San Ramón

Introducing San Ramón

The colonial town of San Ramón is no wallflower in the pageant of Costa Rican history. The ‘City of Presidents and Poets’ has sent five men to the country’s highest office, including ex-president Rodrigo Carazo, who built a tourist lodge a few kilometers to the north at the entrance to the Los Angeles Cloud Forest.

Stories of the former presidents, plus poets and more, can be found on plaques around town or at the Museo de San Ramón (437 9851; admission free; 8:30-11am Wed-Sat & 1-5pm Mon-Fri), on the north side of the park. It’s worth working around the museum’s schedule to see life-size dioramas depicting colonial Costa Rica and well-done exhibits on the area’s impressive history.

At the center of San Ramón are the twin spires of the ash-grey Iglesia de San Ramón, which soar high above the town and give it a dignified air. In front of the church is Parque Central, which is surrounded by a few colonial buildings and has a bizarre collection of lime-green torii, the traditional Japanese gates found at the entrance to a Shinto shrine.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009