Cartago, Costa Rica: Things to Do & Where to Go

Perched high in the Talamanca Mountains, with pleasant weather year-round, and strong roots connecting to the first Spanish conquistadors and the indigenous people of the land, Cartago Province is a place anchored in time and full of life.

Home to the country’s two most active volcanoes, some of the highest peaks, and one of the wettest national parks, Cartago Province is an underrated hidden gem. Seeing fewer visitors than other parts of Costa Rica, life still moves slowly here. The coffee is strong, the food is hearty, and the people are friendly. Get to know Cartago Province with us at Costa Rica Escapes.

Getting to Know Cartago Province

What is Cartago, Costa Rica, Known For?

For many years, the capital city, Cartago of Cartago Province, was the capital of Costa Rica. Founded by the Spanish in 1563, Cartago served as the most important center of the country til the capital moved to San Jose in 1823. While no longer the capital of the country, the city of Cartago and the province remain culturally, economically, and historically important to modern Costa Rican life.

Some of the most famous things in Cartago Province are the active Irazu Volcano, the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles, the Orosi Valley, and the highest peaks in the Talamanca mountain range. Cartago is a vital part of Costa Rica, and travelers who really want to get to know the true Costa Rica will end up spending at least some time in this largely wild and historic area.

5 Quick Facts About Cartago

• The capital city of Cartago Province, which has the same name, is the second most populous city in the country, second only to San Jose
• Cartago is the second smallest province, just slightly larger than Heredia
• Cartago Province is landlocked, without any direct access to either coast of Costa Rica
• Cartago is home to two active volcanoes: Irazu and Turrialba
• One of Costa Rica’s first hydroelectric projects is home to Cartago: the Cachi Represa

Cartago Costa Rica Map

Cities to Visit in Cartago Province

Cartago

The city of Cartago is the main city in Cartago Province. It’s grown significantly over the years as many people looked to live outside of San Jose and commute the thirty minutes to the capital city. Now, it’s a major urban hub unto itself. In the very center of the city visitors will find the Cartago Ruins in the Plaza Central. The city is also home to the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Los Ángeles, the most important Catholic Church in Costa Rica.

Turrialba

Another large Costa Rican city, Turrialba, is within the Cartago Province, located on the eastern side, just before the province ends and the terrain shifts to the Grand Atlantic Slope. For more information about Turrialba, check out our post about the region. A stopover here usually includes a visit to the Turrialba Volcano, the Guayabo Monument, and sampling the region’s famous cheese.

Orosi

With a population of just under 10,000, Orosi is more town than city, but it’s one of the oldest settlements in Costa Rica. The Spanish decided to settle in the Orosi Valley and neighboring Ujarras thanks to the Reventation River and the fertile land. Before the Spanish, the area was home to the Huetare, Cabecar, and Viceita people, indigenous to Costa Rica. A trip here will include a visit to the hot springs, as well as the Ujarras Ruins, and, of course, coffee.

9 Top Things to Do in Cartago Province

Nature-Based Activities

Active volcanoes, high mountain peaks, more rainfall than you can imagine, stunning views, and natural hot springs: these are just some of the natural wonders that Cartago Province has in store for you.

1. Irazu Volcano

One of the main highlights for visitors to the Cartago Province is the Irazu Volcano. Irazu is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica, with the most famous eruption occurring in the 1960’s, when US President John F. Kennedy visited.

To visit Irazu Volcano, you must pre-purchase tickets from the SINAC official website. Volcán Irazú National Park is the most popular national park in Costa Rica and sees many visitors year-round, so plan ahead to avoid disappointment. The proximity to San Jose, Alajuela, and Cartago makes it an easy day trip from these populous parts of the country.

The cost to enter is $15 for non-resident adults and $5 for non-resident children. If you drive your own car, you’ll also have to pay $4 for parking. Plan to spend between one and two hours at the volcano, as there’s a short hike to view the most impressive crater. Keep in mind the elevation, 11,260 feet, making the temperature chilly here and the equatorial sun intense. Bring a light jacket, a hat, and wear sunscreen.

2. Termales Hacienda Orosi

Perhaps one of the most magical natural wonders in Costa Rica is the hot springs, and Cartago boasts a very special set of springs. The Termales Hacienda Orosi combines lush hot springs with epic views of the Orosi Valley. A day pass at the Hacienda is $45 and allows for up to four hours in the warm waters.

