9 Best Things To Do In Cartago, Costa Rica

The captivating charm of Costa Rica, a ravishing country in Latin America, does not fade. Visiting Costa Rica is like the ride of your lifetime. Do you love nature? For sure, you will appreciate this country where you can find surfing spots, beguiling caves, and misty volcanic peaks, to name a few. If you are looking for something to preoccupy yourself, and traveling to Costa Rica pops in your head, we recommend that you head to Cartago, one of the cities in this country. So many things to do in Cartago. 

Cartago is a city that lies southeast of San José, Costa Rica’s capital. The city of Cartago is easily reachable from San José, and it is a fantastic place to visit if you need some cooling down. While Cartago does not border an ocean, it encompasses a wide range of volcanoes and mountain ranges, such as the Irazú Volcano. 

Within the city proper, you will find some of the most culturally and historically important landmarks, in the rest of Cartago, you can discover some of the most stunning natural landscapes throughout Costa Rica. With those being said, let’s head over to the list of the best things to do in Cartago.

We Present Some Of The Best Things To Do In Cartago

Cartago in Costa Rica may not be as trendy as other cities on Earth, but those who are able to fly to this city will say they are willing to return over and over again. What are the best things to do in Cartago?

1. Capture Snapshots Of The Beautiful Basilica Of Our Lady Of The Angels

The beautiful Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, or the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Spanish, no, not Los Angeles in California, always finds it on top of several things to do in Cartago lists. 

This religious landmark is regarded as one of the most important churches not just in Cartago, but all across Costa Rica. Located right in the center of Cartago, the church is also called “La Negrita,” which is the name of the country’s patron saint. 

The façade and the interior design of Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels perfectly represent the architectural style of Costa Rica. Every first day of August each year, a pilgrimage to this site takes place, an act wherein thousands of people come to the church for gratitudes or to ask for favors. It is truly an impressive site to see. 

2. Feast Your Eyes At Irazú Volcano

When you’re here at Irazú Volcano to enjoy the things to do in Cartago, prepare your eyes for some treats. The views here are spectacular. Did we mention preparing your camera, too?

The Irazú Volcano, situated within a national park that carries the same name, is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. Yes, it is a volcano, and if you are worried about it exploding, know that it has been dormant for years. 

Once you reach the park, there’s a wooden path in the middle of a jungle that you’ll walk along to take you to the volcano. As you reach the top, you can feast your eyes on some volcanic terraces that were once calderas. Once you reach the viewpoints of the volcano’s main crater, you will be able to marvel at the grandeur of its lagoon. Don’t ever miss this on your list of things to do in Cartago. 

Welcome to our “things to do in Cartago” guide! Want to learn more about Costa Rica? How about knowing the best beaches in the country?

3. Finally Get A Taste Of Costa Rican Coffee

Often in Starbucks? You may notice some of its décors hanging on its walls mentioning the name of “Costa Rica,” or “Costa Rican coffee,” specifically. Well, aside from Starbucks owning a coffee farm in Costa Rica, the Hacienda Alsacia, the country is also one of the best places in the world for coffee. Blame it on Costa Rica’s climate.

With a warm climate, soil enriched by volcanic ashes, mountainous areas, and heavy rainfall, the country has the perfect conditions for growing and harvesting the highest quality coffee beans anywhere in the world. Thanks to this favorable weather, Costa Rican coffee beans boast their vibrant taste and fine aromas. 

Cartago is, of course, one of the perfect places to get a taste of Costa Rican coffee. After all, it’s a city in Costa Rica! Prepare your notepads. Some of the best cafés in Cartago are Bäckerei Cafe y Panaderia Suiza, El Cafe de Chumi, Boutique Cafe, and Cafetería 1743, among many others. Tasting Costa Rican coffee – definitely one of the not-to-miss things to do in Cartago. 

4. Spend Your Morning Or Afternoon At The Lankester Botanical Garden

Love plants and botanicals? Make sure visiting the Lankester Botanical Garden is on your things to do in Cartago itinerary. This botanical garden is one of the most exquisite natural sites within the city. Located within the University of Costa Rica, this garden follows a distinctive Japanese style.

The Lankester Botanical Garden is the ideal place to spend your mornings or afternoons with a totally different natural environment from the hustle and bustle of your hometown. Take a walk, and see the wide range of vegetation, most of which are traditional Japanese species. 

