Desamparados

Desamparados is San Jose province's third canton, located just south of the capital city. As one of the San José Metropolitan Area's most populated cantons, Desamparados' sprawls out over approximately 118 square kilometers, almost 3 times the area of San José city proper.

The canton's limits run wide: to the north lie San José city and Curridabat, to the northeast you will find La Unión (Tres Ríos), and on its eastern boundaries, Cartago province cuddles up close. To the west lie Aserrí and Alajuelita and to the south, Dota and León Cortés. Within Desamparados, 13 distritos (districts) -- Desamparados city, San Miguel, San Juan de Dío, San Rafael Arriba, San Antonio, Frailes, Patarrá, San Cristóbal, Rosario, Damas, San Rafael Abajo, Gravilias, and Los Guido -- share custody of the area's approximately 200,000 residents, most of whom commute into San José daily for work and pleasure.

Though desamparado means "helpless" or "forsaken," this Central Valley canton's reputation and way of life are anything but bleak. Due to its large area and active population, Desamparados is like a city within the city, boasting all the services and amenities that any resident or visitor could desire. In fact, Desamparados was named after the first church ever dedicated to Our Lady of Desamparados, built in 1821, just 27 years before the canton's establishment in 1848.

Desamparados hangs onto the edge of Costa Rica's Central Valley mountains, affording it a picturesque setting complete with amazing sunsets and secret mountain hideaways. Its location also causes Desamparados' topography to vary greatly, and traveling from one district to another will wind your way up hills and many times, straight into the mountains.

The canton's varying landscape was once grounds for a booming farming community, and much of the area's history is still present. The most prosperous crops in Desamparados were coffee, plantains, and sugar cane, some of which are still grown. This farming history, in addition to pleasant landscape and several throwbacks to the canton's old lifestyle, have made this southern locale home to a bit of genuine, rural Costa Rican charm.

A high altitude of 1,161 meters above sea level (3,809 feet) create an ideal, pleasing climate with an average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). To complement beautiful weather, Desamparados also offers several interesting sights for the passing visitor or long-term resident.

In San Antonio de Desamparados, hot springs offer a chance to work out sore muscles and relax in one of nature's most generous creations. And after a relaxing soak, both San Antonio de Desamparados and San Miguel de Desamparados offer mines to investigate, the former a clay mine and the latter a coal mine. And when you're back into Desamparados center, stop by the jewel of the town, la Iglesia de Desamparados. Like many of Costa Rica's Catholic churches, this iglesia features both gorgeous architecture and beautiful stained glass.

Desamparados may not receive much love from San Jose guidebooks, but this once-rural farming village has slowly matured into a mountainside town where beautiful views go hand-in-hand with WiFi internet access and big city convenience.