During the colonial period, Cartago remained the capital of Costa Rica. The rural communities and their people make up one of the most interesting parts of the country. A city devastated by a big earthquake in 1910 still guards´ history everywhere. The ruins of a 1574 church are still visible and have been declared a National Monument.
In the middle of the city stands The Basílica of our Lady of the Angels, Costa Rica's national religious shrine visited in pilgrimage by hundreds of thousands of devotes every year on august the second. The Basílica is a Byzantine style church. Situated almost entirely on the Atlantic side of the continental dived, Cartago is directly affected by the moisture the trade wind bring. However, the city in itself is one of the driest parts of the country.
Orosí Valley
The stunning Oros¡ Valley lies just 60 minutes east of San José, which has a number of attractions and can easily be combined with visits to Cartago and Lankester Gardens. The Charrara recreational center offers visitors a variety of outdoor sports and it is near the ruins of Costa Rica's oldest church that stand at Ujarrás, a picturesque spot on the valley floor. The colonial church in the town of Oros¡, on the other side of the valley, is a lovely temple with a small museum of religious art. You may want to visit the luxuriant National Park, near the town of Oros¡, if what you prefer is a more natural setting.
Guayabo National Monument
Costa Rica's most important archaeological site is located in a patch of the protected upland rain forest in the hills north of Turrialba. Archaeologists believe Guayabo was inhabited from 1500 B.C. till about 1400 A.D., and though very little of what was once a city of 10,000 has been excavated, visitors can see parts of ancient roadways, aqueducts, pools and foundations of homes. The surrounding forest is full of birds, especially oropéndolas, whose woven nests can be seen hanging in colonies from the branches of larger trees.
Irazú Volcano Park
This small park, just 2,309hectares, is centered round the summit of the country's highest volcano: 3,432 meters above sea level, Irazú. Though the volcano has been dormant since 1965, the fury of the last eruptions left it with a ravaged "lunar" landscape. There are four craters at the summit of Irazú Volcano, its massive main crater is 3,450 feet across and 1,000 feet deep, with a pea-soup lake at its bottom, another one named Diego de la Haya and two small craters located on the north west and southeast areas of the park.
The vegetation has undergone considerable alteration due to the eruptions. Wildlife in Irazú is very scarse, some of the mammals that have been seen near the summit are the cottontail rabbit, coyotes, armadillos, porcupine, weasels and tiger cats. The common sight as far as birds are concerned would be hummingbirds, woodpeckers and mountain robins. The summit is best visited early in the morning, when cloud cover is at a minimum. The drive up is almost as enjoyable as the park itself, since the road winds past lovely pastoral scenery and fantastic views of the Central Valley.
Geographical Division 