You can choose from a night or day pass, depending on the hours you’d like to spend there, and/or combine the hot springs with a tour of the farm and the coffee exhibits. There are lockers and a restaurant on site. The Termales Hacienda Orosi is a must on any Cartago-based itinerary and is much less crowded than the Arenal and La Fortuna hot springs, giving you a sense of peace away from the masses.

3. Hike Turrialba Volcano

The second-tallest volcano in the country, and another active one, is Turrialba Volcano, located in the eastern section of the Cartago Province. Visiting Turrialba National Park to hike the volcano is a bit more complicated than visiting Irazu, as this hike requires a guide.

The guided hike costs $45 plus the $12 national park entrance fee, and reservations must be made in advance. This is the only way to hike Turrialba Volcano. The hike is around 4.5 kilometers and is considered a moderate hike. Tours leave early in the morning and take around 4 hours in total. You’ll prefer to have a 4×4 car to drive up to where the tour leaves, or park lower and grab a ride up with the tour company.

If you don’t feel like hiking, you can still catch great views of the massive volcano in the surrounding area. It’s hard to miss it!

Cultural Attractions

Cartago Province has a unique culture unto itself. Being the seat of the old capital, the oldest Spanish settlement, the site of the most important Catholic Church, it’s hard to top the cultural importance of Cartago. Here are some must-see and do’s of Cartago Province.

4. Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles

This Catholic church, located in Cartago City, is the most significant Catholic church in all of Costa Rica. Pilgrims flock here every August 2nd to honor La Negrita, a small, dark stone statue found in 1653 near the site of the church today. The statue, which is just three inches tall, was found by an indigenous Costa Rican named Juana Pereira. Legend says the statue, which represents Costa Rica’s patroness saint, La Virgen de Los Ángeles, was removed and reappeared on the same site three times.

Each year, over 2 million pilgrims travel to the Basilica to honor La Negrita, some of them walking from as far as Limon province. Many finish the walk into the church on their knees. The event is a huge Costa Rican event, and traffic is diverted around Cartago to make way for the pilgrims. A visit to this church and to see La Negrita, is a way to experience the deep Catholic history that plays a large role in modern Costa Rican culture.

5. Cartago Ruins

Informally known as the Cartago Ruins, the official name for these impressive structures in the main plaza of Cartago is Santiago Apostol Parish Ruins. There is a local legend here about a love feud between brothers, a curse on the site from one brother murdering the other, and rumors of hauntings at the cursed site. Whether you believe the myth or not, the real story goes as such:

The first church was built on this site in 1575, but an earthquake in 1630 badly damaged the church, and it was demolished in 1656. Another church was built in 1662, but another earthquake took that old church out in 1718. There were several more attempts over the next 200 years to repair and rebuild on this site, until finally another earthquake in 1910 put the final nail in the coffin, leaving the ruins and manicured garden that you can visit today.

6. Duran Sanitorium

Another haunted tale to come out of the mountainous Cartago Province is the Duran Sanitorium. The Duran Sanitorium was built to house and treat up to 300 tuberculosis patients. It was open from 1918 to 1973, at which time it closed down, thanks to improvements in medicine and the decline of tuberculosis throughout Costa Rica.

Rumors of hauntings and paranormal activity date back to when the sanatorium was in operation, with patients claiming a ghost nun would appear to cure patients in their beds. The myths and stories are varied and known throughout Costa Rica. Today you can pay a small entrance fee of a few dollars and walk through the abandoned hospital and the manicured lawns, take a picnic lunch, and get into the Tico spirit of imagining the paranormal activities that take place after dark.

7. Cartago Mercado Central

One of the best ways to experience a culture is through the food and one of the best places to learn about the different colors, textures, tastes, flavors, and produce is at the Mercado Central, or Central Market.

This Central Market, or Municipal Market, is a great way to see how the locals shop. You won’t find tourists’ trinkets here, but everything else from spices to grains, fresh meat and dairy, home-made cheese and baked goods, plus other household goods, and so much more! It’s a maze of shops and vendors, and a fun way to spend a morning getting lost.

