Cartago Easter Parade
Costa Rica Cultural Festivals around Costa Rica: Cultural Festivals: Santa Cruz, Alajuelita, Puntarenas, San Jose, Escazu, Cartago, Alajuela, Limon and more
Cultural Festivals:
Catholicism is the main religious denomination in Costa Rica and it reflects in the celebrations. Typical "fiestas" take place country-wide all year long. Whether celebrating a Patron Saint's day or a national holiday, these fiestas generally feature lots of good food, music, rides, "topes" (horse parades), and Tico-style bullfights (the bull is teased, but not harmed).Día de los Trabajadores—Labor Day. Parades, marches and the Presidential "state of the union" address to Congress and the people. Cricket matches are a highlight in Puerto Limón.Fiesta Pattronale Desamparados—Street fair with music, dancing, traditional food and toro a la Tica (bullfights without the bloodshed)
Día de San Isidro Labrador—Escazú and San Isidros all over Costa Rica hold street fairs and parades with music, dancing, traditional food, honoring the patron saint of farmers with blessings of animals and crops.
Fiestas Pattronales San Marcos de Tarrazu, and Coronado—Street fair with music, dancing, traditional food and toro a la Tica (bullfights without the bloodshed)
Easter in Costa Rica (Semana Santa)
Visitors to Costa Rica during Semana Santa (Holy Week or Easter) should expect to share their vacation with Costa Rican holiday-makers, as this is traditionally vacation week for families here. Schools and many public institutions will be closed for the whole week, while businesses unconnected to tourism close on the Thursday and Friday. You should expect a marked increase in traffic on the roads from Wednesday afternoon and especially from early on Thursday leaving the capital for the long weekend and equally congested roads on the following Sunday, as families return to San Jose and the Central Valley to re-start normality on the Monday. If you do not have to travel on these days, then don’t and if you do, be prepared to wait in lines or to move slowly in your chosen direction. Take plenty of provisions too!
If you do want to holiday at the beach – book in advance! During this time of year it is notoriously difficult to find a hotel room at short notice and extra to pay high season prices. While this may seem off-putting, many visitors enjoy their Semana Santa vacation as a chance to socialize with locals and other tourists, as the imposition of the ‘Dry Law’ sends most people back to hotels early in the evening to sup stored supplies and share tales with fellow travelers. You can expect Costa Rican families to come prepared to entertain large families; some even carry a karaoke machine to pass the time!
As residents of the capital leave in droves for the beach, many visitors take advantage of the peace and quiet to explore this part of the country. Although museums and galleries are closed during this period, hotels and restaurants will not be crowded and discounts are a possibility. Tourist attractions, such as Heredia’s InBio Parque, the Serpentarium or Zoo Ave can all be enjoyed without the usual mass of other people.
The Central Valley is the place to be for visitors who want to see traditional Easter celebrations. Many towns hold their own parades with re-enactments of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection and holy statues, gaudily decorated and brought out to the streets. The small town of San Joaquin de Flores in Heredia is well-known for its colorful and elaborate Good Friday parade which involves much of the town costumed, drawing many tourists. It is worth going if only to see the Jack-in-a-Box style Jesus on the cross which is used to show the before, during and after of the crucifixion!
Another useful piece of advice for Easter travelers is to prepare for the period of the Ley Seca (Dry Law). Costa Rica, like its neighboring Catholic countries, imposes a prohibition from midnight on the Wednesday of Holy Week until midnight on the Friday. During this period no alcohol can be legally sold, bars are closed and restaurants can only serve soft drinks with meals. If you feel inclined to still sip an Imperial on Good Friday, just make sure to have bought supplies in advance, like many Costa Ricans. Certainly drinking alcohol isn’t illegal!
