Heredia enjoys a territory of 2.656 km2 and a population of 80.000 persons. It’s Costa Rica’s smallest province, a town appreciated for its colonial heritage and traditional architecture.
At the communities of Barva and Santo Domingo, you can be appreciated a great number of colonial houses. The city of Heredia, best known as ‘City of the Flowers’, was founded in 1706, by the initiative of 150 families living there. All these families came from the main city called Cartago, our other province. These lands were inhabited by Huetares indigenous before the colony. As well in 1751 the first high school in the area was founded, called Liceo de Heredia.
You still find an important number of coffee plantations, where you can perform guided visits with tourists. It can be delightful to enjoy the captivating process of harvesting, drying, and roasting coffee beans.
Among the natural wonders of the province of Heredia, we find Barva volcano. It’s a formidable extinct volcano located in the west part of Braulio Carrillo National Park, which rises 2.906 meters above sea level. The vegetation surrounding this sleeping giant is astonishing; an ideal place for bird watching, especially for those who dream with the magnificent Quetzal.
On the other hand, Braulio Carrillo National Park represents the greatest natural richness near the Central Valley. A tropical rainforest home to hundreds of plant and animal species to discover. The dense vegetation of the park safeguards many water eyes, waterfalls, and rivers, used as tap water. If you are driving to the Caribbean side, you will have to drive through it as the road crosses along the park. You can perform a hike through the national park trails along the rainforest and where you will observe many of the local flora and fauna.
Sarapiqui River is another of the attractions of the province. This imposing river travels through dense vegetation, where birds and wildlife are abundant. The river has an ideal current for those who enjoy the rapids, with a moderate degree of difficulty. Along the river, you can perform activities as a river float tour in search of crocodiles, monkeys, birds, and more. Or if you are looking for something more extreme you can enjoy the white water rapids of the Sarapiqui River.
Heredia enjoys several places for adventure along with the province, you will find amazing zip lines parks, where you will also find rappelling, hanging bridges, and much more. If you prefer to discover the nature around you in a relaxing way, you can enjoy a hike at some of the nature trails or the parks and reserves. Another way is enjoying the cableway that will take you on a ride through the tree canopy and discover the flora and fauna living above the trees.
Heredia Central Mountain Range characterizes by vast forest extensions and a fair climate. Many people choose these green and fresh sites to establish themselves, to live far away from the city crowds.
Pictures of Heredia, Costa Rica
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