A Week in Costa Rica: San José, Arenal & Guanacaste

Welcome to Costa Rica! Touch down in San Jose and transfer to your hotel. Settle in, then meet some of your groupmates in the evening over a light dinner.

Please note: If you arrive after 9 p.m., dinner will be served in your hotel room.

Today, journey to the 16th-century city of Cartago—the first colonial settlement established on Costa Rican soil. Upon arrival, join your Tour Director for some guided sightseeing.

• Visit the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, a uniquely designed Roman Catholic cathedral that combines both colonial and Byzantine elements. Built in 1639, it predates the founding of Costa Rica by almost 200 years.
• Explore the Santiago Apostol Parish Ruins—a half-completed, 150-year-old church that now anchors a public park—and end with a walk through the bustling Central Market.
• Make your way through the Central Valley, Costa Rica’s stunning heartland, to Irazu Volcano National Park. Then, set off for a leisurely trail walk around its namesake attraction. Called “El Coloso,” or “The Colossus,” by locals, Irazu towers over 11,000 feet above sea level, making it the tallest active volcano in the country.
• Stop at viewing platforms to soak in the beauty of the volcano’s massive main crater and the brilliant green lagoon at its center.

Make the drive back to San Jose and freshen up. Tonight, you’ll keep getting to know your group at a welcome dinner—a folklore-themed outing filled with traditional music, regional dance, and sweeping views of the Costa Rican capital. During the meal, enjoy your choice of beer or rum punch.