Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [105]
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Shopping
At Artesanías Vílchez (2237-9641; Mon-Sat) the selection of crafts is crude, but you’re here for one reason, and one reason only: to buy an authentic Tico cowboy hat. Saddle up and ride!
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Getting There & Away
There is no central bus terminal, and buses leave from bus stops scattered around the southern part of town.
Alajuela (cnr Av Central & Calle 9) ₡400; 20 minutes; departs every 15 minutes from 6am to 10pm.
Barva (Calle Central btwn Avs 1 & 3) ₡300; 20 minutes; departs every 30 minutes from 5:15am to 11:30pm.
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (cnr Av Central & Calle 9) ₡1200; 3½ hours; departs at 11am, 1:30pm and 3pm.
San José (Av 8 btwn Calles Central & 1) ₡300; 20 minutes; departs every 20 to 30 minutes from 4:40am to 11pm.
San José de la Montaña/Paso Llano – for Volcán Barva (Transportes del Norte; Calle 1 btwn Avs 4 & 6) ₡400; one hour; departs 5:25am, 6:25am, noon and 4pm Mon-Fri, 6:40am, 11am and 4pm Sat-Sun.
Santa Bárbara (Calle 6 btwn Avs 4 & 6) ₡300; 20 minutes; departs every 10 to 30 minutes from 5:15am to 11:30pm.
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BARVA
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Just 2.5km north of Heredia is the historic town of Barva, a settlement that dates back to 1561 and which has been declared a national monument. The town center is dotted with low-lying 19th-century buildings and is centered on the towering Iglesia San Bartolomé, which was constructed in 1893. Surrounded by picturesque mountains, it just oozes colonial charm. In addition, the surrounding area was once popular with the Costa Rican elite: Cleto González Víquez (1858–1937), twice president of Costa Rica (he built the original National Library), was born and raised here. It’s a perfect spot for a lazy afternoon stroll – and though Barva proper doesn’t have any lodgings, there are some attractive inns in the hillsides outside of town.
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Sights
The most famous coffee roaster in Costa Rica, Café Britt Finca (2277-1600; www.coffeetour.com; adult with/without lunch US$35/20, student US$30/16; tours 11am; ) is headquartered just 1km south of Barva – and offers a 90-minute bilingual tour of its area plantation that includes a video presentation and a hokey stage play about the history of coffee (small kids will likely dig it). Naturally, there’s plenty of coffee tasting and gift-shop browsing. For an extra US$10, you can combine the tour with a one-hour trip to a beneficio (processing plant). Plus the company operates a daily shuttle that can pick you up from San José for an extra fee; reserve ahead. If you are driving, you can’t miss the many signs between Heredia and Barva.
Located in Santa Lucía de Barva, about 1.5km southeast of Barva, the small Museo de Cultura Popular (2260-1619; admission US$3; 9am-4pm), run by the Universidad Nacional, is located in a restored 19th-century farmhouse that exhibits period pieces, such as domestic and agricultural tools. It is best to reserve a tour ahead of time, when staff can arrange a hands-on visit – which might include using the beehive-shaped clay oven to make traditional foods (though this may require a minimum number of people).
Barva is also an excellent base from which to hike the little-visited Volcán Barva (Click here).
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Festivals & Events
Every March the town is home to the famous Feria de la Mascarada, a tradition with roots in the colonial era, in which people don massive colorful masks (some of which weigh up to 20kg), and gather to dance and parade around the town square. Demons and devils are frequent subjects, but celebrities and politicians also figure in the mix (you haven’t lived until you’ve seen a 6m-tall Celia Cruz). The festival is usually held during the last week of the month, but dates vary from one year to the next; inquire locally.
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Sleeping
More affordable accommodations can