Where to wine and dine your valentine in Costa Rica
Whether it’s the first Valentine’s Day we are celebrating with someone or the 20th, most of us want to make the day special. Here are a few ideas to help you plan a romantic outing or surprise for your special someone.Go French for Valentine’s Day dinner at the highly recommended L’Ile de France in the western San José suburb of Escazú. Try the salmon fillet filled with shrimp mousse, topped with a saffron mousseline (₡16,800/$34). For dessert, choose from the Chocolate Temptation or the mousse au chocolat à l’orange(₡4,300/$8.60). Ask for the kitchen-view suite, where French chef Jean Claude Fromont will drop in to explain what’s on the menu and make suggestions. L’Ile de France is in Avenida Escazú, on the ground floor of the Marriott Residence Inn. For reservations, call 2282-5441 or 2289-7533. Check out the menu atwww.liledefrance.cr.The Beacon Escazú hotel’s elegant The Muse restaurant is planning a Valentine’s Day feast including glazed duck salad with apples and goat cheese, steak, salmon in chile pesto, apple and mushroom tartlet and chicken in passion fruit sauce, as well as an open dessert bar. The cost is $50 per person including tax. A children’s menu of chicken schnitzel and dessert costs $25. Babysitting service will be offered for $10 per child. The Beacon is in Escazú Centro, 150 meters west of the Central Park. For reservations, call 2228-3110. Share a special meal for two at the long-standing Villa Bonita Chinese restaurant in Pavas. The 7 Estrellas de la Luna dish of seafood and vegetables in oyster sauce, served with toasted rice, costs ₡28,000 ($56) for two. A refreshing strawberry and peach drink makes the perfect complement. Villa Bonita is 100 m south and 175 m west of the U.S. Embassy. For reservations, call 2296-0909. See the full menu at www.villa bonita.net.
A couple’s massage at Las Brisas Spa in Manuel Antonio’s Arenas Del Mar resort makes a romantic indulgence for Valentine’s Day.Ajita ChowhanIn downtown San José, the Hotel Balmoral, overlooking the pedestrian boulevard on Avenida Central, is offering a Valentine’s Day package that includes dinner for two at El Patio restaurant, a night’s accommodations with special Valentine’s Day decorations and a buffet breakfast, all for $120 per couple. The offer is valid through Feb. 20. For reservations, call 2222-5022 or 2010-7200, emaileventos@balmoral.co.cr or visitwww.balmoral.co.cr. For couples feeling lucky on Valentine’s Day, the Casino Club Colonial at the Sleep Inn in downtown San José (Av. 1, Ca. 9/11) will be offering a buffet, live music, cash prizes and free parking Feb. 14 after 8 p.m. To make reservations, call 2258-2807, extension 4519.For bird’s-eye views of the city, the Aurola Holiday Inn off Parque Morazán in downtown San José will celebrate the day of lovers with a special menu in its 17th-floor El Mirador restaurant. For more information and reservations, call 2523-1000.The Barceló San José Palacio hotel, northwest of downtown San José on the highway to the airport, will be offering various Valentine’s Day specials, including dinner at Restaurante Ánfora for $40 per person, including a glass of wine and taxes. Live music will be offered Feb. 11 and 14 in the Bosque Bar, as well as a mariachi show, welcome cocktail and a rose, for ₡7,000 ($14) per person. And in the hotel spa, couple’s therapies include a massage for $110 with a free body exfoliation, and a choco-therapy treatment for $180 per couple including free mini-facials. For information and reservations, call 2220-2034.The colonial-style Marriott Costa Rica hotel by the airport in San Antonio de Belén, northwest of San José, will be offering a Valentine’s dinner buffet on Feb. 14 from 6-11 p.m. in its Antigua restaurant, including a glass of champagne, roses, live music and valet parking, for $55 per person including tax. For reservations, call 2298-0206 or 2298-0207. The Los Sueños Marriott in Playa Herradura on the central Pacific coast will also offer a special dinner; for more information, call 2630-9000.In the hills of Santa Bárbara de Heredia, north of the capital, Finca Rosa Blanca’s El Tigre Vestido restaurant will be offering a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner with live music starting at 6 p.m., for $55 per person. The inn also offers beautiful accommodations ranging $295-$450 including breakfast, as well as coffee plantation tours, complete with coffee cupping and tasting, for $35 per person. For more information, call 2269-9392 or see www.fincarosablanca.com. For a romantic beach getaway, head to Manuel Antonio on the central Pacific coast, where Arenas Del Marluxury resort awaits above Espadilla Beach and its white sands. Get pampered at Las Brisas Spa with a Valentine’s Day special package for two that includes a side-by-side body peel with revitalizing exfoliation and a couple’s massage ($200). Just a few steps from the beach, have a romantic lunch in the shade of the palms. If you wish to stay the night, room rates range from $330 for an Ocean Breeze Superior Room to $650 for an Ocean View Premium Suite, including full breakfast. Arenas Del Mar is at the far west end of Playa Espadilla, down the El Parador road in Manuel Antonio. For reservations, call 2777-2777, emailreservations@arenasdelmar.com or go to www.arenasdelmar.com.Grupo Islita’s two luxury hotels will be celebrating Valentine’s Day throughout February with special packages for nationals and residents. On the northern Pacific coast, the famous Hotel Punta Islita is offering a night’s stay in a deluxe room, “Tropical Romance” dinner for two with a bottle of wine, and breakfast for $157.50 per person, double occupancy. Additional nights cost $119 per person. In the cloud forest northwest of San José,El Silencio Lodge & Spa’s package includes a night’s stay in a suite, dinner with a glass of wine, breakfast and hiking access to private trails for $120.75 per person, double occupancy. Additional nights cost $85 per person. Both offers are subject to availability. For reservations, call 2231-6122 or emailreserve@grupoislita.com.
