Travel
Costa Rica’s Most Beautiful Provinces
The country is known for its eco-friendly and biodiverse nature. It is located on the Central American isthmus between the Pacific Ocean to one side and the Caribbean Sea to another.
The country is blessed with stunning natural sights such as sparkling waterfalls, gushing rivers, beautiful beaches, magnificent mountain scenery, and a variety of outstanding national parks. There are many wonderful towns and cities that you can visit with a variety of outdoor activities and watersports.
To get a glimpse of what you can find in Costa Rica, here are some of the country’s most beautiful provinces.
Heredia

The province of Heredia stretches from the Northern Plains bordering Nicaragua to the city Heredia. It is located just outside San Jose, the capital of the Central Valley. It is home to high mountains, endless coffee plantations, as well as the gushing Sarapiqui River.
The main settlement in the province is the city with the same name. It is home to a beautiful central square, which contains many interesting landmarks and is surrounded on all sides by charming coffee plantations. For their beautiful scenery, the mountain towns of Brava and Sacramento are worth a visit.
Cartago

Although Cartago is one of the smallest regions of Costa Rica, it boasts some of Costa Rica’s most striking Spanish colonial-era landmarks. Its churches and cathedrals are still home to some of Costa Rica’s most significant religious ceremonies.
Cartago is one of the most fascinating places in the province. It is home to a stunning basilica, well-preserved remains and a charming downtown. The city is popular with pilgrims for its Good Friday, Romero and Return of the Virgin processions. These events show that the city’s rich cultural heritage and traditions are still alive and well.
San Jose

The capital of the country, San Jose, is located in the province of the identical name. It lies on the plateau of Central Valley, surrounded by breathtaking mountains, wide valleys and lush rainforest.
The city is home to many beautiful monuments, museums and historic architecture. It is also the country’s economic, political and cultural capital. However, it is worth exploring the surrounding areas for the wonderful nature found throughout the province.
Limon

Because of its remote location in Costa Rica’s Caribbean Lowlands region, Limon is one of the least-visited provinces in the country. However, that could be a good thing as it offers adventurous tourists a unique experience and a taste of Costa Rica’s Caribbean culture.
Although the main purpose of the towns and cities of Cahuita and Puerto Limon is to provide access to the magnificent nature around them, each one is home to diverse people with Afro-Caribbean and indigenous cultural influences.
Alajuela

The beautiful mountainous province Alajuela, bordering Nicaragua in the northern-central region of Costa Rica is worth a visit. It is surrounded by the Guanacaste, Tilaran and Central Mountain ranges. The Frio, San Carlos and Tarcoles rivers run through the vast plains and dense forest.
The scenery is stunning. Alajuela is home to some of the most beautiful national parks in the country. Juan Castro Blanco and Arenal Volcano are the highlights.
Guanacaste

The country’s northwestern region is made up of the sparsely populated Guanacaste. This province is popularfor its beautiful landscapes. It is home to the majestic Pacific Ocean coastline, magnificent mountains, and volcanic peaks with rivers, flatlands and wetlands.
Guanacaste is very popular due to its stunning beauty and wide array of natural sights. Tourists flock to the beautiful beaches and resorts of Guanacaste, with Samara, Coco and Tamarindo attracting the largest number of visitors. The Papagayo Peninsula is also popular.
Puntarenas

Puntarenas covers a large portion of Costa Rica’s Pacific Ocean coast. It is home to some of the most impressive natural sights in Costa Rica, including Manuel Antonio National Park and Corcovado National Park.
The latter is the most popular national park in Costa Rica because of its stunning beauty and amazing wildlife, but the former is remarkable for being one of the most varied places on Earth.
Amazingly, this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what Puntarenas offers. You’ll find beautiful rainforest canopy, stunning mountain scenery and breathtakingly beautiful beaches wherever you go. The ones at Jaco and Montezuma are especially worth a visit.