Cartago, “The Old Metropolis” of Costa Rica

Written by Alberto Molina, Cofounder of Green World Adventures

Cartago is the newest destination in Costa Rica which is capturing the attention of adventure travelers. In this area you can find active volcanoes, the most beautiful valley in Costa Rica, lakes, astonishing landscapes, beautiful rivers, historical buildings, gorgeous churches, magnificent national parks, natural hot springs and very lovely and kindly people. Come and discover “the old metropolis” of Costa Rica.

Irazú Volcano

Costa Rica has been a great destination for adventure and nature lovers for many years, and some regions of the country have been developed more recently to receive visitors. Many hotels and activities have been created to satisfy the tourism that comes to Costa Rica. Some of these places have become more crowded and some travelers don´t want to visit the most visited regions of Costa Rica for this reason. Now, travelers that that like to get off the beaten path have the perfect option in Costa Rica: Cartago. Here you can see active volcanoes, beautiful rivers, amazing valleys, magnificent national parks, natural hot springs and the most kindly people in all of Costa Rica. In Cartago you can learn about Costa Rican history and its culture, because Cartago was the first capital of the country. In the city you can visit official buildings, churches and museums.

How to get there: Cartago is located 45 minutes from the capital of Costa Rica, San José, and 1 ½ hour from the Juan Santamaria International Airport.

People: The local people in Cartago are very friendly, and they love to show visitors their city, you can take a walk in the center of the city and visit the fruit market and interact with the locals who will gladly explain all the names and uses of the fruits and vegetables.

Eating: Cartago has some good local cuisine; in restaurants here you can eat local specialties like the “Casado,” a simple but perfect blend of rice, beans, salad, and meat. You can drink a tasty coffee in one of the cafeterias located in the town.

Lodging: If you are looking to stay the night in Cartago, you have the option to stay in a hotel on the road to the Irazú Volcano or you can find a small hotel in Orosi Valley, the most beautiful valley in Costa Rica. There are no big hotels in Cartago, the options are small, locally-owned accommodations such as B&Bs, or hotels in historical houses.

What can you do in Cartago? The Irazú Volcano is the higiest active volcano in Costa Rica, with a summit elevation of 3,432 metres (11,260 ft). Within easy walking distance is the front of the crater. Then you can walk to the center of the city and visit the Municipality Museum to learn Costa Rica’s and Cartago’s history. Some interesting places to visit here are the Santiago Apostol Ruins or Los Angeles Church, along with other historical buildings.

Cartago is also very well known for agriculture in Costa Rica – In the Orosi Valley, you can take a tour to observe the growing and harvesting of different vegetables, fruits, and flowers before they come to the market. This village has a lot to show you: visit the colonial church built in 1743, go to the rainiest place in all Costa Rica, Tapantí National Park (hint: it´s a paradise for bird watchers and nature lovers!)

If you are looking for more active adventure, white water rafting and canopy tours by zipline are some great options: you can run the rapids at rio Grande de Orosi or fly between trees at Cerro la Carpintera!

Something very important to consider is that in Cartago for most of the tours and attractions you need a car or a guided. Like traveling elsewhere, it’s recommended to hire a local guide since they provide more information about the area and history. Some of these attractions are more difficult to find and if you go by yourself, you miss out on guides sharing their local knowledge and wisdom.

Cartago is a new destination in Costa Rica. We invite you to come and visit it. You will enjoy it.

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