- Basílica de los ÁngelesThe city church holds the small statue people walk to on August 2. Step in between services. It is not a ticketed museum.
- Las RuinasThe unfinished church is a walled garden in the center. You look in from the plaza. It is not a museum you tour for an hour.
- Irazú VolcanoThe crater is a drive above town, not a walk from the square. Be there at opening and take a jacket. Late morning is often white, and that is still the visit.
- Central marketThe market is produce and a soda, useful if you are already in the center. Go in the morning. It is not a crafts hall.
- Lankester GardensThe orchids are outside town, on the way toward Paraíso. Morning is the walk. A couple of hours is enough.
- Orosi roadThe valley road south is coffee and a look down, and it is a different day from Irazú. Do not add it after the crater. You want daylight for both.
- Central plazaThe square in front of the basilica is the center. People sit, and on August 2 the walk arrives here. Any other day it is a few minutes.
- Drive down from the craterCome down before dark. Fog sits on the upper road even when the city is clear. There is no viewpoint worth a night drive.
- ParaísoParaíso is the town you pass toward Lankester and the turn for Orosi. It is a junction, not a second base. Do not plan the afternoon there.
- August 2The romería fills the center on that date. Arrive early and expect the basilica crowd. Any other day the church is quiet between services.
Cartago, Costa Rica
Cartago was the capital until 1823. The basilica and the ruins sit in a small center, and Irazú is the reason to be here at opening. Most trips sleep in San José. Stay if the next morning is the crater or the Orosi loop.
This week: Highs 20–24°C, lows 12–15°C.
About 150 mm of rain.
Climate: The climate is cool highland. Temperatures are about 12–24°C. Afternoons often rain from May to November. The crater is colder than the city.
Attractions: The main attractions are the Basílica de los Ángeles, Las Ruinas, Irazú Volcano, the central market, Lankester Gardens, the Orosi road, the central plaza, and the drive down from the crater before dark.
Province: Cartago
Towns near Cartago
Heredia, Costa Rica
Coffee towns and forest on the roads above the city, cooler than the valley floor.
Escazú, Costa Rica
Hills on the west side of San José, with restaurants and a quieter night than downtown.
Atenas, Costa Rica
A valley town with a mild climate, coffee farms, and green hills around it.
Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
The cone is the view. The hot springs are why people stay.
Alajuela, Costa Rica
Restaurants and rooms a few minutes from the Juan Santamaría airport.
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
The town at the base of Arenal, for the volcano and the hot springs.
San José, Costa Rica
The capital. The useful part is the center: theater, museums, market.
Poás Volcano, Costa Rica
An active crater in the park above Alajuela, worth the drive on a clear morning.
Santa Ana, Costa Rica
A valley town west of Escazú, a little lower and warmer.
Orosi, Costa Rica
A coffee valley south of Cartago, with a colonial church and a loop road.
Turrialba, Costa Rica
A valley town east of Cartago, for the Pacuare and a quieter cone.
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
A high valley on the road south, for quetzals and cold air.