The Blooming City of Heredia

A friend of mine said “Dude, if you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, make sure you stop by Heredia. It’s A-mazing.” When I asked him why, he winked and said “Oh, you’ll see! Don’t want to ruin the trip now, do we?”

This is why I found myself boarding a bus from San Jose, heading to the said place. At first I was skeptical — what if my friend was pulling my leg all along? But then, he always boasted about having a blast during his vacation in Costa Rica a couple of months ago — so why should I doubt him? Thankfully, Heredia wasn’t that far from San Jose, which calmed my nerves a bit. I was able to fit it easily into my Costa Rica itinerary.

I did my research before I planned the one-day trip. Heredia, one of the most historical cities in Costa Rica, is known as “La Ciudad de las Flores”, which means the “City of Flowers.” The nickname came from things: 1) the amazing flowers that bloom in the city all year round, and 2) the lovely Heredia women, who they say are as lovely as the flowers that bloom in the city. Heredia is the same size as San Jose, but not as hectic — A wonderful relief for a city guy.

As soon as I stepped one foot into the city, I was blown away. It was indeed amazing. I felt as if I’m in San Jose, but a few decades earlier. Heredia had a rustic but modern appeal to it — it’s surrounded by gardens with the most beautiful and colorful blooms (which I found out later, were apparently being exported into the U.S. I’ve probably brought some for one of my many blind dates before), but also looked as modern as other Costa Rican cities. Why, I’ve even seen a number of boutiques and malls that sell European and American products!

My first stop was Parque Central, Heredia’s town center. I had a great time walking around and admiring the old colonial buildings — they are probably as old as the town itself. Now, these quaint looking landmarks are used as government offices, shops and restaurants. The most notable for me is El Fortin, a magnificent colonial tower of an old Spanish fort.

As I was exiting one of the shops, a friendly-looking local came up to me and asked if I’m planning to go to El Monte de la Cruz, to which I responded with a blank look. She laughed, and said, “You must not leave Heredia without going to El Monte, senhor!” Apparently, El Monte is a popular reserve with a gorgeous hiking trail, lined with olive trees, pines, and wild strawberries. When you reach the top, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the city, coffee plantations and all. You will also get to view the Poas Volcano and Barva volcano. I immediately regretted my decision to ditch my trusty hiking boots for comfy loafers.

I spent most of the day walking around the town. The locals are really friendly, and yes, the girls of Heredia are very pretty– always smiling, their eyes bright and their olive skin glowing. So, yes, the second meaning of the town’s nickname is very true!

Before I boarded my bus back to San Jose, I stopped by Heredia’s historic La Imaculada Concepcion, the town’s majestic church. After admiring its beautiful, ancient stained glass paintings I said a little prayer, thanking the Lord for blessing me with a wonderful trip to Costa Rica — and, of course, Heredia!

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