Nicoya Central Park (Parque Recaredo Briceño Arauz)

Tip

Visit in the late afternoon when families fill the square, then step into the church next door.

Be careful

Normal town precautions: keep phones and bags out of sight and do not leave anything in parked cars.

Places nearby

• Panadería La Castellana (La Caste)Food & CoffeeNicoya's go-to bakery for breakfast, sweet breads and cakes, with a reputation for clean, fresh baking; the strawberry lemonade with spearmint is a local favourite.
• Bar y Restaurante El RetoñoFood & CoffeeLocal bar-restaurant in Nicoya known for chifrijo (rice, beans and fried pork in a bowl) and hearty meat plates.
• Restaurante La Fulana CosaFood & CoffeeRestaurant tucked into the woods outside Nicoya, praised for its mixed ceviche, Italian dishes, friendly staff and relaxed garden setting.
• La Casona de Santa Bárbara (Finca La Zanja Negra)Tours & AdventureA 150-year-old country house about 30 minutes from Santa Cruz where local cooks Marta Vallejos and Geiny Ruiz host village history walks, traditional food tastings, clay workshops and hands-on tortilla and clay-oven cooking, with music and Guanacaste cheers.
• CoopetortillasSodas & Local FoodA women's cooperative about 500 m from Santa Cruz's main park that has cooked traditional Guanacaste food over a nearly 5-meter wood stove for decades - hand-patted corn tortillas, rice-and-corn soup and tripe soup at very low prices.
• El Cafecito Santa CruzFood & CoffeeCozy café in an old house in the middle of Santa Cruz, the cowboy town of Guanacaste, with casados, milkshakes and vegan options.