The town of Alajuela is strategically located on the way to the Pacific coast and only a few minutes away from the International Airport. Even though it is Costa Rica second biggest city, Alajuela retain a small town feel rich in local traditions. The town offers nicely kept parks to relax as well as interesting sites to wander around such as the town´s central market where fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and all kink of knick-knacks can be found.

Highlights

Zoo Ave
This beautiful park and zoo is home to over 100 different species of native birds and also to the four varieties of monkeys found in Costa Rica. This zoo is set up in a way in which their inhabitants roam freely in their designated areas and allowing visitors to get a close look of their environment and behavior.  The zoo captive breeding program, which emphasizes the procreation and re-introduction of endangered species, as well as their rescue center are extremely important to the local ecosystem.

Poas Volcano
Being one of the most developed National Parks in Costa Rica, the Poas Volcano offers as well one of the most impressive views in the country. Visitors may observe sulfur pools bubble and smoke rises from the main basin while exploring the well kept trails. The area is home to a dwarf cloud forest and two impressive craters, one of them of 400 meter-diameter and still active and another which holds a beautiful jade colored lake.

Butterfly Farm
The Butterfly Farm located in Alajuela is an interesting site to visit for an educational experience. Over 60 native species of butterflies wander freely in an enclosed environment. Local guides assist visitors and explain every step in the butterfly´s complex and interesting life cycle. This farm is the first commercial butterfly endeavor in Latin America. Millions of multicolored butterflies are bred and grown in this farm and more than 30,000 pupae are exported to zoos around the world.