856. A certain filibuster or soldier of fortune named William Walker had invaded Costa Rica in his second attempt to make himself a president of a Central American country. A volunteer army of 9000 men opposed him at a farm house in present day Santa Rosa National Park. Walker had taken refuge in the farm house, and two volunteers had been killed in the attempt to set fire to the thatched roof. Juan Santamaría however, succeeded, and by that feat ended the fight by a Costa Rican victory after just a quarter of an hour. But he too was wounded and did not survive. Alajuela boasts Costa Rica's main museum dedicated to the Central American War and Juan Santamaría.

Accessibility

Bus Terminal in or Near by

Kabata Bus Station

Paseo Colon, de la Toyota 75 metros Norte
Calle 36, Avenida 1-3
São Jose 10000, Costa Rica

Terminal de Lumaca

Avenue 10
San Jose 10000, Costa Rica

Bus Station

Calle 20
San Jose, Costa Rica

Airport

Juan Santamaría International Airport: For International flights.

Central America's second busiest airport: For International and Domestic flights.

Railway Stations

Estación de Ciruelas

Alajuela, Costa Rica

Estación de Belén

239 street
Alajuela, Costa Rica

Estación de Ojo de Agua

San Rafael, Costa Rica

Estación de Heredia

Avenue 10
Heredia, Costa Rica