Cities of the Central Valley
Alajuela  | Heredia | Escazú | San Jose

Life in Costa Rica revolves around the Central Valley, a small, fertile basin of land virtually surrounded by the the Talamanca and central volcanic ranges. More than two-thirds of the population live here and who can blame them.

Those mountains and volcanoes make a mighty impressive setting, and then there's the weather. At around 3,500 feet above sea level, the Central Valley luxuriates in one of the world's great climates with daytime temperatures in the mid-70s and slightly cooler nights. To feel the full force of the tropical heat, you have to head down the Pacific or Caribbean slopes to the coastal plains or go north to the plains of Guanacaste.

As well as having lots to recommend them in their own right, centrally located San José and its neighboring cities of Escazú, Alajuela and Heredia make great bases for exploring the country, either on organized tours, in a rental car or by air.

Costa Rica's capital will never win any beauty contests. Its architecture is, with a few notable exceptions, bland bordering on ugly. It is noisy and polluted, its streets are potholed and congested. Petty crime like pickpocketing and chain-snatching is a problem that refuses to go away.

So why do so many visitors leave Costa Rica with such fond memories of San José? Generally speaking, it's the josefinos (as the city's residents are known) who help to give the city a character and charm that is not apparent as you negotiate your first traffic jam on the way to your hotel. Where else in the world can you ask a sidewalk merchant for directions to a bus stop and have him leave his stall and walk you three blocks to your bus.

Not everyone's like that, of course, but San José is usually a good introduction to the legendary friendliness of the ticos. It must also be said that San José offers many rewards to those who are willing to brave the bustling sidewalks (watch your step to avoid spraining an ankle on the uneven paving) and check out the sights and sounds of this vibrant city.

You should definitely make an effort to visit some of the museums. Of the "big three", the Jade Museum is an absolute must. The Costa Rican Museum of Art is housed in the control tower of the old airport and contains an excellent collection of 19th and 20th century paintings and sculpture. Various other galleries around the city showcase the country's thriving contemporary art scene.

Sabana Park is to San Jose what Central Park is to New York, Hyde Park is to London. Built on the site of the old airport, this is the city's playground - a place where you can jog or ride a bike, kick a football, throw a frisbee, feed a duck or two or throw down a blanket and feed yourself with a picnic under the eucalyptus trees. A great place to watch ticos just being ticos.

Closer to the city center, there are a number of other parks which, after a lengthy and expensive beautification campaign by city authorities, are now pleasant places to while away a quiet hour or two. The city's hub is the Plaza de la Cultura, a large paved area between central and second avenues which is a magnet for street performers and pigeons. There's plenty to see and do here. The Costa Rican Tourism Institute's main information office is under the plaza, right next to the famed Gold Museum. Nearby, the outdoor tables of the Gran Hotel's Cafe Parisienne are a great place to have a coffee or something to eat and watch the passing scene.

While you're there, wander over and check out the National Theater, San José's loveliest building. Then walk a few blocks north and you are in Barrio Amon, the city's most historic neighborhood where residents and businesses are enthusiastically backing a campaign to restore many of its beautiful Victorian buildings to their turn-of-the-century splendor.

• Alajuela

A lot of visitors to Costa Rica opt to give the bustle of San José a miss and head instead for this smaller city about 25 minutes' drive from the capital and a short hop from the international airport.

Life in this provincial capital, Costa Rica's second city, moves at a more sedate pace than that of its bigger, flashier neighbor and that suits a lot of people just fine. There is a good range of affordable accommodation in and around the city, which is conveniently located for excursions to Poás Volcano National Park, the crafts center of Sarchí, the attractive country towns of Grecia and Atenas and the renowned private cloud forest reserve of Los Angeles. The popular Zoo Ave bird exhibit and the attractive area called La Garita are only minutes away.

The city itself is fames as the birthplace of national hero Juan Santamaria, the little drummer boy who sacrificed his life in the 1856 Battle of Rivas (Nicaragua), helping to bring about a decisive defeat for the North American "adventurer" William Walker.

Not only is the nearby airport named after Alajuela's favorite son, the city also honors him with Juan Santamaria Park (complete with statue), the Juan Santamaria Cultural Historical Museum where you can learn all about the war, and with a boisterous week of celebrations to mark Juan Santamaria Day every April 11.

• Heredia

Costa Ricans call this attractie little city "La Ciudad de los Flores" (the City of Flowers) but don't be surprised if you don't see blooms everywhere. The "flowers" are the local women, reputed to be the loveliest in a country famed for the of its female denizens.

And in a country not famed for its Spanish architecture, Heredia's old adobe houses and the church and other historic buildings facing the pleasant Central Park offer a glimpse of Costa Rica's colonial past.

Heredia sits on the lower slopes of Barva volcano and some of Costa Rica's finest coffee grows in the rich volcanic soil of the surrounding countryside. Just outside the city, the Cafe Britt Coffee Tour has become one of the country's most popular tourist excursions.

A short cab ride from the center of the city in Santo Domingo is the fabulous Joyas del Trópico Húmedo (jewels of the tropics) exhibit - ask the cab driver for the museo de mariposas or butterfly museum - a breathtaking display of more than 50,000 butterflies and bugs that is both educational and just plain great to look at.

• Escazú

Superstitious Costa Ricans (and that's just about all of them) know this the city of the brujas or witches. If you're looking for a love potion, a spell to put on your pushy boss or simply a herbal remedy for whatever ails you, this is the place to come. Dozens of witches still live in Escazú where locals walk home quickly at night for fear of running into such well known phantoms as La Zegua, the beautiful seductress who turns into a horse, and Mico Malo the magic monkey.

Despite its spooky reputation, Escazú has become the city of choice for Costa Rica's expatriate community, particularly North Americans, attracted by the combination of its proximity to the city, its great climate and setting and its tranquil atmosphere. Over the past few years, the number of expensive homes and modern shopping centers has multiplied but the small-town ambiance remains - for the time being at least.

Visitors who prefer bed and breakfasts and small, boutique hotels will find plenty to choose from in Escazú, where it seems every road junction is festooned with at least half a dozen signs pointing to various B&Bs, posadas and inns.