Alajuela is a city in Costa Rica. It is a relatively small town thus there is not very much to see in the town itself, but Alajuela is an excellent spot for beginning and ending a trip.
The province of Alajuela is one of the most extensive in the country. It borders to the north with Nicaragua, to the south with the province of San Jose, to the east with the province of Heredia and to the west with the provinces of Guanacaste and Puntarenas.
Its participation in important historical facts has placed it in a seat of honor. The national hero Juan Santamaría, who burned the inn of Rivas in 1856, was born in Alajuela. Alajuela has the reputation of having a good climate, with regard to other provinces located in the central valley; peaple show a very good health because it's warmer than San Jose.
The area often experiences earthquakes; the 2009 6.1Mw earthquake was the strongest to hit the area, causing several landslides.
The main exports are coffee, sugar-cane, corn, beans, tobacco, citrus fruits such as the strawberries; the tubers, like yucca, flowers and ornamental plants. Also the poultry farming is practised (it breeds and taken care of the birds), the beekeeping (breeds and taken care of the bees) the “porcicultura” (breeds and taken care of pigs), and the milk industry.
PLACE TO VISIT
The Central Cathedral - Alajuela's Central Cathedral is the very center of the town as is traditional in colonial Spanish urban planning. The church is pretty, but not a spectacular piece of architecture. In front of the cathedral is the central park which is a nice spot for people watchng and you may get a glimpse of wildlife such as parrots and a sloth that is an elusive resident.
Iglesia La Agonía - Located five blocks east of the Central Cathedral, this landmark church has an ornate Baroque style, even though it was built in 1941.
Juan Santamaría - Alajuela is the hometown to Juan Santamaría, the Costa Rican National Hero. Around the city you can see the location of his home, although now there is just a small palque and garden as the house in long gone. A block south of the Central Park is the Juan Santamaría park with a statue of the hero and a small collection of 1860s era cannons. A block north of the Central Park is the Juan Santamaría Museum, which shows some era pieces explaining the legacy of Juan Santamaría and the 1856 Campaign against the filibusters invaders, who wanted to take control of Central America.
Poas Volcano - Alajuela is the closest major city to the Poas Volcano National Park. The park is a popular desitnation for both foreign and Costa Rican tourists. Poas allows tourists to see into the crater of an active volcano. You can often smell sulfer from the crater while visting the peak. There are many guided tours offered to the volcano through private tour companies or you can catch a daily "tourist" bus provided by the TUASA bus company. The TUASA bus will take you to the top of the volcano and then return you to Alajuela after several hours.
WHAT TO DO
Futbol - Alajuela is home to Liga Deportiva Alajuelense ("La Liga") soccer club. It is a powerhouse in the Costa Rican soccer league and is regularly ends first or second in the Costa Rican First Division. The Morera Soto Stadium is very close to downtown and tickets are usually inexpensive. While the Alajuela crowd will be enthusiastic, Alajuela does not suffer from holiganism, thus taking in a game is appropriate even for single women and families.
HOW TO REACH
Located only 3km from Juan Santamaria International Airport, Alajuela is cheaper and quicker to reach than San Jose. A cab ride into the center of town costs only around US$2, as opposed to US$10-12 to San Jose.
