San Pedro de Poas, Alajuela
In the foothills of the Poas volcano stands the canton of the same name. A coffee and cattle canton with more than 200 years of history.
Its capital is the city of San Pedro de Poas, named after the Apostle Paul, saint of the Catholic Church. With a population of about 7000 inhabitants as of the 2011 census, this city has many services to offer to locals and tourists.
Let’s talk a little about this town and watch some pictures.
How to get to San Pedro de Poas from Serenity
To get to this city from our hotel, you must go to the community of Carrillos Bajo. It is likely that you were passing by when you arrived at the hotel.
In front of the Pali supermarket in Carrillos Bajo, take the route to the east along San Gerardo Street until you reach the center of the village of Carrillos Alto.
Continue north on Chilamate Street, and do not deviate from the “main road” until you reach the city. You will enter through the northern part of it.
Two routes can take you to San Pedro. While Chilamate street route is shorter, the route 107 is better maintained.
The other route is taking Route 107 in the intersection at the Milenia Condominiums in Barrio San Jose. This alternative route is better maintained than Chilamate Street but is 20 minutes longer.
If you are coming by bus from Alajuela, take the bus to “San Pedro de Poas” or “Poas por Chilamate” inf Fecosa. The latter makes a stopover in Carrillos Bajo so if you are around you do not have to go to Alajuela.
The City
The first thing you will notice is that the city is not big at all. This canton is more rural, and the population is distributed along the roads. Bus stops to other towns, such as Poasito and Alajuela, are around the central park.
The Municipal building, where local authorities meet, is next to the park, as well as the Church of San Pedro Apostle.
Nearby, the Pedro Aguirre School is on the west side.
Behind the church is the clinic of the Costa Rican Social Security(Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social) and the fire station. Leaving the city towards San Rafael de Poas you will find the Liceo de Poas, the high school.
The park has been remodeled and has a very modern appearance. This without abandoning the traditional benches to sit and the children’s play area. There is a kiosk in the northeast corner.
The rest of the city is made up of businesses such as restaurants, gas stations, bars, pharmacies, and supermarkets.
Importance of San Pedro de Poas for tourism
The city is on the way to the Poas volcano. Also nearby is Finca Koki, a place where they offer different recreational activities in the forest and on the Poas River.
Escape Poasito is another private park with many trails that is in the small community of Poasito.
Finca Alsacia and Doka Real Estate are two coffee tours that are a few minutes away from this city.
Another interesting destination is the Children’s Forest or Forest Reserve of Grecia with many trails next to Poas Volcano Park.
Soon we will be talking about the best places for eating in San Pedro. Meanwhile check this article about Best places to eat in Grecia.
So whether it’s to get supplies for the trip, have a coffee in some soda, or cafeteria or have an ice cream after returning from tour, San Pedro de Poas is waiting for your visit.
