The Town in Costa Rica With Topiary Gardens

If you’re looking for a small, local town to visit in Costa Rica, then Zarcero should be at the top of your list. It’s a charming little town up in the mountains of Alajuela with a fantastic topiary garden and beautiful church.

Whether you pass by Zarcero, take a day trip there or stay a couple nights, here is what you need to know about visiting.

Location

Zarcero map

Zarcero is 49 kilometers (30 miles) from San Jose and about a 1 hour drive.

Directions

By driving: Take Route 1 out of San Jose (from the airport) and exit onto Route 141 to start driving north. The road gets very windy and curvy when you turn onto Route 141 so go slow.

By bus: There is a bus company called Transportes Zarcero that leaves from the Coca-Cola station in San Jose at 915 AM, 1220 PM, 420 PM and 520 PM. This one is direct and takes 1.5 hours. An adult ticket is around 1200 colones (~$2.00)

Zarcero town

Zarcero is a small town in the canton of Zarcero in the Alajuela province with just a little under…