Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
On the eastern end of town you'll find the typical
Restaurant La Trocha del Boyero
(
2446-0533; casados US$9, mains US$9-15;
11:30am-8:30pm Thu-Tue;
)
.
Tico families and local expats pour onto the pleasant outdoor deck on weekends for beef
(the house specialty), sea bass, snapper, shrimp and heaping bowls of
chifrijo
(rice and
beans with fried pork, corn chips and fresh tomato salsa). It's located just off the main road
to Alajuela, 300m east of the gas station, and 100m to the south. Look for a sign at the
turnoff.
Only five minutes west of town (and straight up!),
Vista Atenas B&B
( 2446-4272, in
USA & Canada 209-257-4908;
www.vistaatenas.com
; r incl breakfast US$65-85, cabina/casita without
breakfast US$75/95; )
is a bright and peaceful hillside oasis whose mix of comfy
rooms and self-catering cabins is enhanced by spectacular valley views from the
swimming-pool terrace. Belgian owner Vera has lovingly enhanced the property with eco-
friendly touches including solar-pumped and -heated spring water. Multilingual Tico man-
ager Jonathan goes out of his way to make guests feel welcome.
Half-hourly buses run to Atenas from Alajuela (US$1.40, 45 minutes) and San José
(US$1.95, 1¼ hours) throughout the day. The area is quite spread out, however, and best
navigated by car.
Northwest to Sarchí
To the northwest of Alajuela, the carefully cultivated hills are home to the picturesque ag-
ricultural towns of Grecia (22km), Sarchí (29km), Naranjo (35km) and Zarcero (52km) -
among others - many of which are popular weekend getaways for
josefinos
in search of
fresh mountain air.
