Top Costa Rica Art & Culture - page 5

Learn all about the chocolate-making process on this guided tour of a chocolate plantation from Manuel Antonio. Follow your guide as you learn about the local ecology of the cacao plant, the local cultural and economic importance of chocolate, and the production process from collection to fermentation and grinding of cacao beans. Then, visit a trapiche, a traditional oxen-powered mill used to extract juice from sugarcane.

Impress your friends back home with your dance moves after taking a salsa and bachata class on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. With a group of like-minded travelers and a supportive instructor, you’ll learn about timing, rhythm, open steps, turns, and partner work. The class is a great standalone activity or as the start of a night out dancing in Talamanca.

Get active, have fun, and learn more about Costa Rican culture with a 90-minute small-group dance class in La Fortuna. Various different styles of dancing are taught, including salsa, bachata, merengue, and more. Receive personalized attention from your teacher and learn the steps and moves you need to continue dancing with confidence.

Turn exploring San Jose into an ultra-rich cultural experience with this guided “bites and sights” tour. You’ll start at the city’s best markets—Central and Borbon markets—tasting empanadas, fresh fruits, coffees, and more, plus learning all about local goods and handicrafts. You’ll also get a guided exploration of the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, diving even deeper into the city’s gilded history.

If you’d like to explore the many species of birds living in Monteverde with a private guide, then book this half day tour for you and your group. You can create your own itinerary, and won’t need to hassle with a large group tour. Use your provided HD telescope and field guide to find and photograph several species local to the Monteverde cloud forest.

Head to La Fortuna, home to the Arenal Volcano, on this guided all-day tour from San Jose. Sit back and relax as you travel through diverse plantations and cattle ranches on the roughly 3.5-hour drive. After arriving, enjoy lunch with a view of the volcano. Then, take a dip in the area’s thermal waters and indulge in an optional massage or other treatment.

The Costa Rican province of Puerto Limon is known for its rich biodiversity, local food culture, and sandy Caribbean beaches. Experience Puerto Limon’s highlights in just a few hours during this shore excursion, which allows you to easily tour the city and see top attractions such as the Tortuguero Canals, a Banana Plantation, and Playa Bonita. Along the way, your guide provides helpful commentary.

Immerse yourself in Costa Rican culture and history on this guided tour of the capital city. Highlights include the National Theater, the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, the University of Costa Rica, the Supreme Court, and Central Market. A bilingual guide is on hand to answer questions and provide insight about what you see along the way.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Costa Rica’s famous coffee industry with this tour to a coffee farm from San Jose. Learn first-hand how beans are grown, harvested, and roasted for the perfect cup of coffee. Plus, visit the towns of Sarchi and Gracia to visit popular monuments and learn how they keep handicraft traditions alive.

Experience six of Puerto Limón's highlights in one unforgettable shore excursion. Designed for cruise guests, this small-group adventure combines a Tortuguero Canal boat ride, wildlife viewing, rainforest scenery, a banana plantation visit, Puerto Limón sightseeing, and authentic Afro-Caribbean culture. Keep an eye out for sloths, monkeys, tropical birds, and other wildlife while discovering the best of Costa Rica's Caribbean coast with an expert local guide.

The Curi Cancha private wildlife refuge is home to wild plants and animals. On this tour you will be accompanied by a guide specialized in finding the local fauna which is very special with unique strategies to survive in this unique habitat of the high altitude tropical forests. The professional telescope that the guide carries will be very useful to be able to observe the wildlife in great detail.

Visit the impressive crater of Poas Volcano and go behind-the-scenes at a large commercial coffee farm on this full-day tour from San Jose. A guide shares fun facts about one of Costa Rica's most-visited volcanos and biggest exports on a field-to-cup tour of the coffee farm. Plus, private transportation and included lunch make this tour a breeze.

Learn more about Costa Rican culture on a full-day small-group tour revolving around two of the country’s finest products: cigars and rum. Visit a handcrafted cigar shop, have a go at rolling your own, and sample three varieties. Then, head to a private sugar estate where you’ll take a walking tour and learn about rum production. Enjoy a personalized rum cocktail with a traditional lunch at a grand 19th-century mansion.

through the rainforest towards the waterfalls and swimming pools for quick dips. You’re followed by professional photographers snapping pics along the way, and greeted with fresh tropical fruits at the end of your journey.

Thrill-seekers will love white-water rafting on the class III and IV rapids on the Arenal River. Suitable for adventurous beginners and those who have been rafting before, the 8-mile (13-kilometer) stretch of river offers plenty of chances to paddle hard, get wet, and enjoy views of the surrounding jungle. Refuel after with lunch at a monkey park.

Get a taste of San Jose’s culture and cuisine on this walking tour that includes snacks. Explore Costa Rica’s capital alongside a guide who alleviates the hassle of navigating, and learn about the city’s history, architecture as you taste. Explore the produce stalls of two traditional markets and discover what makes Costa Rican coffee so delicious as you sample some local brews.

Learn about one of Costa Rica’s indigenous populations first-hand with this tour to the largest Bribri community in the country. See how traditions like plant medicine and cacao ceremonies still thrive today—you can even taste handmade chocolate for yourself. Then, take a dip in a local waterfall before returning to your hotel.

Combine two popular activities in one on this guided tour. First, visit Santa Rosa National Park and learn about this tropical dry forest and the wildlife and plant life that call it home. Following that, head to a local restaurant for lunch, and then stop in Liberia for a tour of the city and to shop for souvenirs.

San Jose is the cultural capital of Costa Rica and boasts a rich and varied history. Get acquainted with the city’s charms on a private tour, featuring a customizable itinerary of must-see attractions and private transportation through the city’s maze of trafficked avenues.

Don’t sleep on this capital of culture, architecture, and food when you’re visiting Costa Rica. On this tour, follow your local guide across the city’s best parks, cafes, local hangouts, iconic landmarks, and more, discovering what makes San Jose the colorful heart of the country. You’ll end in the picturesque Barrio Escalante, one of the city’s best ‘hoods, with a long list of reason to stay longer in San Jose.

This tour is the opportunity to understand the dynamics of the forest through birds, learning to identify them by their flight, singing, behavior and physical characteristics. This interaction with nature enriches the experience, making it more entertaining, formative and meaningful for the traveler. Each observation brings a deeper connection to the ecosystem, transforming the journey into an authentic and memorable memory.

Get a deeper dive into Costa Rica’s capital city on this epic walking tour. Across a thorough half day, you’ll follow your bilingual guide across a dozen-plus San Jose icons, from Teatro Nacional Costa Rica to Casa Amarilla to Central Market (Mercado Central) and beyond. You’ll get a local’s understanding of the city’s history, art, and architecture, plus tips and tricks to help you fall in love with San Jose.

Climbing the tallest volcano in Costa Rica need not be daunting; keep it easy with this guided tour to Irazu Volcano from San Jose. Join this guided tour to the summit of the volcano, an easy hike after the scenic drive, and take your time at the top admiring the views. This tour includes round-trip transportation from San Jose as well as all entrance fees.

Discover the unique, original way of how medicinal ceremonies are presented in the BriBri culture. This will take place in the home or the shaman and here you´ll see how the medicinal plants are used. He will explain where every plant is helpful for and how this is used to heal someone. After the ceremony you´ll see the process of making cacao and enjoy an traditional meal. To end this extraordinary experience you´ll have a hike to the waterfall and have a refreshing swim.