Costa Rica has several traditional foods, such as gallo pinto, a savory dish of rice and beans served for breakfast. Tamales, small packages of cornmeal and stewed meat, are prepared at Christmastime, while sweet chiverre squash pastries are a staple at Easter. Our advice is to head for a soda – a Costa Rican diner – and try a little bit of everything on the menu. 

Almost every town has its own farmers’ market, known in Costa Rica as la feria. In general, markets are held on a Friday and/or Saturday. You can shop for a huge variety of goods, including fresh produce, cheese, meats, baked goods, flowers and even handicrafts at very reasonable prices.