Costa Rica Travel Guide: Celebrating Independence Day Tico Style

Today marks a special year in the Costa Rica calendar, as the entire country stops to celebrate their 188^th year of independence from the Spanish Empire.

Celebrated on 15 September, Independence Day is a major national event with parades and fiestas that can provide lifelong memories of any Costa Rica vacations that happen to coincide with this important day.

Old traditions on show, Costa Rica

Costa Rica achieved its independence along with the rest of Central America, as part of the Federal Republic of Central America, governed by Guatemala. The new republic proved to be fragile, ungovernable and short-lived and Costa Rica soon decided to go it alone.

For holiday makers planning a trip to Costa Rica, timing your vacation to match up with Independence Day is sure to give a fascinating perspective on this fun-loving nation in their most jubilant hour.

Celebrations occur up and down the entire country and can last for an entire week. The highlight is the arrival of the Freedom Torch which is delivered on relay from Nicaragua on its route right across Central America.

The night before Independence Day is marked with a series of lantern parades, marking the moment that news of independence arrived in the country.

On the big day itself, every town and village hosts its own parade, with participants in traditional dress and marching bands playing national songs which culminate in the national anthem.

Traditional food – especially the national dish of gallo pinto, a colorful concoction of rice and beans – takes pride of place, along with other national symbols such as the colorfully decorated oxcarts that epitomize the country’s agricultural heritage.

In typical Tico spirit, parades are peaceful and family-orientated events that involve elderly and young Costa Ricans as much as the adult party-goers.

Downtown San Jose is host to the country’s biggest parade, while other popular Costa Rica travel destinations all host their own local parties, including the small town of Santa Elena near the Monteverde cloud forest and the old capital city of Cartago.

How To Celebrate Independence Day During A Costa Rica Vacation

Independence Day is a great time to visit Costa Rica, when you’ll be sure to catch one of the best fiestas in the annual calendar. To have the best fun visitors should bear the following points in mind:

- Independence Day is a national holiday and most services will be closed for the day. This includes banks, money changers and certain stores, although restaurants should remain open. Don’t be caught out without any cash, and make sure you’ve changed enough money the previous day.

- Most Costa Rica hotels will become booked up well in advance of the holiday, so plan ahead and make your reservations early.

- Local parades are held on and around the central plaza of any town, but in San Jose head for Avenida Central, where most of the action occurs.

- Parades and fiestas are invariably peaceful and safe, but as with a large crowd in any country, beware of pickpockets and keep your valuables concealed.