Things to do in Costa Rica
The top attractions and places to visit in Costa Rica, by how many Wikipedias have an article about them: Stone spheres of Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio National Park and Corcovado National Park, and 37 more across the country.
- 40places to see
Top attractions in Costa Rica
Landmarks and monuments
Stone spheres of Costa RicaWorld HeritageArchaeological site · On the map
Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage SiteWorld HeritageLandmark · On the map
Guayabo National MonumentArchaeological site · Turrialba · On the map
National Theatre of Costa RicaTheatre or opera house · San José, Costa Rica · On the map
Parks, gardens and zoos
Manuel Antonio National ParkPark · On the map
Corcovado National ParkPark · On the map
Tortuguero National ParkPark · On the map
Arenal Volcano National ParkPark · On the map
Carara National ParkPark · Esparza · On the map
Braulio Carrillo National ParkPark · San José, Costa Rica · On the map
Poás Volcano National ParkPark · Alajuela · On the map
Tenorio Volcano National ParkPark · Cañas · On the map
Santa Rosa National ParkPark · On the map- Guanacaste National ParkPark · Liberia · On the map
Chirripó National ParkPark · San Isidro, San José · On the map- Rincón de la Vieja National ParkPark · Liberia · On the map
Palo Verde National ParkPark · Liberia · On the map
Barra Honda National ParkPark · Nicoya · On the map
Cahuita National ParkPark · On the map
Las Baulas National Marine ParkPark · On the map
La Cangreja National ParkPark · San Rafael Abajo · On the map
Tapantí National ParkPark · Paraíso, Cartago Province · On the map
Marino Ballena National ParkPark · On the map
Barbilla National ParkPark · Siquirres · On the map
Turrialba Volcano National ParkPark · Turrialba · On the map
Los Quetzales National ParkPark · Paraíso, Cartago Province · On the map
Irazú Volcano National ParkPark · San José, Costa Rica · On the map
Lankester Botanical GardenGarden · Paraíso, Cartago Province · On the map- La Sabana Metropolitan ParkPark · San José, Costa Rica · On the map
- Juan Castro Blanco National ParkPark · Quesada · On the map
Parque Zoológico Nacional Simón BolívarZoo or aquarium · San José, Costa Rica · On the map
Piedras Blancas National ParkPark · On the map- Diriá National ParkPark · Nicoya · On the map
Museums
National Museum of Costa RicaSan José, Costa Rica · On the map
Pre-Columbian Gold MuseumSan José, Costa Rica · On the map
Costa Rican Museum of ArtSan José, Costa Rica · On the map
Churches, mosques and temples
Nuestra Señora de los ÁngelesTemple or shrine · Cartago, Cartago Province · On the map- San José Costa Rica TempleTemple or shrine · Alajuela · On the map
Castles, palaces and cathedrals
Metropolitan Cathedral of San JoséCathedral · San José, Costa Rica · On the map
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, PuntarenasCathedral · Puntarenas · On the map
Photo credits
- Stone spheres of Costa Rica: Axxis10, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Manuel Antonio National Park: Hanay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Corcovado National Park: José R., CC BY 3.0
- Area de Conservación Guanacaste World Heritage Site: [2], CC BY-SA 2.0
- Tortuguero National Park: Lars0001, Public domain
- Arenal Volcano National Park: Grez, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Carara National Park: Jesi, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Museum of Costa Rica: Fespinozalemistre, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Braulio Carrillo National Park: Nulldevice, GFDL
- Poás Volcano National Park: Peter Andersen, CC BY 2.5
- Guayabo National Monument: Lutz Maertens, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tenorio Volcano National Park: Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Rosa National Park: Geoff Gallice, CC BY 2.0
- Guanacaste National Park: [2], CC BY-SA 2.0
- Chirripó National Park: Peter Andersen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rincón de la Vieja National Park: [2], CC BY-SA 2.0
- Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles: Bernard Gagnon, CC0
- Palo Verde National Park: Debivort, GFDL
- Barra Honda National Park: Shamhain, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Metropolitan Cathedral of San José: Andy Rusch, CC BY 2.0
- Cahuita National Park: Haakon S., CC BY-SA 3.0
- Las Baulas National Marine Park: Mariordo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- National Theatre of Costa Rica: Mariordo ((Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz), CC BY-SA 4.0
- La Cangreja National Park: Ricardo Calvo Aguilar, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tapantí National Park: Mardochaios, Public domain
- Marino Ballena National Park: Jorge Antonio Leoni de León, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Barbilla National Park: Natox, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Turrialba Volcano National Park: Fbolanos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Los Quetzales National Park: Frank Vassen, CC BY 2.0
- Irazú Volcano National Park: Rafael Golan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lankester Botanical Garden: Diegobogarin, Public domain
- Pre-Columbian Gold Museum: Puroticorico, CC BY 2.0
- Parque Zoológico Nacional Simón Bolívar: Rodtico21, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Piedras Blancas National Park: Central Intelligence Agency, Public domain
- Costa Rican Museum of Art: Rodtico21, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral, Puntarenas: Rodtico21, CC BY-SA 3.0
Pictures from Wikimedia Commons, through each place’s Wikidata entry.
Good to know
- The list comes from Wikidata (CC0): museums, castles, palaces, cathedrals, parks, gardens, zoos, squares, monuments and other landmarks with their own articles in at least three Wikipedias, the best known first.
- Each place counts for the city it lies closest to by size and distance; the country lists its best known.
- There are no opening hours, tickets or pictures here: the Wikipedia article for each has them.