Nicoya
Nicoya is the main town of the Nicoya peninsula, in Guanacaste Costa Rica. It has limited appeal for tourists but is a commercial center with more transportation connections than the small rural and beach towns of the region.
Understand
editNicoya serves as a transport hub to Guanacaste's beaches and national parks. In 2022, the city's population was just over 27,000.
The town was built in an old colonial style, in the Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste. Agriculture and cattle form the backbone of the city's economy, and that of the province which surrounds it.
The center of Nicoya is organized in the traditional Spanish-American pattern, with a central plaza surrounded by streets in a grid pattern aligned north-south and east-west. Unusually, the church is in the northeastern corner of the central plaza, not facing the plaza from a surrounding street, as was the Iberian norm. The church is locally called the templo colonial; local oral history maintains that the church dates from some time between 1522 and 1544, when the parish of Nicoya was founded.
Get in
edit
Costa Rica's Route 21 is the main road serving Nicoya, connecting the city with Liberia 76 km to the north. From the south, Route 21 also connects Nicoya to the rest of Nicoya Peninsula, including Pueblo Viejo (exit to Route 18, and then connecting to Route 1), on the main way to San José 204 km via Route 1.
Nicoya has an airport, but there are no scheduled services.
- 1 Estacion do Autobuses Alfaro (Bus station), Carraterra 150 y Av. 4. Large bus station in rundown building. Large waiting area. Buses to Nosara, Samara, San Jose. Buses are frequently late.
Get around
editSee
edit- 1 Parque Recaredo Briceño Arauz (Nicoya Central Park), Av. 2 y Calle Central. The town square is a pleasant green space with big shade trees, walkways, and a playground for children. Great place to do some people watching.
- 2 Parroquia de San Blas (Colonial church). One of the oldest churches in Costa Rica, established in the 16th century. Stone construction with stucco walls and an interior with heavy beam wood ceiling. Come Sunday morning and attend mass with the locals.
Do
editBuy
edit- 1 Mercado Municipal, Calle 5. M-Sa 8am - 6pm, closed Su. The town's traditional marketplace sells farm-fresh produce, household items, and has some of the town's cheapest sodas, selling traditional Costa Rican food at low prices. Great place for budget travelers to pick up supplies and a cheap meal.
Eat
edit- 1 La Tortilleria, Av. 7, ☏ +506 6199 7780. Daily 6AM-7PM. Fun, friendly casual restaurant with open-air outdoor dining area. Food is typical Costa Rican with large portions. Excellent breakfast with fresh coffee. Dogs allowed on the patio.
- 2 Cuatro Estaciones, 150, ☏ +506 2685 6818. Daily 11AM-11PM. Family-friendly Chinese restaurant known for large portions and tasty food. Locals recommend the house specialties like Rice Kubak or Filet Mignon on a hot plate.
- 3 Marisquieria Kukis, Av. 6, ☏ +506 2686 3313. Daily 11AM-10PM. Friendly, casual seafood restaurant serving whole fried fish, filetes, ceviche, shrimp dishes and huge frozen drinks.
Drink
edit- 1 Bar Caballo Blanco, Av. 3. Daily 11am - 1am. Friendly local bar with occasional live music.
Sleep
editNicoya is not a tourist town and most visitors to the region pass quickly through the peninsula on their way to the region's many beach resorts. Few parks or attractions draw visitors close to Nicoya and most travelers looking for a room are merely passing through late in the day and figure a night in Nicoya is safer than driving Costa Rican roads at night (it is). A few budget hotels are in the town center with motor hotels on the main highway (CA-21).
- 1 Hotel Chorotega, Calle 1, ☏ +506 2661 0998. Probably the cheapest place in town. Clean rooms with fans. Possibility to have a shared or private bathroom. Single shared bath ₡3500, double shared bath ₡6000, double en suite ₡8000, double en suite with TV and AC ₡10,000-12,000, triple en suite with TV and AC ₡15,000-18,000.
- 2 Hotel las Tinajas, Av. 1, ☏ +506 2685 5081. Check-in: 3PM. Samll budget hotel in the city center. Basic rooms are spacious, clean and have air conditioning. Ample secure off-street parking is available.
- 3 Rancho de Sebas, CA-21, ☏ +506 2686 8000. Check-in: 3PM. Moderate budget hotel with small rooms, offers buffet-style breakfast. US$75.
- 4 Hotel Rio Tempisque, del cruce de Nicoya, 1 km hacia Santa Cruz, ☏ +506 2686 6650. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Moderate hotel with large comfortable rooms with air conditioning. Be aware that some rooms do not have hot water, so ask when registering to avoid problems. Ample off-street parking. M$80.
- 5 Hotel Doña Marta, Del cruce de Nicoya, 1km norte, carretera hacia Santa Cruz, ☏ +506 2685 3514. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Moderate hotel with large rooms. Swimming pool and gym on-site. Rates include typical Costa Rican breakfast (i.e., gallo pinto).