Orosi

Introducing Orosi

This town was named for a Huetar chief who lived here at the time of the conquest. Spanish colonists quickly became enamored of the town’s wealth of water, from lazy hot springs to bracing waterfalls, perfect climate and rich soil. So, in the typical fashion of the day, they decided to take property off Orosi’s hands.

Orosi is one of the few colonial towns to survive Costa Rica’s frequent earthquakes, which have left the whitewashed 1743 Iglesia de San José Orosi the oldest church still in use in Costa Rica. The roof of the church is a combination of thatched cane and ceramic tiling, while the altar is carved entirely out of wood and adorned with religious paintings of Mexican origin. Adjacent to the church is a small museum (533 3051; admission US$0.50; 9am-noon & 2-5pm Tue-Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun) with some interesting examples of Spanish-colonial religious art and artifacts.

And while the attractive town has thus far managed to avoid the more rattling aspects of living in a volcanic region, it’s got two big perks, namely the hot springs at Los Balnearios (533 2156; admission US$2; 7:30am-4pm), on the southwest side of town next to the Orosi Lodge, and Los Patios (533 3009; admission US$2; 8am-4pm Tue-Sun), 1.5km south of town. Los Balnearios is more convenient as it’s in town, though Los Patios is a larger complex with a few more springs. Both, however, are modest affairs with simple pools of warm water that are popular with locals and a few foreigners in the know.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009