Carolina’s guidebook
Useful places close to the house
Just two blocks from the house, this mini market has everything you need if you want to make breakfast or buy a toothbrush or little things. Open from 6 am to 11 pm.
AM PM Estadio Alajuela
Just two blocks from the house, this mini market has everything you need if you want to make breakfast or buy a toothbrush or little things. Open from 6 am to 11 pm.
Fancy supermarket 5 min from the house by car. Great if you want to buy coffee to take home, some wine, or anything you might need for your trip.
38 locals recommend
Auto Mercado Alajuela
712Fancy supermarket 5 min from the house by car. Great if you want to buy coffee to take home, some wine, or anything you might need for your trip.
My favorite bookstore in Alajuela. Carries mainly used but also new books in ENG/SPA/FR/DE & other languages. Rosa, the owner, & her son are super nice and helpful. English spoken. Literature, reference books, a little bit of everything. Walking distance from the house.
Goodlight Books
My favorite bookstore in Alajuela. Carries mainly used but also new books in ENG/SPA/FR/DE & other languages. Rosa, the owner, & her son are super nice and helpful. English spoken. Literature, reference books, a little bit of everything. Walking distance from the house.
LABIN - Plaza Real Alajuela
Calle Marcelino ChampagnatCovid testing. Several locations close to the house.
Restaurants
A few recommendations close to the house.
Very tasty food! Affordable prices. Small restaurant in Alajuela specializing in street food and latin american food. Delicious options, from burgers to salads to vegetarian options. My favorite place in town.
La Clandestina
Very tasty food! Affordable prices. Small restaurant in Alajuela specializing in street food and latin american food. Delicious options, from burgers to salads to vegetarian options. My favorite place in town.
Plaza Real is a small, open air shopping center with a lot of food options. It has a great pasta & pizza place, La Fabbrica, as well as Mexican, Japanese, Indian and Costa Rican restaurants, among other more fast food type options. It also has a couple of banks, a pharmacy and telephone company stores, ICE Kolbi and Claro. Great little place with everything you need.
108 locals recommend
Plaza Real Alajuela
Avenida 10 Jesús Ocaña RojasPlaza Real is a small, open air shopping center with a lot of food options. It has a great pasta & pizza place, La Fabbrica, as well as Mexican, Japanese, Indian and Costa Rican restaurants, among other more fast food type options. It also has a couple of banks, a pharmacy and telephone company stores, ICE Kolbi and Claro. Great little place with everything you need.
Great seafood restaurant in downtown Alajuela. Highly recommended. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g309224-d11728255-Reviews-Pesqueria_da_Limonta-Alajuela_Province_of_Alajuela.html
Pesquería da Limonta
Calle 6Great seafood restaurant in downtown Alajuela. Highly recommended. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g309224-d11728255-Reviews-Pesqueria_da_Limonta-Alajuela_Province_of_Alajuela.html
Sightseeing & Tours
Active volcano 1 hour from downtown Alajuela. Visits are scheduled for safety reasons. You must buy tickets by visiting the Costa Rican national parks' website http://www.sinac.go.cr/
401 locals recommend
Poás Volcano
Active volcano 1 hour from downtown Alajuela. Visits are scheduled for safety reasons. You must buy tickets by visiting the Costa Rican national parks' website http://www.sinac.go.cr/
Great coffee tour! Learn about the history and process of making great coffee. Located 40 min from downtown Alajuela. https://dokaestate.com/costarica-coffee-tour/
22 locals recommend
Doka Estate The Real Coffee Tour
129Great coffee tour! Learn about the history and process of making great coffee. Located 40 min from downtown Alajuela. https://dokaestate.com/costarica-coffee-tour/
Walk around the beautiful La Paz Waterfall. There's a path with steps and bridges surrounding the area where the waterfall begins and you follow its path. They also have a Butterfly garden and a number of other animals.
288 locals recommend
La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Walk around the beautiful La Paz Waterfall. There's a path with steps and bridges surrounding the area where the waterfall begins and you follow its path. They also have a Butterfly garden and a number of other animals.
Starbucks coffee shop with a beautiful view on the way up to Poas volcano. Great stop for a coffee and beautiful pics. From their deck you can see vegetation, coffee plants and a small waterfall.
71 locals recommend
Hacienda Alsacia - Starbucks
Starbucks coffee shop with a beautiful view on the way up to Poas volcano. Great stop for a coffee and beautiful pics. From their deck you can see vegetation, coffee plants and a small waterfall.
Beautiful place. The conical-shaped volcano is amazing, nature at its best. The area is surrounded by hot springs. Great area to visit with tons of activities available. Will be glad to give further recommendations. As always in CR, check the weather & best months to visit, because the rainy season is intense.
234 locals recommend
Arenal Volcano
Beautiful place. The conical-shaped volcano is amazing, nature at its best. The area is surrounded by hot springs. Great area to visit with tons of activities available. Will be glad to give further recommendations. As always in CR, check the weather & best months to visit, because the rainy season is intense.
Favourite beach in CR. It’s beautiful, with a rich culture and delicious afrocaribbean food.
17 locals recommend
Puerto Viejo Farmers' Market
Calle 215Favourite beach in CR. It’s beautiful, with a rich culture and delicious afrocaribbean food.
Beautiful national park. Relatively close to SJO (2+ hours). Mountains and beaches all in one. Highly recommended.
557 locals recommend
Manuel Antonio National Park
Beautiful national park. Relatively close to SJO (2+ hours). Mountains and beaches all in one. Highly recommended.