About Costa Rica:
With Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, Costa Rica has coastlines on both the Caribbean and Pacific. There are 631 miles of coastline on the Pacific side and 132 miles of coastline on the Caribbean side. Known for its natural geographic attractions of beaches, volcanoes and jungles, Costa Rica is a popular tourist destination.
In geographic size, Costa Rica is about 19,00 square miles….roughly the size of West Virginia or the country of Denmark. Costa Rica may be a small country, but it actually has 14 different main regions, each with its own geography and culture. Almost 75% of the land is protected jungle, with natural parks offering visitors glimpses of a variety of wildlife including spider monkeys, sloths, macaws and quetzal birds. In addition, the beaches offer popular tourist spots and views of sea turtles among the beautiful scenery.
It is also a stable democracy in an area not always considered so.
Catholicism arrived here in the 16th century through the Spanish explorers, and you can see the architecture of that time everywhere. As a result of the Spanish explorers, Catholicism is the dominant religion in the country.
Catholic places of interest in Costa Rica:
Cartago: Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels housing the Black Madonna (La Negrita)
San Jose: Capital city with magnificent Churches
Tamarindo: Saint Mary’s Catholic Church
Traveling to Costa Rica:
There are two international airports in Costa Rica: the capital city of San Jose (SJO) as well as Liberia (LIR) in northern Costa Rica. Most major airlines offer direct flights from many countries to either of these airports.
As you might expect, Costa Rica is a popular cruise port of call for many cruise lines, with three major cruise ship ports: Puntarenas (Pacific), Puerto Caldera (Pacific) and Puerto Limón (Caribbean).
Sun lovers may wish to avoid Costa Rica during the rainy season (September, October and November), when it rains almost every day…..well, you don’t get those lush jungles without some rain!
