Sarchi
ATTRACTION Keywords:
Cultural Experience,
Good Place to Shop,
Town / City
The capital of Alajuela province, Sarchi is renowned for its arts and crafts, in particular its decorative oxcarts recalling the heyday of Costa Rica’s coffee industry.
Lying almost 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level in the Cordillera Central, the whole of Sarchi is devoted to crafts, from woodworking and leather goods to textiles.
The most famous handicrafts are known as carretas, the ornately painted carts that have proved so popular as Costa Rican souvenirs over the years.
While you’re here, tear yourself away from browsing the stores to visit the lovely church, with its wooden carvings. The gardens in front feature an oversized, brightly painted oxcart.
The drive to Sarchi is part of the appeal of this popular day-trip destination, leading past coffee fields, pineapple farms and landscape dotted with volcanoes, villages and rainforest.
Latest Reviews
Review by Britt B, USA, April 2013
Doing what: Poas Volcano, Doka Coffee Estate and Sarchi Arts and Craft
The things you learn when you have a great guide! We had a wonderful day, and the weather was perfect. The volcano and the scenery also impressive. Learned a lot about coffee at the Doka estate. Lunch was good and the view from the table was beautiful overlooking the lake. Sarchi Arts and Craft - Beautiful hand painted oxcarts and woodwork, hard to resist buying souvenirs. A great day and I highly recommend it.
Britt B, CA
Review by Ashley B, April 2013
Doing what: Poas Volcano, Doka Coffee Estate and Sarchi Arts and Craft
This is the perfect day tour as far as length. You will be picked up at 8am and dropped off by dinner time (~6pm). The volcano is a long shot as to whether or not you will see anything but clouds. Unless you take a tour that heads up to the mountains before sunrise it is not likely that you will see anything but clouds. It is very cold up there and will rain intermittently so being a water resistant jacket. The views on the way up to the volcano are amazing and I think the drive and the hike in the forest make up for not seeing anything once you get to the top. But don't count on a view at the volcano.
The coffee tour is great and very informative. The tour was somewhat shorter than I thought it would be but it is great. Lunch is provided at the coffee shop and is very good.
There is also a stop at a large Ox cart and touristy shop at the end of the day.
Overall this is a good tour if you only have a day and don't mind getting views from a bus window as it ascends the volcano. I enjoyed myself and the tour.
Review by Michael B, July 2012
Doing what: Poas Volcano, Doka Coffee Estate and Sarchi Arts and Craft
Excellent value. Poas Volcano was magnificent (we were blessed with an uncommonly good day with great visibility). Plenty of time to experience the beauty. For the coffee lover, Doka Coffee Estate was like making a pilgrimage! The lunch there was wonderful ... a tradtional Costa Rica "casado" dish. I was also pleasantly surprised by the small stops along the way that were not on the itinerary. The only downside was the traffic in San Jose on the way home. This added about two hours to our expected arrival. We were located at a hotel downtown, however, so this was not a problem for those staying by the airport. I give this a very strong recommendation.
The town of Sarchi lies on the slopes of the Cordillera Central, 45 km (28 miles) north-west of San Jose.
