Guanacaste

Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica in the extreme west of the country, comprising most of the territory which was annexed the country on July 25, 1824 (see Annexation of Nicoya). For its size is thesecond largest province in the country, but also the least populated. It limits the north with the Republic of Nicaragua, on the east Alajuela, Puntarenas to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean.Its capital is Liberia, located 281 kilometers from San Jose.

Guanacaste has an area of ​​10,140 square kilometers, which is home to approximately 270 000 people. Its landscape combines the volcanicpeaks of the Cordillera de Guanacaste with wide open plains to the Pacific.

Candles and prayers
Candles and prayers in the province of Guanacaste is a tradition that is practiced throughout theyear in most communities in this province.
The activity most known nationally is the one that is in the month of January in Santa Cruz "Pilgrimage of the Christ of Esquipulas”. This consists to carrythe saint's image throughout the canton. And at night it is customary to light candles and pray to the saint in different houses in the community. This tradition has its beginning in Guatemala and overthe years came to our country to the city of Santa Cruz. During this activity, residents of Santa Cruz make typical foods of the area such as “rosquillas”, “tanelas”, and corn meals.

Traditionalfestivals and “turnos”
Throughout the year the Guanacaste town celebrates typical parties in most of communities of the province, this is for the celebration of the day of a saint or patron.
Thesecelebrations are so famous that even are internationally known, this is because a lot of tourists who are visiting the coastal area are invited by the local people to visit them and are delighted withthe magic of this holiday, in which the horse parades, bull fights, carousels, fireworks, music and dance can not be rejected by any visitor.
Although in most of the towns of this province you will...