Ciudad Cariari is centered on an important junction on the Autopista General Cañas, 12 kilometers west of San José and about five minutes’ drive from Juan Santamaría Airport. Here are San José’s leading conference center, a major shopping mall, a golf course, and two of the nation’s longest-standing premium hotels.

From Ciudad Cariari, the autopista continues to the northwest toward Alajuela. An alternate route to the west leads five kilometers to San Antonio de Belén, a small, unassuming town that has taken on new importance since the recent opening nearby of the Marriott Hotel and Intel’s microprocessor assembly plant. This road continues west to La Guácima. The road system hereabouts is convoluted.

Getting There

Buses depart San José from Avenida 1, Calles 20/22, hourly on the half hour, every quarter hour on weekends. Buses also depart Alajuela from Calle 10, Avenida Central.