Heredia (pop. 32,000), 11 kilometers north of San José, and colloquially known as La Ciudad de las Flores (City of the Flowers), is surrounded by coffee fields on the lower slopes of Volcán Barva. A pleasant, slow-paced, nostalgic atmosphere pervades the grid-patterned town despite its jostling traffic. The National University is here.

Heredia's main attraction is Café Britt, just outside town.

Heredia is centered around a weathered colonial cathedral—the Basílica de la Imaculada Concepción—containing beautiful stained-glass windows as well as bells delivered from Cuzco, Peru. The church was built in 1797. It is squat and thick-walled and has withstood many earthquakes. The church faces west onto lively Parque Central (officially known as Parque Nicolas Ulloa) shaded by large mango trees and with various busts and monuments. On the north side of the cathedral, across the street, is the Monumento Nacional á la Madre (National Monument to the Mother), bronze in contemporary Arthur Moore style.

El Fortín, a circular fortress tower, borders the north side of the plaza. The gun slits widen to the outside, a curious piece of military ineptitude, designed so that they allow bullets in easily but made it difficult for defenders to shoot out.

The Casa de la Cultura (tel. 506/260-1619 or 506/261-4485, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. daily, free), next to El Fortín, contains a small art gallery and historic exhibits. It was once the residence of president Alfredo González Flores (1914–1917), who was exiled in 1917 after a coup d’état. He was later welcomed back and ran much of his presidency from his home, where he lived until his death in 1962. The refurbished house is today a National Historic Monument.

The Literate Cat (tel./fax 506/262-5206, 1–6:30 p.m. Mon., 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Tues.–Sat.), in Plaza Heredia, trades books and sells maps and souvenirs.

The Mercado Central (Central Market) is a must-visit, but beware pickpockets!

Getting There

Microbuses Rápido (tel. 506/261-7171) offers bus service from San José every 10 minutes, 5 a.m.–11 p.m. daily (and every 30 minutes, midnight–5 a.m.), from Avenida 4, Calles 12/14. Buses (tel. 506/222-8966) also operate on the same schedule from Calle 1, Avenidas 7/9.

Taxis wait on the south side of Parque Central, or call Taxis Coopemargarita (tel. 506/238-3377 or 506/237-6163).