San Ramón Overview

San Ramón, 13km west of Sarchí, feels infused with the humanistic spirit that made it “the city of presidents and poets.” On Sundays, families relax in the tranquil parque after services at the large, elegant town church, which was rebuilt after the earthquake of 1924. Placards throughout the town mark the birthplaces of great political and literary figures—among them five former presidents, and costumbrista poets like Lisímaco Chavarría Palma and Féliz Ángel Salas Cabezas. The town’s role in the fight for democracy, education, culture, and the rights of the poor in Costa Rica is memorialized in its museum. With a population of over 10,000, San Ramón outdoes the nearby smaller towns with a plethora of affordable, comfortable accommodations and tasty restaurants.

Buses fill up quickly in San Ramón. To get a seat, arrive at least 15 minutes early at the terminal and get in line. Be prepared to wait, however, since buses are known to be late. Buses arrive at the station northwest of the parque; the church is on the parque ’s eastern side. Buses depart from the terminal 100m north and 175m west of the northwest corner of the parque (☎2445 7225) for Puntarenas (1hr., 12 per day 5:15am-11:30pm, ¢785) and San José via Alajuela (1hr.; M-F 13 per day 4:30am-10:15pm, Sa-Su and holidays 11 per day 4:30am-10:15pm; ¢865). Regional buses leave from the station that runs through the block northwest of the parque to: Fortuna (2hr.; 5:30, 9am, 12:30, 4pm; ¢1450); Naranjo (25min.; 5, 6am, every 20min. 7am-6pm, every hr. 6-10pm; ¢320); Palmares (20min.; every 15-30min. 6am-6pm, every 30min. 6-10pm; ¢170); Zarcero (1hr.; 7 per day 5:55am-5:30pm; ¢450). The main taxi stand is on the west side of the parque, but another is located in front of the market’s main entrance.

Practical Information

• Banks: There are several additional banks on the northeast corner of the church.
• • Banco Nacional (☎2445 7500), 100m south of the church, exchanges currency and has a 24hr. ATM. Open M-F 8:30am-3:45pm.
  • Mutual Alajuela, 100m south of the church, has an ATM that accepts MC/V/Cirrus/Plus. Open M-F 8am-5pm, Sa 8am-noon.
  • Coopesanramon Bank (☎2245 5525), on the south side of the church, has an ATM that accepts MC/V/Cirrus/Plus. Open M-F 8am-5pm, Sa 8-11:30am.
  • Palí, 150m north of the northwest corner of the parque, has a Western Union at the Servimas counter and an ATM. Open M-Th 9:30am-1pm and 2-6:30pm, F-Sa 10am-1:30pm and 2:30-7:30pm, Su 9am-noon and 1-5pm.
• Police: The police station is located 600m north of the northwest corner of the parque (☎2445 6872, emergencies 911).
• Pharmacy: Farmacia Catedral, at the northwest corner of the parque, has a great selection and friendly service. (☎2447 4107. Open daily 8am-8pm. AmEx/MC/V/US$/¢.) The pharmacy Botica El Pueblo is across from the northeast corner of the church. (☎2445 7131. Open daily 8am-10pm. AmEx/MC/V/US$/¢.)
• Hosptial: Hospital Carlos Luis Valverde Vega (☎2443 5388), 500m north of the parque. Open 24hr.
• Internet Access: The area southwest of the parque is packed with Internet cafes.
• • Space Tech (☎2447 9060), 25m west of the post office and tucked away at the back of a small shopping gallery, offers plenty of fast computers. ¢450 per hr. Open daily 8am-10pm.
  • Compuline (☎2447 1834), on the corner opposite the post office to the north, has a number of computers and is open late. ¢450 per hr. Open daily 10am-1am.
  • Cybernet (☎2447 9181), 100m east of the post office, is slightly cheaper. ¢300 per hr. Open M-F 8am-10pm, Sa 10am-8pm, Su noon-8pm.
• Post Office: The post office is 100m south and 100m west of the parque. (☎2445 7606. Open M-F 8am-noon and 1-5:30pm.) Postal Code: 4250.

Accommodations

• Hotel la Posada (☎2445 7359 or 2447 3131; www.posadahotel.net), 400m north and 50m west of the east side of the church. The best hotel in town, by far. The Polynesian-meets-Victorian-style reception area is full of antique tico furniture, rustic cooking instruments, and tropical plants. Most rooms open onto a common area, and all come with private bath, TV, full mirror, and fridge. Free Internet. Breakfast included. 24hr. reception. Night guard. Singles US$35; doubles US$50; suites US$60.
• Angel Valley Farm Bed & Breakfast (☎2456 4084 or 8350 7647; www.angelvalleyfarmbandb.com), located 200m north and 500m east of the church in Los Angeles. Although it’s a 10min. drive from town, this cozy B&B is the most comfortable option in the area. Guests enjoy free horseback riding, mountain biking, and a sitting area with satellite TV. Thoughtful details include shower radios and fresh flowers. There are 6 rooms, some with private baths. Airport pickup US$45. Ask about discounts for longer stays. The entire house is available for weekly rent during low season. High season singles US$40, low season US$35; doubles US$60/50. US$/¢.
• Hotel San Ramón (☎2447 2042), 300m west and 25m south of the northwest corner of the parque. Modestly furnished, spacious rooms come with cable TV and baths. With many affordable rooms, the hotel is popular with large groups and tends to fill up in advance, so call ahead to make reservations. 24hr. reception. Rooms ¢8500.
• Gran Hotel (☎2445 6363), 100m south and 250m west of the parque. Offers the most affordable accommodations in town. Basic rooms overlook central courtyard. Singles US$6, with bath US$10; triples US$15. US$/¢.

