Zarcero

Zarcero Review

This small town 15 km (9 mi) north of Sarchí on the road to Ciudad Quesada looks as if it was designed by Dr. Seuss. Evangelisto Blanco, a local landscape artist, modeled cypress topiaries in fanciful animal shapes—motorcycle-riding monkeys, a lightbulb-eyed elephant—that enliven the park in front of the town church. The church interior is covered with elaborate pastel stencil work and detailed religious paintings by the late Misael Solís, a well-known local artist. Sample some cheese if you're in town, too; Zarcero-made cheese is one of Costa Rica's favorites. The town is frequently included as a short stop on many organized tours heading to this region of the country.