The things to do in Cartago are just as exciting as the things to do in western Costa Rica. Have your camera with you? Get to know the best photography spots in western Costa Rica!

5. Make A Trip Down Memory Lane At Plaza Mayor

Plaza Mayor is a vast and gorgeous space right in the center of the city, situated in front of the Santiago Apóstol Parish Ruins, and considered a historical and architectural heritage in Costa Rica. 

You’ll be touring back in time here. Plaza Mayor is more than four centuries old, having witnessed some of the most significant events during the city and the country’s colonial era and road to independence. 

Saunter through this area as you admire the impressive ruins surrounding the plaza. Plus, the place is dotted with trees, so if you need to take a break, there are benches where you can sit and relax with the trees shading you. If you love history, this is one of the best things to do in Cartago. 

6. Feel The Chills And Be Haunted At The Durán Sanatorium

If you are brave enough to visit haunted places, this is one of the things to do in Cartago that should be on your bucket list. Located north of Cartago, Durán Sanatorium also holds so much history, is among the most visited in the area, and features a unique architectural design. 

Constructed in 1918, this building was once a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients, until it became a juvenile detention center a little later. So why would you visit this place? Rumor has it that the Durán Sanatorium is haunted and paranormal events take place within its walls. This is the perfect spot to make a complete detour after visiting the nearby Irazú Volcano.

Feeling it real with the things to do in Cartago? Explore more of Latin America. How about knowing the best things to do in Cartagena in Colombia?

7. Visit The Magical Prusia Forest

You’re down with the horrors. Now, it’s time for some magic. Located just 30 minutes from Cartago’s city center, Prusia Forest is within the Prusia Sector and part of the Irazú Volcano National Park. It literally feels magical here. 

Once here, you’ll be able to enjoy its enormous natural setting dotted with walking trails, gigantic trees, lookout points, and various wildlife. Prusia Forest is the ideal place to escape from the stresses of the city for a day in sync with nature. Kids will also love it here. Be sure to add this on your things to do in Cartago list.

8. Join A Nocturnal Tour In Valle Orosi

Valle Orosi, or Oroso Valley, is another natural landscape located nearby Irazú Volcano. Here, one of the things to do in Cartago is taking a nocturnal tour where you can sport various nocturnal wildlife. The night safari in Singapore could be trembling with this competition. 

This is a great place to chance upon owls, frogs, viper snakes, and many other kinds of animals that live during the night. This tour lasts about two hours. 

9. Enroll In A Cooking Class

Aside from its coffee, Costa Rican cuisine is partly about dishes made with ingredients from its natural surroundings. In this cooking class, you will be able to not just get a taste of the dishes, but you will also learn how to make them. 

Head to a house where creative chefs will facilitate and lead you to make Organic Salad, Honey Mustard Chicken, and Homemade Ice Cream. You will also get the chance to visit the organic garden where the ingredients are grown. This is definitely one of the best things to do in Costa Rica. 

Can’t get enough of the things to do in Cartago? From here, many cool cities in the United States are just a few hours away on a plane. Want to visit beautiful Miami? Here’s a guide to help you out. 

Things To Do In Cartago: Airlines That Fly To This Costa Rican City

Aside from this guide to the best things to do in Cartago, we are also going to provide you with a list of some of the airlines that fly to this city in Costa Rica. Here are they:

• EVA Air 
• United Airlines 
• American Airlines
• JetBlue 
• Spirit Airlines
• Volaris Costa Rica
• Copa Airlines

Pura Vida!

Costa Rica, the home to famous personalities like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” actor Harry Shum Jr., Nobel Prize winner and Costa Rica politician Oscar Arias Sanchez, and the first female president of the country, Laura Chinchilla, to name a few. It may not be as popular as Mexico, but tourists who want to chill with nature are loving it here in Costa Rica. The Arenal Volcano National Park, the Corcovado National Park, and Tamarindo are some of the best places to visit in Costa Rica. But, there’s a city in Costa Rica inviting you to explore what it has in store, Cartago. A lot of things to do in Cartago. 

Cartago is not just simply a destination, but a symphony of emotions and experiences. Here, history will whisper through the winds rustling through the trees, and it is where life’s rhythm beats in faultless tandem with the heart of the city.