San Ramon: A magic place in Costa Rica

This weekend we visited te city of San Ramon and a hotel located on the Cordillera de Tilaran (19 km from San Ramon) with a beautiful view to the Arenal Volcano. We drove for around an hour to San Ramon, and once we arrived to the city, we got to see the city park, one of the touristic attractions of the place. In front of the park, the beautiful Catholic church with stained glass desings all over was busy with a religious festivity.

We also visited the Museo de San Ramon, a place where local artists can present their art work, and it also shows some historical facts from the city and the province itself. Close by was the Casa de la Cultura Jose Figueres Ferrer (president of Costa Rica three times) and an interesting place for those who like history. At the entrance you can find a quote from the former president that says: "Para que tractores sin violines" (Why have tractors if we dont have violins), a phrase that states the pure essence of Costarricans and their good nature.

After visiting the donwtown of San Ramon, we headed to Hotel Villa Blanca (19 kilometers from the city). It used to be the country house of former Costa Rican president Rodrigo Carazo and his wife Estrella. A beautiful green oriented boutique hotel of 20+ rooms in the middle of the cloud forest. Each room is a typical Costarican house on the outside and a tastly decorated inside. There is also a nice little "capilla" called La Mariana, on the property where some weddings and anniversaries take place.

There are more than 5 kilometers of trails in the property all created for the enjoyment of guests and for the numerous investigations that takes place in the area by te InBio. The area is rich in biodiversity, specially birds and many species of interesting butterflies. On the clear mornings you can see from the hotels the whole Cordillera de Tilaran and at the end Cerro Chato and Arenal Volcano; one of the most beautiful views in the country.

Facts about San Ramón

San Ramon, Alajuela Province, is a city located 58 kilometers from the Capital city of Costa Rica: San Jose. The city has around 80.000 people living in the downtown and surrounding areas, and a wide cultural background and legacy. It was the city where three of Costarrican presidents were born and it is also called the city of the poets. The city of San Ramon lies at an elevation of 1,057 meters above sea level in the Cordillera de Tilarán, and it is located on the route to La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano).