Liberia Costa Rica

Liberia Costa Rica

Liberia is the charming historic capital of Guanacaste.  Once considered little more than a dusty cattle town, Liberia is now a hub for the many travelers that are coming to the beautiful Guanacaste area.  Liberia was founded in 1769 and is known as the “white city” for its whitewashed adobe houses with the terra cotta tiled roofs.  Many charming colonial-era homes can still be found in the city- many with the charming architectural details unique to the area, including the puertas del sol-which are the double doors- one on each side of a corner- designed to catch the sun in the morning and afternoon.

  An excellent example of this picturesque building style has been converted into the fascinating Museo de Sabanero- Cowboy Museum.  Liberia has become the busy gateway to the beaches of Guanacaste, as well as to many national parks including the beautiful Rincon de la Vieja and Santa Rosa.

Liberia, A growing city

Liberia has grown considerably since the Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport opened in December of 2002.   The airport saves many visitors almost half a day of travel and has saved many travelers many hours driving from San Jose.  With a population of just about 40,000 people, the city of Liberia offers travelers access to all of the services that they might need- including modern banking, a variety of shopping facilities and modern, convenient hotels.

  Even with all of the trappings of modern convenience, it is not uncommon to see an occasional sabanero (cowboy) on horseback right in the center of town. The city is home to a weekly Saturday night rodeo, where cowboys come from all over Guanacaste to compete in bull riding, bronco busting and all sorts of other traditional activities.

Liberia is a city at the crossroads- both geographically and socially.  It is at the intersection of the major highways Highway 1 and Highway 21, which provide access to visitors from all over the country.  Socially, Liberia is finding a balance between its past as the capital of Costa Rica’s “Old West” and its future- as the jumping off point for many visitors to the are.a