Alajuela

In the middle of a diversity of incredible scenery, the province of Alajuela pops up as one of Costa Rica's largest and most diverse territories, located in the heart of the Central American country and stretching out from the mountains all the way down to the northern plains. It's the country's second-largest province and home to the Juan Santamaria International Airport. The main city, named after the province, is a cultural and natural asset that offers an assortment of products and services. In general, there are lots and lots of restaurants, bars, lodging facilities, shopping malls, museums, arts galleries like the Jose Fernandez one, churches like the Cathedral -with a distinctive dome and superb decoration- as well as a variety of national parks, zoos and refuges. The province is divided in fifteen districts, with many of them standing out for the heritage and idiosyncrasy. You can visit the cities of Grecia, Atenas, San Ramon and Sarchi. The latter nestles one of the most amazing handicraft towns of all Costa Rica and is the starting points of the polychromatic road, a symbol of national folklore. Alajuela delights visitors with splendid visits to the Central, Tiliran and Guanacaste mountain ranges, coupled with the exuberant and fertile plains of San Carlos. Don't let Poas and Arenal, two of the best-known volcanoes, go unnoticed. In the Arenal Volcano, you may even lay back in hot springs of thermal waters. For nature lovers, Alajuela is the right place to embark on exciting tours and excursions into a patch of tropical humid jungle.