With its beautiful landscape, mild temperatures and diverse population, Heredia is a great place to add to your Costa Rica trip itinerary – this region truly offers tourists a wealth of nature based activities to enjoy. This region has plenty of popular, and undiscovered, places to stay, as well. Located just a few miles from the Costa Rican capital, San Jose, this small province is renowned for its lush coffee plantations and incredible national parks.
Heredia offers many activities that will have nature-lovers drooling. There are amazing parks that host lots of trees, as well as rivers, volcanoes and plantations that make Heredia an exciting place to visit and explore. This province is definitely a place made for nature lovers.
One of the great things about visiting Heredia is heading over to the city to the National University of Costa Rica campus where you can new friends with the many international students.
Accommodations and Places
If you have spent time traveling through Heredia during your time in Costa Rica, you know that there are accommodations to suit any kind of traveler, including standard hotels, mountain resorts, lodges and cabins. The most important city of this province is Heredia, the regional capital. Heredia sits just 10 km from San Jose, making it a frequently visited destination on the tourist map. If you are importing to Heredia from San Jose, one of the first things you’ll notice is that Heredia has less of the hustle and bustle of the city, while still maintaining enough excitement to keep tourists busy. The city of Heredia is also home to the diverse, international student population of the National University. This means that the city provides plenty of affordable hotel options, since the University students are likely to be exploring the region, and hosting international guests. You can find bed & breakfasts, inns, suites and more in this region.
If you are looking for areas that offer a slower pace of life, you can consider making Barva your home base. This town neighbors Heredia, and is only 3 miles north of the capital city. Though this township has no hotels to offer visitors, those that want to explore Barva can find some truly wonderful lodges and mountain resorts to stay at just a few miles outside of the town. From Barva, you can head on to the beautiful Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo, home to the massive Barva Volcano.
During your stay in the Heredia province, you should definitely visit the Braulio Carrillo National Park. This park is filled with thick forests and green pastures that make it a wonderful place for nature hiking. Here, you’ll find many diverse habitats, and nature-lovers will be amazed at the landscape which includes volcanoes, waterfalls, forests, rivers and cloud forests. It is almost like entering a completely different world!
Another area to visit is San Jose de la Montana; this area is more than just a gateway to Braulio Carrillo National Park. This mountain village has plenty of accommodation options, and a great, laid back vibe that is resonated in the pine tree landscape and wood fire oven cooking. San Jose de la Montana is less than an hour from the city of Heredia, and its cooler weather makes it a great place to stop, rather than just pass through. Spend your days exploring the park, then stay in this small town to rejuvenate before your next adventure!
Map of Heredia
If you are a nature-lover and adventure-seeker, then you must stop in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, a former key port in Costa Rica. This picturesque village is located close to Nicaragua, and has a nice range of accommodations available for short or long term visitors. White water rafting is very popular here, and you can find several lodges and cabins that have an exclusive views of Heredia. These places are a wonderful way to get an up close and personal view of this province’s natural beauty.
Budgeting for Heredia Accommodations
There are many types of accommodations throughout the province, and factors like the University and National Park help keep visitors flowing to this area. There is a wide variety of options and travelers can comparison shop before making reservations.
11 Days / 10 Nights
Starting at $3,874 per person
7 Days / 6 Nights
Starting at $932 per person
