City Of Alajuela
The city of Alajuela counts with many old buildings well preserved. Some of them near the Central Park.
When you arrive in Costa Rica through Juan Santamaria Airport, you are greeted with this message: Welcome to San José.
But in reality, you are in Alajuela, Costa Rica’s second most important city. The city center is just 1 kilometer from the airport, where some surprises await you.
After finishing your tour of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, or Panama with us, if you have some time before your flight home, Alajuela could be a good place to visit for a few hours.
I would like to tell you about the city and some of its attractions. The map below will serve as a guide to the places mentioned in the article.
The Juan Santamaria Museum
In the center of the city is a fort that briefly served as a military barracks during the 19th century. It later became a command post and then a museum. For a short period of time, it was a school, before returning to being a museum, which it remains to this day.
The first floor is entirely dedicated to the history of the war against the filibusters between 1856 and 1857. The exhibits explain the context in which the American invasion took place and the subsequent Central American counterattack.
Other exhibits contain weapons, clothing, and other equipment used during the war.
The second floor is used to exhibit pieces by artists from Alajuela and Costa Rica in general.
There are guided tours to the roof where you can see the park and part of the city of Alajuela.
Admission is free and the museum is open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Sunday.
