Sarchí
December 14 the 2024
A town of world-class artists and artisans for being the “Cradle of Costa Rican Crafts”
Sarchí is located between coffee and sugar cane fields, located in the province of Alajuela, hidden from the main roads between the city of Grecia and the city of Naranjo. A community surrounded by art, color, and beautiful traditions. Exploring Sarchí is exploring is experiencing the authenticity of Costa Rican rural lifedecorated with thousands of colors. It is a town of friendly, hard-working people, artisans, and experts in the brush and wood. Its enormous “Typical Costa Rican Cart” located in the central park of Sarchí in front of the Church, is “The largest Cart in the world” that shows the endearing love of art. This impressive community is a popular destination to experience Costa Rican art live, and tourists are often seen wandering this small town throughout the day. This town of generations of artisans is recognized throughout the country for creating the most beautiful wooden furniture, handicrafts, and more. One of the most popular and traditional creations is the “oxcarts”, painted by hand where the shape and color symbolize the feeling of the Costa Rican. The tradition of the herdsman and the cart was proclaimed by UNESCO, Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, 2005.
The name Sarchí has its origins in the indigenous people of the Huetar de Occidente kingdom, who called these lands “Sarxhí”, which means “open field” and was granted in 1949. Sarchí has an area of 120.25 km² and is divided into 5 districts. with a population of 6912 inhabitants. The city is located at an altitude of 1,000 meters above sea level and is located on the slopes of the Cordillera Central on the eastern edge of the Central Valley. The temperature is very pleasant, it ranges between 19ºC and 22ºC. The territory that surrounds Sarchí is rural, surrounded by nature, beautiful mountain views and sparsely populated.
WHAT TO LOVE
A relaxed lifestyle
Good weather all year
Color, art, and tradition
LOCAL LIFESTYLE
Sarchí offers you a quiet environment, surrounded by natural beauty, with a wide variety of outdoor and cultural activities. Here, residents find a peaceful environment for relaxed small-town living, away from the hustle and bustle of larger cities. The city is surrounded by beautiful mountains and vegetation, perfect for hiking and biking.
GASTRONOMY, ENTERTAINMENT, AND SHOPPING
With its fantastic selection of restaurants, Sarchi prepares residents for traditional cuisine every time they enter a restaurant. At La Finca Restaurant, customers are faced with an impressive menu of Costa Ricandishes in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Alto Palomo restaurant offers impressive views and varied dishes such as “chifrijo”, “olla de carne” and more.
The variety of shops and restaurants in this town of artisans embraces betrayals, where visitors can enjoy browsing the souvenirs while wandering through the picturesque streets of Sarchí.
THINGS TO DO
There are many things to do in Sarchí, whether it’s a relaxing fun afternoon shopping for handicrafts or having a fantastic picnic with friends and family at the Else Kientzler Botanical Garden, it’s 7 acres of tropical gardens, it’s a perfect day for a walk and they’re also pet friendly.
Fábrica de Carretas Eloy Alfaro, offers incredible guided tours of how the oxcarts are made, and how they are decorated through the canvas of local artists in “freehand painting” while you tour the store with multiple accessories and emblematic crafts of the area.
In front of Central Park, to the church of Sarchí Norte, you can enjoy going around the park enjoying ice cream or taking pictures with the largest cart in the world.
Bajos del Toro is home to numerous places to visit four strategic stops
Río Agrio- Waterfall
Caída del Cielo- Waterfall
Tesoro Escondido- Waterfall
Pozas Celestes
Enthusiasts who love to walk, and enjoy nature and outdoor activities.