A couple’s massage at Las Brisas Spa in Manuel Antonio’s Arenas Del Mar resort makes a romantic indulgence for Valentine’s Day.
Ajita ChowhanWin a Week for Two at Farm of Life in Costa Rica - Natural Awakenings - Natural Awakenings
Alucky winner and guest will enjoy a week-long stay at a much-loved boutique health retreat in Costa Rica, sponsored by Natural Awakenings and Farm of Life (Finca de Vida).
For more information, and to enter the Natural Awakenings' Farm of Life Health Adventure Sweepstakes, click here.
The very special spirit of Farm of Life is best captured in the dozens of loving testimonials that guests have left on TripAdvisor.com that is perhaps best summed up in one line: “I went just for a vacation, but ended up with a life-transforming experience.”
PLEASE NOTE: Winners are responsible for their air transportation to and from San José, Costa Rica.
To enter, visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com/Natural-Awakenings/Contests/. To learn more about Farm of Life, visit FarmOfLifecr.com and by googling tripadvisor farm of life.
Win a Romantic Trip to Costa Rica
Win a Romantic Trip to Costa Rica
"Send a virtual card to your Valentine and you could win a romantic trip to Costa Rica or one of 250 Victoria's Secret gift cards worth $50 each in Victoria's Secret's My Gorgeous Valentine Sweepstakes."
Costa Rica Sweepstakes
"Send a virtual card to your Valentine and you could win a romantic trip to Costa Rica or one of 250 Victoria's Secret gift cards worth $50 each in Victoria's Secret's My Gorgeous Valentine Sweepstakes."
Costa Rica Sweepstakes
February 14, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. ET
Entry Frequency:
10 x daily per person/email.
Sweepstakes Prizes:
Grand Prize: A trip for two to Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Trip includes airfare, hotel, ground transportation, meals, and $200 spending money that can be used toward spa and beauty services. (ARV: $4,950)
1st Prizes (250): A $50 Victoria's Secret gift card. (ARV: $50)
Additional Comments:
To enter, send a Valentine's Day card. You can enter without sending a free card by mail.
La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Costa Rica
The splendid gardens of La Paz are located on the slopes of the Poas volcano, just an hour from San Jose, in the central highlands. La Paz Waterfall Gardens offers lush tropical rain forest, flowing white rivers, spectacular waterfalls, birds, butterflies, monkeys, sloths, snakes, frogs and jaguars. At La Paz Waterfall Gardens, you are guaranteed to see all that and morThis area is rich in bio diversity thanks to an altitude of that varies between 4,000 and 5,000 feet, allowing for both cloud forest and rain forest to co-exist. Be prepared for a truly magical experience. Here, visitors will find the largest butterfly observatory in the world, hummingbird and bromeliad gardens, a serpentarium, frog pond, and 5 striking waterfalls. The Peace Lodge at La Paz Waterfall Gardens offers the ultimate awakening of your senses. Here every magical sight, wondrous smell and sensual touch create irreplaceable memories of a journey you wish to take again and again.
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