Hilly San Vito stands 980m above sea level, offering a respite from the humid southern heat with its mild days and cool nights. When Italian settlers arrived here late in the Industrial Revolution, they carved this town out of the woods and established the coffee plantations that still comprise most of its economy. After clearing one of the area’s defining landmarks—a massive, 55m ceibo tree that they feared would cause damage if it fell on its own—they planned their new town around its remains. Today, there is a cultural center on the tree’s roots and the town’s most upscale hotel is named in its memory. A convenient base for exploring the Wilson Botanical Gardens or Parque Internacional La Amistad, San Vito is still home to 20 of the original founding Italian families, and the Italian flavor of its cuisine is one of its most distinctive highlights.
Buses to San José run through San Isidro with stops (6hr.; 7:30, 10am, 3pm; ¢4965) and direct (5am, ¢5150), departing from the TRACOPA terminal (☎2773 3410), located 300m north of the park on the main street. Additional buses to San Isidro run at 6:45am and 1:30pm (3hr., ¢2895). Buses to Ciudad Neily stop on the south side of the park and at the covered stop across from the Banco de Costa Rica (2hr.; 5:30, 7:30, 9, 11am, 2, 5pm). Cepul (☎2773 3848) buses to Santa Elena and other nearby towns leave from the terminal next to the Red Cross. Most buses also stop on the corner across from the museum to pick up their passengers before leaving town—just look for the signs. Taxis line up on the uphill (northern) edge of the park (☎2773 2929).
Marked by the parque central, the town center proudly displays the fuente de fraternidad (fountain of fraternity), which symbolizes the enduring friendship between Costa Rica and Italy. The Centro Cultural faces the park and is located on the main street, Calle Dante Alighieri, which leads uphill to the Wilson Botanical Gardens and downhill to the TRACOPA bus station and post office.
Automercado BM, tucked into the corner of a small roundabout near La Panadería Flor, is the most convenient grocery store in town. (☎2773 3525. Open M-Sa 7am-8pm, Su 7am-7pm.) Their additional location near the gas station has a slightly larger selection (☎2773 3855).
Centro Cultural Dante Alighieri. The center has a small classroom and museum dedicated to the town’s Italian heritage. Housed in a beautiful wooden building, black-and-white photographs document the arrival of early settlers, the towering ceibo tree they felled, and even their first marriage ceremonies. A side room contains Italian periodicals and reference books, along with a sizeable collection of Italian videos. The center also offers Italian classes for all ability levels. Classes cost ¢6000 per month or ¢12,000 per quarter including books and materials. (☎2773 4935; fax 2773 3570. Open M-F 1-7pm. Free.)
Finca Cántaros. 2km outside town, features 10 hectares of trails and a lagoon full of birds. Picnic tables under a ranchito are convenient for family outings, and the lookout presents a panoramic view of red-roofed San Vito. The lodge has a children’s library and a craftwork store selling indigenous artesania from the Boruca and Guaymi, as well as pieces by Panamanian artists. You can also camp for US$5 per person. ( The finca is reachable by taxi for ¢11,100, by foot uphill about 1hr., or by any bus headed to the Wilson Botanical Gardens (daily 6, 6:30, 9, 9:30am, 2, 3, 4, 6pm) from the stop in front of Banco Costa Rica; ¢200. ☎2773 3760. Park ¢500, ages 6-12 ¢250, ages under 6 free. Open daily 9am-5pm. If the lodge door is shut, just knock.)
The gardens are located 6km south of San Vito. Buses headed to Neily from the stop opposite the Banco de Costa Rica can drop people off at the gardens (10min.; 6, 6:30, 9, 9:30am, 2, 3, 4, 6pm; ¢300). Buses headed back to San Vito pass by the covered bus stop outside the park entrance (5:30, 7:30, 8:45, 10:30am, 12:15, 2:30, 4:15, 4:30, 7pm). Some people walk (2-3hr.) or take a taxi (¢2700). ☎2773 4004, reservations 2524 0628; www.ots.ac.cr. or www.esintro.co.cr. US$8. Open daily 8am-5pm.
Founded in 1963 by tropical plant-lovers Robert and Catherine Wilson, the botanical gardens’ 30 acres overflow with a mind-boggling variety of plants from around the world and countless native animals. There are over 700 species of palms alone, the second-largest collection in the world. International biologists and botanists spend months here, though the park’s self-guided trails make it accessible to the casual visitor as well. In addition, the gardens recently purchased over 250 hectares of former finca (farm) for the purpose of reforestation, which is viewable on either of two Jungle Trails (20 or 40min.) Most trails and tours in the area should take 2hr., but one could easily spend all day meandering throughout the beautifully-landscaped garden and adjacent rainforest. The Natural History Trail is the best way to see the most of what the garden has to offer in the shortest amount of time. The trail makes a large loop around the gardens and features violet bananas, colossal bamboo shoots, and the entertaining “marimba palm.” Rub a stick along its spines to watch it dance. You can also follow trails like the Palm Tour, which shows off an astounding array of different kinds of palms: palms “ridged,” “stemmed,” “fringed,” or “laced.” Check out the Orchid Tour, the Hummingbird Tour, and the Anthurium Trail, designed by famous Brazilian landscaper Roberto Burle Marx, a Picasso disciple. His creation is a maze-like path that loops back onto itself at unexpected moments, winding between vistas and nooks. The longer Río Java and Primary Forest (2-3hr.) trails lead across several creeks and through stunning secondary forest, but access to these trails is limited to overnight guests only. The garden provides overnighters with walking sticks and rubber boots.
Maps of the hikes are included with entrance fee, but more detailed tour books are available at the entrance shop; the most broad-based is the Natural History Tour Guidebook (¢2500). For a more in-depth look, 2hr. guided tours are offered daily at 8am and 1:30pm. Call ahead for reservations. (☎2773 4004. US$18 per person.) Reserve a spot before 10am if you want to eat in the garden’s dining room with resident scientists and students (US$12 per person). Comfortable cabinas are also available on-site for those who want to explore the gardens at greater length. (Singles US$86; doubles US$82 per person; US$72 for each additional person. All meals included.)
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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