A kilometer before the Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco entrance, this charming accommodation includes spotless rustic cabins, some with fireplaces and front porches. The owners know a great deal about the park. The restaurant is a particular highlight, serving trout raised in the pond outside. Hours are irregular; call ahead to check it's open. Pre-booking is advised.
Albergue Pozo Verde
Central Valley & Highlands
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.91 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…
14.58 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…
28.52 MILES
From 1968 until 2010, Volcán Arenal was an ever-active and awe-striking natural wonder, producing menacing ash columns, massive explosions and streams of…
Museo de Oro Precolombino y Numismática
29.9 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…
29.6 MILES
The exquisitely misty 310-hectare Reserva Santa Elena offers a completely different cloud forest experience from Monteverde. Cutting through the veiled…
29.58 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
6.87 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…
5 MILES
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…
Nearby Central Valley & Highlands attractions
1. Parque Nacional Juan Castro Blanco
1.27 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…
5 MILES
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…
3. Catarata del Toro & the Blue Falls
6.87 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…
4. Parque Nacional Volcán Poás
10.44 MILES
Here's your chance to get frighteningly close to this extremely active volcano, which last erupted in 2017. At an elevation of 2708m, the mighty Poás is…
10.46 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…
6. Jardín Botánico Else Kientzler
10.69 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…
13.19 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. José Figueres Ferrer Center for Culture & History
13.24 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…