Professional Realtors servicing San Ramón de Alajuela in the Pacific Highlands and also the Eastern Coast of the Nicoya Peninsula (Paquera, Pochote, Tambor, Cóbano, Montezuma, Cabuya). We have more than 46 years of real estate experience combined working the New York and Costa Rica markets.

 

More than half of our lives have been invested in mastering this beautifully transformational craft, and we are more than happy to share what we’ve learned with you. Rising Sun Realty is your trusted resource for all things real estate related in Costa Rica. We have lived in this tropical paradise full-time since November 2010, and we are at your service. 

 

Some expats prefer to split time 50/50 between their native country and Costa Rica, but we endeavor to split our time 50/50 between the Misty Mountains (San Ramon) and the Balmy Beaches (Tambor). It truly does represent the best of both worlds for us. We consistently have a strong presence in both communities and have come to love the people that we are fortunate enough to call friends and neighbors. Bouncing back and forth between two climatically dissimilar locations is certainly not for everyone however, and we recognize that most folks usually select one spot as “home base”, depending on their personal preferences.

 

We’ll provide some basic background info about both San Ramón and Tambor in the paragraphs that follow to help you to determine which area might be better suited to you.    

 

San Ramón de Alajuela is located in the cool Pacific Highlands at approximately 3,400 feet above sea level and is known as the City of Presidents & Poets. Several noteworthy poets and three Costa Rican Presidents were born and raised on the culturally rich calles of San Ramón. The most famous President from San Ramón was Jose Figueres Ferrer, who served three terms as President and during this time he created a firm basis for Costa Rican democracy. Figueres is responsible for the abolition of Costa Rica’s army in 1948, the nationalization of the country’s banks, and for securing voting rights for women and minorities. 

 

Ramóneses are also known to have a penchant for farming, particularly with regards to locally sourced milks, cheeses, coffee, and sugar cane. San Ramón’s downtown area sits at the center of what is primarily an agricultural cantón. On the outskirts of town and up into the higher elevations is where you’ll find the cows grazing and the coffee and sugar cane growing. You can follow the winding roads through green hills and into lush valleys while admiring the picturesque views that are popping up from all angles. These “campesino” neighborhoods offer an ideal location for tranquil living and most homes here have heavenly mountain and or ocean views with an awe-inspiring sunset on the daily. 

 

Another extremely attractive feature of the San Ramón area is the unbelievably comfortable climate it offers its residents. Ramóneses enjoy amazing average temperatures between 68-82 degrees Celsius year-round. You read that correctly. When you live in San Ramón you don’t need an air conditioner or a heating system at any point during the year. It’s wild.  

 

The city center of this charming cantón just West of the Central Valley has a lively town square, a beautiful central park, and streets are pleasantly bustling with activity. The San Ramón Parochial Church, built during the 18th century, towers at the town center. Materials used to construct this masterpiece were hauled over from Germany and brought up by oxcart from the port in Puntarenas. This glorious church is worthy of admiration and can be appreciated for its art, religious context, and rich history.  The central park and town square are directly across the street from the church and they’re always full of people enjoying their leisure time, with lots of children playing and enjoying the outdoors. More often than not, the majority of these fine folks are enjoying an ice cream from one of the many “heladerias” (ice cream shops) that conveniently circle the park. The local museum, cultural center, and music school are all within a few feet of the town center as well, and you can pop in anytime to catch the latest exhibit, concert, or workshop. Click here if you’re interested in doing a self-guided city tour when visiting San Ramon: https://exploretikizia.com/self-guided-city-tour-in-san-ramon-costa-rica/

 

The medical centers in San Ramón are world class offering small-town personalized care. It’s not unusual to have your doctor’s cell phone number. San Ramón is the patron saint of pregnant women and children, so it’s no wonder the only milk bank in Costa Rica and possibly all of Central America is located here. The main public hospital sits on the edge of town and offers high-quality emergency care, and there are pharmacies all over the place.  

 

San Ramón has a wide variety of shopping options available. There are a ton of supermarkets (both large and small), specialty shops, restaurants of all styles and ethnicities, clothing stores, a mall with a movie theatre (CCM), dance and language schools, night clubs, etc. etc. Everything you need is at your fingertips, and if you want additional creature comforts the San Jose and Escazu areas are only about an hour away by car. The SJO International airport can be reached with a short 45-minute drive down Highway 1, and if you drive 45 minutes on “la pista” in the opposite direction, you’ll hit the beach. Which makes for the perfect segway to our other favorite spot in sunny Costa Rica: Playa Tambor, in the province of Puntarenas.  

 

Only three hours separate San Ramón from Tambor when taking the car to the ferry in Paquera. Lately, we’ve preferred taking the ferry to Playa Naranjo instead, opting for the más tranquilo and more scenic route. Docking at Playa Naranjo rather than the Paquera dock adds about 30 minutes to the trip, but we find it to be well worth it. The road between Playa Naranjo and Paquera is now paved, and it’s a pleasure to drive.