Other Interest Points in Puntarenas
There are several nice spots worth seeing in the area like the mangroves swamps in the estuary, and the numerous islands in the Gulf of Tempisque like:
Isla Jesusita, Isla Cedros, Isla Muertos (Gitana) , Isla Pan de Azucar, Isla Caballo. Isla Bejuco andIsla Chira. These places are excellent nesting ground for different birds and for countless aquatic species. Keep your binocular handy.
Right in the very heart of the town, this museum was restored to accommodate the House of Culture (Casa de la Cultura), an amphitheater and the public library all under the same roof.
The museum displays the history of the town and its first indigenous settlement, it gives information on the importance of theharbour and its development. A sectionof the museum is also dedicated to the region´s natural resources, such as its wetlands, forests, marine species, land animals and birds.
It also explains the importance of the Gulf of Nicoya and its numkerous islands, and tells of the natural wealth of the Isla del Coco (Coco Island), including tales of the island’s treasures and pirates.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Among the festivities worth checking out we recommend:
The virgin of the sea festival
It takes place every year on the16 of July to commemorate the long-ago day when a group of fishermen were rescued just after having called the Virgin for help. A similar festival takes place in the same province in the town of Quépos.
The Puntarenas carnival parade
During the month of February concerts and other recreational activities create the ideal setting to discover the multiple aspects of the cultural life of the people of Puntarenas
Isla Jesusita, Isla Cedros, Isla Muertos (Gitana) , Isla Pan de Azucar, Isla Caballo. Isla Bejuco andIsla Chira. These places are excellent nesting ground for different birds and for countless aquatic species. Keep your binocular handy.
The historical maritime museum.
Right in the very heart of the town, this museum was restored to accommodate the House of Culture (Casa de la Cultura), an amphitheater and the public library all under the same roof.
The museum displays the history of the town and its first indigenous settlement, it gives information on the importance of theharbour and its development. A sectionof the museum is also dedicated to the region´s natural resources, such as its wetlands, forests, marine species, land animals and birds.
It also explains the importance of the Gulf of Nicoya and its numkerous islands, and tells of the natural wealth of the Isla del Coco (Coco Island), including tales of the island’s treasures and pirates.
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.
The Sagrado Corazón de Jesús urban park and the Puntarenas Cathedral, built in 1902, are also worth a visit.
Among the festivities worth checking out we recommend:
The virgin of the sea festival
It takes place every year on the16 of July to commemorate the long-ago day when a group of fishermen were rescued just after having called the Virgin for help. A similar festival takes place in the same province in the town of Quépos.
The Puntarenas carnival parade
During the month of February concerts and other recreational activities create the ideal setting to discover the multiple aspects of the cultural life of the people of Puntarenas