AE Member available:

• Costa Rican Real Estate Group, Patrick Mulheren

Cartago and the Orosi Valley

The city of Cartago is just a short hop (20 minutes) over the mountain to the East of San José.  Cartago was the old colonial capital, dating back to 1563.  It’s a bit cooler and much more laidback than San José.  It’s a rather large city yet still has a small town feel to it, where most people know each other, etc.  There you can find most of the amenities you will need (supermarkets, shopping, bilingual schools, etc.), and the large TerraMall is just 15 minutes away.

Cartago is probably most famous for being the home of the “Basilica”, a Byzantine-style cathedral that is the home of the patron saint of Costa Rica.  It is perhaps the most important church in the country (and very important throughout Central America, and it is the focal point of an annual pilgrimage that attracts well over a million people each year (most of home walk, at least, from San José, with some walking the entire stretch of the country!). 

Nearby is the Lankester Botanical Garden, a marvelous botanical garden with a world-famous orchid display.  Within Cartago, you may find local-style homes as well as custom homes, condos and gated communities (although on a smaller scale).
The surrounding area is absolutely gorgeous, with coffee plantations, horse and cattle farms, agricultural farms and plenty of forest. Cartago is situated at the foot of the dormant Irazú Volcano, which, at an elevation of 11,300 feet, towers over the surrounding area.  A beautiful paved road takes you to the very top of the volcano, where you may walk out to the edge of several craters.  On a clear day, the view extends to BOTH the Pacific and Caribbean oceans!

Fifteen minutes East of Cartago is the magnificent Orosi Valley!  The Orosi Valley is truly one of the jewels of the country.  Some guidebooks say it's one of the most scenic valleys in the country.  It boasts a wonderful, Spring-like climate year-round.  The general Orosi Valley has lots of attractions and is growing in touristic appeal.  The central focus of the general Orosi Valley is Lake Cachí, which is formed by the impressive Cachí Dam (which you can drive and walk across). 

The discharge from the dam creates the Reventazón River, which (along with the nearby Pacuare River) has become famous for world-class whitewater rafting and kayaking.  The town of Orosi is quaint, traditional town that is enjoying its growing touristic appeal.  In the town of Orosi you’ll find the oldest active church in Costa Rica: a beautiful Spanish Colonial-style church built in 1743 by Franciscan monks. 

Numerous hot springs are found in the area, with the town of Orosi having two public thermal baths.  A high-end hot spring spa/resort is located just outside of town.  Tours of a coffee-processing center are available.  Properties around the Orosi Valley include small homes within the town of Orosi, to custom-built homes up in the hills, to small and large farms (working farms, hobby farms, etc.). 

The nearby Tapantí National Park (Wildlife Refuge and Rainforest Reserve) is another undiscovered jewel.  Few people seem to know about it, yet it is within an hour’s drive of San José.  The park encompasses thousands of acres of magnificent primary rainforest/cloudforest, and has trails and picnic areas.  Many endangered species are found within the reserve, including the tapir, paca, ocelot, jaguarundi and the small tiger cat.  Jaguars, toucans, monkeys and many more animals also abound.

There is a wonderful loop drive around Lake Cachí and the Orosi Valley.  Continuing around the Lake from Orosi, driving through the middle of coffee plantations, you will find the town of Cachí (another quaint, unspoiled town) and La Casona del Cafetal, an excellent lakefront restaurant that serves a wonderful Sunday brunch that draws crowds from San José.  Further along, you pass by the Casa del Soñador ("House of the Dreamer"), where sculptors work, train and sell their carved wooden figures for bargain prices.  

Continuing on, you pass over the Cachí Dam and on to the town of Ujarrás, which is home to the ruins of the Ujarrás Church, which was the first church established in Costa Rica and has been converted into a lovely park.
When the rush of San José, the noise, the traffic, etc., get to be too much, a trip over to Cartago and the Orosi Valley will help to soothe your nerves.  It’s even better if you can live there.  It truly is a very special area!