Whether you are visiting or live in Costa Rica, most
people spend at least some time in the capital city of San Jose in the
Central Valley area.
Many visit the San Jose
downtown sites and are then looking for nearby places to visit for half
or full-day trips. Most popularly mentioned ideas based on their
relatively close geographic proximity to San Jose can still be several
hours in travel time due to Costa Rica's terrain, roads and traffic.
Examples: Poás Volcano is 1.5 hours away, Arenal Volcano is 4 hours
away, La Paz Waterfall is 1.5 hours, etc., etc.
A closer and no less interesting destination is San Jose's neighboring city ... Cartago.
Costa Rica's San Jose Central Valley - view from Eastern mountains
Cartago
is the former capital of Costa Rica separated from San Jose by the
small mountain range called "Cerros de la Carpintera" which runs from
north to south dividing the Central Valley into two sections.
Cartago
sits in the eastern section of the Central Valley referred to as the
Eastern Valley or "Valle del Guarco" with its own weather and
ecosystems influenced by the Caribbean coast weather (as opposed to San
Jose's pacific coast weather influence). It can literally be a
cloudy/rainy day in San Jose while just over the hill Cartago is having
a beautiful day of sunshine.
La Municipalidad de Cartago
is located in the Cartago Province at the base of the Irazú Volcano, 22
kilometers from the capital of San Jose. Cartago is only a 30 minute
drive via the Pan American Highway during non-peak driving hours (1+
hours during weekday morning or afternoon rush hours). The city was
granted a coat of arms by King Philip II of Spain in 1565 and the title
of Muy Noble y Muy Leal ("Most Noble and Most Loyal") by the Spanish
Parliament in 1814.
Cartago Valley farms - main crops: potatoes, onions, milk and orchids
Cartago is a clean, well maintained hub of Costa Rica economic and social activity. Of particular interest to visitors are the Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol "ruins" and the Catholic Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles church.
Located across a historic cobble-stone street from Cartago's central park are the "ruins" of the former main church of Cartago; the "parroquia" of Santiago Apóstol Parish. Since the 16th century this site has been a temple, with all previous buildings destroyed by earthquakes.
The
current "ruins" are not real ruins but an unfinished building where
construction was started in 1870 but stopped in 1910 after the
structure was badly damaged by a final earthquake.
Cartago Parroquia of Santiago Apóstol Parish "ruins"
Six blocks east of the "ruins" is the Catholic Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles
church. The Básilica was originally built in 1639 and was partially
destroyed by an earthquake. The basilica has since been restored and
constitutes a unique mix of colonial architecture as well as 19th
century Byzantine style.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles - Cartago, Costa Rica 
The
Básilica is the destination of an annual August pilgrimage and
visitation by about 1.5 million believers throughout the country - many
of whom join in the celebrated 22 kilometer walk to the basilica during
the Romería. Some even complete their entire journey on their hands and
knees as a demonstration of their piety.
Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles - Cartago, Costa Rica
Many
Costarricenses commute daily between Cartago and San Jose via the
frequent and inexpensive local bus service. A taxi ride might be around
$30.00 each way (pre-negotiate for a better price).
If
planning to see both the Irazu Volcano and Cartago, it is recommended
that the volcano be visited early in the morning before the clouds
roll-in. After visiting the volcano be sure to enjoy the sights of
Cartago!