In front of the Church of San Rafael, this park was a normal plaza until the 1960s, when a gardener named Evangelisto Blanco became inspired to shave the ordinary topiary into a bizarre series of trippy, abstract shapes. Over the years these morphed into fanciful creatures, weird blobby creations and tunnels of arches you can walk through. Bring your camera.
Parque Francisco Alvarado
Top choice in Central Valley & Highlands
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
27.55 MILES
On the southern side of the Plaza de la Cultura resides the Teatro Nacional, San José’s most revered building. Constructed in 1897, it features a columned…
15.6 MILES
This polished storybook garden complex just east of Volcán Poás offers the most easily digestible cultural experience in the Central Valley and is the…
27.79 MILES
This museum houses the world’s largest collection of American jade (pronounced ‘ha-day’ in Spanish), with an ample exhibition space of five floors…
Museo de Oro Precolombino y Numismática
27.55 MILES
This three-in-one museum houses an extensive collection of Costa Rica's most priceless pieces of pre-Columbian gold and other artifacts, including…
29.64 MILES
The exquisitely misty 310-hectare Reserva Santa Elena offers a completely different cloud forest experience from Monteverde. Cutting through the veiled…
27.2 MILES
Though josefinos mainly do their shopping at chain supermarkets, San José’s crowded indoor markets retain an old-world, authentic feel. This main market,…
Catarata del Toro & the Blue Falls
9.5 MILES
Find a beautiful 90m-tall waterfall that cascades into a volcanic crater (free for overnight guests) and two trail options through virgin forest (one 4…
27.85 MILES
Entered via a beautiful glassed-in atrium housing an exotic butterfly garden, this museum provides a quick survey of Costa Rican history. Exhibits of pre…
Nearby Central Valley & Highlands attractions
1. Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco
5.9 MILES
This little-visited national park is where five of Costa Rica's major rivers originate. The 143-sq-km reserve has a sizable but little maintained trail…
2. Jardín Botánico Else Kientzler
6.59 MILES
This well-tended botanical garden 400m north of Sarchí stadium has 2km of trails winding through more than 2000 types of clearly labeled plants, including…
8.36 MILES
This short trail around a nice garden is a pretty, if a little pricey, place to stretch your legs on the way to the high cloud forest or Lands in Love…
4. José Figueres Ferrer Center for Culture & History
8.49 MILES
This museum and cultural center celebrates all things José Figueres, the three-time Costa Rican president best known for abolishing the country's army in…
8.51 MILES
On the northern edge of San Ramón park, this informative museum run by the University of San Ramón accounts the cultural heritage of the area with a…
8.53 MILES
The twin spires of the ash-gray Iglesia de San Ramón tower over this pretty square at the center of town.
9.47 MILES
At the heart of town you’ll find the incredibly quaint Catedral de la Mercedes, a red metal structure that was prefabricated in Belgium and shipped to…
8. Catarata del Toro & the Blue Falls
9.5 MILES
Find a beautiful 90m-tall waterfall that cascades into a volcanic crater (free for overnight guests) and two trail options through virgin forest (one 4…