If you like to drink coffee, you’re going to love Costa Rica. Thanks to its rich volcanic soil and varied topography, this small country produces coffee beans with impressive depth and a variety of flavors. And, in true Costa Rican style, many plantations are taking significant steps toward sustainability and regeneration – so coffee here is not only good for your body and soul, it’s also good for the earth.
In 1821, the government of a newly independent Costa Rica distributed coffee seeds to farmers, in hopes of boosting the country’s economy. As it turned out, the soil and climate of the highlands were ideal for coffee cultivation, and it transformed the impoverished country into the wealthiest in Central America. The crop earned the nickname el grano d’oro (the golden bean), generating funding for roads, railways and other national infrastructure.
Even the magnificent Teatro Nacional in San José was funded by a tax on coffee exports, as well as donations from wealthy coffee barons. The mural on the theater’s ceiling, Alegoría al Café y al Banan, by Italian artist Aleardo Villa, is a tribute to the crops that played such a critical role in the country’s development.
Today, coffee is still arguably the country’s most important agricultural product, and it remains a significant export. Tens of thousands of farms are dedicated to coffee production, 90% of which are smaller than five hectares. It is a vital source of income in coffee growing regions and an integral part of Costa Rican culture around the country.
Fortunately for visitors, there’s no shortage of ways to sample Costa Rica’s delicious varieties of coffee and to learn about how it is produced. Here’s our pick of the best places for coffee in Costa Rica. Read more at Lonely Planet…