Sidebar #67 - Heredia Province

I saved Heredia for the final provincial sidebar, because if I’m being honest, it’s the province in which I have the least familiarity. Heredia lies directly north and to the northeast of San Jose and extends north until the Nicaraguan border. Its capital is the namesake city of Heredia, which is one of Costa Rica’s most historic and colonial cities. Because of its history, architecture, and accessibility, Heredia city tends to be one of the most popular study abroad destinations for students coming to Costa Rica to learn Spanish. (Heredia is where my parents were based for a couple of weeks while they came to Costa Rica to visit me and take Spanish lessons.) The Fort in Heredia city, El Fortín, is one of the country’s national landmarks. One of the recent champions of Costa Rica’s domestic soccer league, Club Sport Herediano, calls Heredia home. Outside of Heredia city, there aren’t too many major tourist destinations. However, the Britt Coffee Farm and Cafe in Barva is an especially popular stop. Some more intrepid eco-tourists travel to the Sarapiqui region further north in Heredia province to experience jungle biodiversity, although that is a pocket of the country I haven’t been to yet.