Costa Rican Culture

As you travel Latin America, ensure that you stop over at Costa Rica, one of the friendliest and most exciting countries on earth. Costa Rican culture is defined by its friendly people (who have strong ties to their families) their motherland and their delicious food.

A short history: Costa Rica was discovered in 1506 by Christopher Columbus who dubbed it ‘the rich coast’ due to the inherent wealth of its citizens. After struggling through many brutal coups, Costa Rica has emerged as a peaceful country, with free all-cover health insurance for all of its native population. With no national defence force and a lust for life, defined by their saying, Pura Vida [enjoy live], Costa Rica is a welcoming land, which will warm the heart of any explorer.

Costa Ricans celebrate a number of different festivals and their most exciting one is called the fiestas cívicas that occurs in December. During the height of the festivities, hundreds of Ticas will jump into a makeshift bullring and attempt to ride the bulls, in an attempt to chase after other would-be bullfighters. Many of the other festivities are heavily based in religion such as Semana Santa (the Holy Week), a weeklong process of mourning where Costa Ricans contemplate the suffering of Jesus, with the largest procession occurring on Good Friday. Their faith plays a large role in their lives, with many Costa Ricans calling on their chosen saints for strength in times of need. Much of the accommodation in Costa Rica is decorated with religious artefacts and the reverence of their faith is played out in their intricate designs.

Food is as much a part of their culture as any other facet of their lives. Much of the prepared food is mild, not containing the usual spices that are prevalent in many South American dishes. Fresh herbs, tomatoes and meat play a large a role in food preparation and the cuisine is usually soaked in a mouth- watering herbal sauce and left to simmer for a few hours, giving all food a tender and delicious taste and which can be smelled near many Costa Rica villas. Much of the food prepared by the Costa Ricans was introduced to them from other countries. Such as the Russian [Ensalada rusa, a beetroot and potato salad] and the Europeans [various pork and beef dishes].

The Costa Rican family unit is a tightly knit conservative one. They are an outgoing people and love nothing more than gatherings with all their family and friends. It is very common for the extended family to live within the main family unit. Aunts, uncles and grandparents live happily together under one roof, yet the modern world has forced many families to split apart and many retirement villages have now begun to spring up around Costa Rica, to accommodate the newer lifestyle.

Costa Ricans enjoy sharing their love of music with their community and their passion for life is show in the flamboyant, traditional dances which they perform to show their history. The songs are openly wistful of the past and colourful costumes are worn during these intense dancing sessions. The national dance of Costa Rica, the punto guanacasteco is danced to the rhythms of hypnotising marimba music, with the male dancer calling out humorous bombas to his lady partner. The traditional songs of Costa Rica express the beauty of their country and their woman. They dance long into the night, the sound of their dancing resonating throughout many Costa Rica villas.

Your stay at your Costa Rican villa is the starting point for great adventures around this magical country. The simple festivities that accompanies much of their culture makes for an exciting journey as you travel Latin America and ensures that you will make a long stopover at the ‘Switzerland’ of South America.