Adventures & Excursions

Outside of the cities and towns, getting into the still wild, undeveloped terrain, visitors here can get face-to-face with some of the country’s wettest and wildest places. Hiking through desolate jungle or white-water rafting down untamed rivers, Cartago Province has more than a few ways to get your blood pumping.

8. Hike Tipanti National Park

Unlike other national parks in Costa Rica, Tipanti National Park flies under the radar and doesn’t see the mass tourism of Manual Antonio or Monteverde. This largely untouched, incredibly large (144,544 acres!) protected piece of land buts up against several other national parks, creating a very important wildlife corridor.

The park also feeds 150 streams and rivers, so when you think of hiking in Tipanti, think wet. The park sees up to 26 feet of rain each year! It’s also home to some of Costa Rica’s largest and rarest mammals, the Baird’s Tapir, as well as big cats. You’re not likely to see many large animals, as the park is so large, they have plenty of places to evade human encounters, though do take care while hiking and remember you’re in the jungle.

Buy tickets online in advance through SINAC. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

9. White Water Rafting

Being so high up in the mountains and getting so much annual rainfall, it’s no wonder that Cartago has some excellent rivers and rapids. Two of the best rivers to check out are the Rio Reventazón and the Rio Grande de Orosi. You’ll want to check with tour providers to see the river conditions based on the time of year you visit. This can be a fun and adrenaline-pumping experience for any traveler!

Culture & Cuisine in the Cartago Province

Cartago Province is a major agricultural producer thanks to the fertile land from the volcanoes and the rainfall. Many of the dishes that you find in Cartago are similar to what you’ll eat in most of Costa Rica, with a few exceptions that are unique to Cartago.

Some foods that you must try in Cartago:

• Olla de Carne: a rich, hearty soup with chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots, and corn on the cob. This soup is perfect for chilly mountain nights.
• Tortilla de queso: Coming from the famous Turrialba cheese, these handmade corn tortillas have cheese mixed into the tortilla. Get them hot off the grill!
• Chorreadas y cafecito: A favorite afternoon snack is a chorreada, a flat, sweet corn pancake, usually served with natilla, and almost always with a cup of coffee.
• Sopa Negro: Black bean soup, simple, delicious, filling. This is traditionally served with a hard-boiled egg that has been cooked in the soup. With fresh cilantro on top and a dab of natilla, you’ll be looking for the recipe to take home.

How to Get to Cartago

Cartago is a landlocked province, just next to San Jose. To reach the city of Cartago, you can drive or take the public city bus that runs the route between Cartago and San Jose often throughout the day. Lumaca operates buses every 15 minutes; the ride takes about 40 minutes depending on traffic, and the cost is $2.

To reach other parts of Cartago Province, it’s best to have a car. Transtusa Bus services Turrialba and any stops along that main route of highway 10, but getting to anything off of that main road will be much more complicated without a car.

Flights to Cartago

There are no international or domestic airports within Cartago Province. The only ways to reach the province are by car, bus, or shuttle. The Juan Santamaria International Airport, which is located in Alajuela, is located an hour or an hour and a half away, depending on traffic.

Best Time to Visit & Weather in Cartago

For many people, Cartago has the perfect weather, with temperatures hovering between mid-60s and high-70s most of the year. Thanks to the higher elevation and giant swaths of protected rainforest, the weather is cooler than other parts of the country, boasting an Eternal Spring.

Most Ticos often talk about how cold Cartago is, since the coastal communities experience such extreme heat. This cooler weather makes it an ideal place for many visitors who wish to experience the beauty and charm of Costa Rica without experiencing the extreme heat. When packing for a Cartago trip, be sure to bring a raincoat, some light sweaters or jackets to bundle up, quick-drying clothing, and a travel umbrella.

The dry season runs from December to April, though light showers are still common during these months.

The green, or rainy season, is from May to November, with October tending to be the wettest month.

Planning Your Trip to Cartago

Cartago Province holds so much history, so much cultural and religious significance, and such vast stretches of wild jungle, it’s hard to understand why more people don’t include it on their Costa Rican itineraries.

If you book our secluded Caribbean itinerary, you’ll get a taste of Cartago and Turrialba. Or reach out to us at Costa Rica Escape and let us create a custom itinerary to go even deeper into this rich cultural destination. We’re happy to help you discover this hidden Costa Rican gem.