Food

The mercado, one block north of the parque, is busiest on Friday and Saturday (open M-Sa 7am-6pm). Palí is 150m north of the northwest corner of the parque and has a Western Union and an ATM inside (☎2445 6591; open M-Th 8am-7pm, F-Sa 7:30am-8pm, Su 8am-6pm). Supermercado Perimercados is on the northeast corner of the church (☎2445 4115; open M-Sa 7am-10pm, Su 7am-9pm). Four hundred fifty meters north of the west side of the church, SuperFinca sells fruits and vegetables only, but has a wider selection than either of the supermarkets. (☎2445 1071. Open M-Sa 7am-8pm.)

• Café Delicias (☎2445 59455), 200m west and 100m south of the southwest corner of the parque. Starbucks is in big trouble. This bright little cafe serves perfectly blended coffee drinks (¢500-1000), tasty sandwiches (¢1000-2000), and scandalously sweet desserts (¢800-1250) that will keep you coming back. Try one of the exquisitely put-together bocadillos (¢350-800), and do not miss the unforgettable frozen cafe delicias (¢1100). Other locations in Alajuela and Grecia. Open daily 8am-7pm. V/US$/¢.
• D’Leña (☎2447 6803), 1.5km north of the church, just past the gas station on the main road. The spit turning in the front window gives away D’Leña’s specialty, succulent rotisseried chicken (¢1950), but the salads (¢2000-2200) and corvina (¢2450) are delicious as well. Open daily 11am-1am. MC/V/US$/¢.
• Mi Casita (☎2447 6512), 550m north of the west side of the church. Has a plain storefront, and the menu begins with comida típica ( casados ¢1300-1500), but don’t be deceived; this homey restaurant is pure Italian at heart. The menu offers 15 types of pasta, from one made with carrot, zucchini, and cauliflower (¢1850) to spaghetti served with squid and shrimp (¢2500). The house specialties, veal scallopine (¢2000) and chicken milanese (¢2200), are worth having as well. Open daily 6am-6pm.
• El Buho (☎2445 5945), 100m south and 50m west of the church due west of the south side of the parque central. Popular with university students for its reasonable prices, friendly owners, and patio decorated with palm fronds. Take advantage of the diverse bocas menu to sample ceviche, ajillo, chicarrones, chicken, and a variety of other tasty dishes (¢1000-1200). Casados ¢1800. Plates with rice ¢2000-2500. Open M-Th 11am-11pm, F-Su 11am-midnight. V/US$/¢.
• Aroma’s Café (☎2447 1414), 100m west and 50m south of the southwest corner of the parque. A cozy, chic coffee shop. Plush couches and hanging plants give this bohemian retreat a cheerful atmosphere. A wide variety of espresso drinks (¢550-1000), light snacks (¢600-1500), and desserts (¢450-1000) will tempt you to stay all afternoon. Lasagna (¢2200), salads (¢1800-200), and sandwiches (¢1700) make for heartier meals. Open M-Sa 8:30am-7pm, Su noon-7pm. MC/V/US$/¢.
• Soda La Paquereña (☎2447 1364), 200m west and 75m north of the parque. The dark wood, display of a traditional tico kitchen, and gourds hanging on the wall create a fitting environment for heaping platters of comida típica. Assorted plate ¢4500. Casados ¢1300. Ceviche ¢1200. Open daily 6:30am-6pm. MC/V.
• Restaurante Colinas (☎2445 7348), 50m west of the southwest corner of the parque. This simple, pleasant restaurant has a large, cafeteria-style kitchen in its center with plenty of seating. The menu is limited, but the large portions and appealing prices make it an attractive place to chow down on comida típica. Ceviche ¢1500. Plato del día ¢1800. Filet mignon ¢2800. Open daily 7am-10pm. AmEx/MC/V/US$/¢.

Nightlife

The same building in San Ramón hosts two of the most popular bars in town. One hundred meters south and 100m west of the parque, the Club Centro de Cultura Social opened in 1926. Enjoy bocas (¢500-1000) at one of the many tables or check out photographs of San Ramón over the last century. The Steel Disco Bar caters to a younger crowd that likes to dance the night away to whatever beat is on that night. (☎2445 5014. Cover F-Sa ¢1000. Beer ¢750. Shots ¢800. Open M-F and Su 6pm-2am, Sa 6pm-4am.) In the parking lot of the Plaza Occidental mall, the Berz Bar Discotheque offers a wide variety of themed nights, from mariachi to techno to Hawaiian. (☎2247 6524. Cover ¢2000. Beer ¢900. Mixed drinks ¢1400. Open F-Su 8pm-2am. AmEx/MC/V/US$/¢.)

Sights

The largest building in San Ramón, the Temple Parroquial de San Ramón towers over the parque. The church’s metal frame was designed and built in Germany in 1928, then brought to Costa Rica by ship. Work on the towering church was not completed until 1954. (Open daily. Free.) Just north of the church, the Jose Figueres Ferrer Historic and Cultural Center has a small biographical display about the three-time president of Costa Rica who was born in the building, his family’s long-time home. Ferrer is best-remembered for abolishing the nation’s army and granting suffrage to women. The center also hosts lectures, conferences, and historical and art displays. Schedules of events are available at the reception desk. (www.centrojosefigueres.org. Open M-Sa 10am-7pm. Free.)