The Picturesque Church in Santa Ana Centro.

The best thing that has happened to me in Costa Rica was to start living in Santa Ana. I did not know it so well then, but I had some friends living there and always really liked the place, if only for its warmer and drier climate.

Santa Ana offers the best of both worlds. It is located on the western side of Costa Rica’s capital, the next town down if you are in Escazu. While living here still gives you that feeling of being “far away” from the busy capital, it is actually right in the center of things. Santa Ana is where it is all happening; this is where the most recent real estate boom has chosen to expand. Everyday it seems there is a new mall, condo or housing project in the works.

Since I have been living in Santa Ana, it can be months before I ever need to go to San Jose, it is becoming more of a rarity everyday. Multiplaza is only a few minutes away on the autopista; this is where you can find brand names like Zara, MNG and Guess, the Libreria International, selling a good choice of books in English, French and German, cinemas, fast food restaurants, or anything else you may find in a shopping mall.

Closer, in Lindora there are also small shopping malls, including an AutoMercado supermarket. The variety of restaurants to choose from is better than anywhere else in town, and there is now even a cinema in Via Lindora, the Arte Cine Lindora, right at the back past Libreria Universal, showing alternative avant-garde European movies you would never find in other cinemas, except the Sala Garbo in San Jose centro.

Real Estate Offerings

Santa Ana is certainly the fashionable place to be these days. Apartments and condos like the new Avalon have introduced a new way to live in the country, and Residences like Villa Real, Valle del Sol, or Lindora are where the most exclusive properties in the country are found. Valle del Sol is considered the most exclusive of them all, indeed, it is all luxury, high class and style. With its lakes, parks and golf course, it is like another world.

Overall, Santa Ana offers an interesting choice in housing. You can pay a million dollars if you want to, yet there are still some very humble properties here. Whether you want to rent or buy, you should find what you need and want. You may prefer the valley where it is warmer and drier, or you will maybe find yourself something up in the mountains, which comes complete with a sunset and even a view of the ocean, on bright days, if you are high enough.

Local Flair

Despite the real estate boom, Santa Ana itself has not changed so much. The feeling of walking in a provincial little cowboy town is still very much there, little wealth is present in the streets and the shops sell local goods at very economical prices. Most people will say hello as you pass them, as they are so friendly and down to earth. The contrasts in Santa Ana are really striking, yet it all mixes and matches perfectly, as if it was always meant to be like this. On Sunday mornings, there is a market, or feria as it is called here, selling fruits and vegetables, flowers, locally made cheese, and all sorts of little “Chinese” bric-a-brac! You will also find onions and garlic hanging everywhere; but they are for sale not because they are used to ward off the many vampires living there, they just grow them locally! Well, that is what they told me.

As you drive through Santa Ana, you will not miss the ceramic showrooms, a specialty of the place; very often the crafts are made on site, in the back of the shops. Ironmongers are also plentiful; they are perfect if you want to buy iron furniture, like table and chairs, beds or chandeliers. You simply tell them what you want, how you want it and they do it for you. They have tons of catalogues if you are not sure, or if you do not know how to explain yourself.

Where to Dine

The church of Santa Ana is one of the very few in the country that can truly be called a church. It is 350 years old, and is truly very lovely. On its northern side you should see a restaurant called Bacchus. This delightful place is also 350 years old and was rescued by some Italians who did a very good job in restoring the building. The place has kept its old look and atmosphere while the kitchen is now the envy of any good chef, state of the art in culinary technology, delivering a cuisine that guarantees to stir you taste buds and an experience you will never forget.

Another Italian delight is D’Marco. follow the old road as if you were going to Ciudad Colon, soon you will hit Piedades de Santa Ana, the next little town. This is truly a small cowboy village. Following the old road to Ciudad Colon, just past the center, you will find the restaurant on your left. It is also the entrance of the Canal Hotel, a magnificent place to stay. The food is what I would call real Italian, made with care and style, with a little panache added, and the atmosphere is more family orientated than in Bacchus, which is after all quite flashy.

If you prefer fast food, Sushi, or are still undecided, Lindora has it all, to suit all tastes including a good selection of bars, discotheques and trendy clubs. Needless to say, there are plenty of little cafes and sodas to choose from in town, should you prefer the local flavor. Rock and Roll Pollo is a popular Gringo hang out, they have a few pool table and serve roasted chicken and lots of beer. The Tex Mex is another famous meeting place too, they sometimes have live music there, a real good lively atmosphere and a good eating place too. They give you triple portion of good old Tex Mex food, and this is one of the few places where I saw sirloin steaks sticking out of the plates on both sides: Good value for money!

This post's rating:

Related Stories

Filed under: Living on June 2nd, 2008