Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [101]
Buses run continuously from San José to Palmares throughout the festival. For information on the musical lineup, visit Fiestas Palmares (www.fiestaspalmares.com).
If you’re driving, the road from Sarchí continues west to Naranjo, where it divides – head south for 13km to reach Palmares. It is well signed.
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SAN RAMÓN
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The colonial town of San Ramón is no wallflower in the pageant of Costa Rican history. The ‘City of Presidents and Poets’ has sent five men to the country’s highest office, including ex-president Rodrigo Carazo, who built a tourist lodge a few kilometers to the north at the entrance to the Los Ángeles Cloud Forest.
At the center of this charming agricultural town, you’ll see the twin spires of the ash-gray Iglesia de San Ramón. The interiors are definitely worth checking out: it has a lovely baroque-style altar, Spanish-tile floors and neat rows of wood pews. In front of the church is the Parque Central, which is surrounded by a few low-lying colonial-style buildings and is studded with several torii, the traditional Japanese gates found at the entrance to a Shinto shrine. (Go figure.) The best time to visit is on Saturdays during the farmers’ market, when all manner of cheeses and chorizo are on display and the local ladies can be found shopping and gossiping.
On the north side of the park, the Museo de San Ramón (2437-9851; admission free; 8am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Fri) maintains a few simple exhibits devoted to detailing life in Costa Rica during the colony and the early republic. Towards the back, a gallery shows rotating art exhibits.
There is a Banco de Costa Rica (9am-4pm), with an ATM, 300m west of the park.
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Sleeping & Eating
Hotel San Ramón (2447-2042; r per person US$18; ) About 300m west and 100m north of the church is this decent budget option with a helpful owner and 31 basic rooms scattered over two buildings. All of these have hot-water bathroom and cable TV. Credit cards accepted.
Hotel La Posada (2445-7359; www.posadahotel.net; d standard/deluxe incl breakfast US$50/60; ) This nicer midrange inn has 28 well-maintained rooms surrounding a lush, plant-filled courtyard with a fountain. They are somewhat baroque-looking, stocked with massive, handcrafted beds, each of which lie somewhere on the design continuum between Louis XIV and African safari. All have minifridge and cable TV; the more expensive units come with Jacuzzi tubs. A few rooms are wheelchair-accessible. Find it 400m north of the church.
Casa Amanecer (2445-2100; www.casa-amanecer-cr.com; d incl breakfast US$62; ) Located a 10-minute drive northeast of San Ramón, on the road to Concepción, is this new, sleekly designed B&B, run by Christopher and Luisa. Here you’ll find four graceful contemporary rooms with wonderful valley views. In addition, the hotel stocks bicycles and there is regular yoga. The owners put great effort into being environmentally conscious, from the veggie breakfasts to the biodegradable cleaning products. Additional meals and in-room massages (US$40) can be arranged with advance reservation.
About 100m west and 50m south of the central plaza in San Ramón, Aroma’s Café (2447-1414; coffees ₡700-1350, dishes ₡700-2800; 10:30am-7pm Mon-Sat, noon-7pm Sun) is a bright, attractive spot – good for lounging – that serves up a variety of coffee drinks, pastries and light meals.
Inexpensive sodas abound.
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Shopping
For something truly unique, head to El Tejano (2447-0001; 8:30-noon & 1:30-6pm Mon-Sat), a small shop selling saddles, cowboy hats and highly spectacular cowboy-boot lamps. The shop is located 100m south of the hospital, on the north end of town.
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Getting There & Away
There are hourly buses to San José as well as frequent buses to Ciudad Quesada via Zarcero. Buses depart from Calle 16 between Avs 1 and 3.
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