Costa Rica Catholic Groups
The Costa Rica Virgin of Los Angeles Pilgrimage
8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS Level of Action: Low Highlights: • San Jose City Tour and San Jose main churches • Pinneaple and Chocolate Tours • Sarapiqui Virgin and Rainforest • San Isidro de Heredia Church • 13-mile Pilgrimage to Cartago to visit Virgin of los Angeles • Calypso Island Cruise
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DAY 1 · July 28, 2017 · ARRIVE SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA Welcome to San Jose! Your journey begins with a warm greeting at the airport from a local representative and a transfer to your hotel. Overnight at hotel Aurola Holiday Inn. No meals included today. DAY 2 · July 29, 2017 · SAN JOSE WALKING CITY TOUR (BLD) Today, you will enjoy a San Jose City Tour including a visit to the most popular churches in downtown and the famous National Theater. This tour will be done walking with an English-Speaking guide and a representative of the Catholicism Church, who will tell you about the history of the city and the religious beliefs of Costa Ricans. The walking tour starts in La Merced Church, one of the oldest churches in the city. Then, walk along the Avenue 4th boulevard to reach La Dolorosa Church, the Metropolitan Cathedral and end in El Carmen Church. You will have lunch in a local restaurant of the city, and then, visit the National Theater and the National Museum. You will return to your hotel around 4 pm, rest for a couple of hours and then, enjoy dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight at hotel Aurola Holiday Inn. DAY 3 · July 30, 2017 · SAN JOSE - SARAPIQUI (BLD) Today, you will depart with your private guide and driver to the Sarapiqui rainforest area – the drive takes approximately 2 hours and on the way, you will do a Pinneaple Tour. This excursion will take you through an active operating pineapple farm, where you can learn about the history, cultivation and all the phases of the pineapple growth and harvest. Lunch included in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you will get the chance to visit the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Sarapiqui, and you will be able to meet local people who can tell you a bit about their own testimonies about this virgin. Since 1993, hundreds of devoted people pilgrimage to the small town of San Vicente to visit the virgin. Spend the night at Selva Verde Lodge, where you will also have dinner included. DAY 4 · July 31, 2017 · SARAPIQUI · CHOCOLATE TOUR (BLD) In the morning, after breakfast, visit the Tirimbina Reserve for a chocolate tour. The excursion starts in the front desk where your guide will give you some information about the reserve.
Then, you will cross a 280 meter hanging bridge to get to the other side of the river. You will be able to learn about the history of the cocoa fruit and they will tell you about the preparation of chocolate. Return to Selva Verde Lodge for lunch – the afternoon is free on your own for you to book any optional activity at an extra cost. You can also do a hike in the grounds with your guide. Overnight at Selva Verde Lodge with dinner included. DAY 5 · August 1, 2017. SARAPIQUI - SAN JOSE · PILGRIMAGE TO CARTAGO Breakfast included at your hotel, then depart to San Jose. Visit the San Isidro de Heredia Church on the way back and enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Check in at hotel in San Jose, and then get ready to start the pilgrimage to Cartago, to visit the Virgin of Los Angeles Church in Cartago. To do this 13-mile walk, you must be in good physical condition. The guide will go with you and you will pass through the towns of Curridabat, Tres Ríos, Ochomogo and Taras. Interact with hundreds of Costa Ricans who always participate in this religious activity every year. We recommend you to buy some snacks and energy drinks for the walk. Those who do not wish to do the pilgrimage, will have the opportunity to go with the driver in a private van to visit the church. Return to San Jose after the pilgrimage approximately at 2 am, so you can rest at your hotel. Overnight at Aurola Holiday Inn. DAY 6 · August 2, 2017 · SAN JOSE · FREE DAY The day is free on your own to rest from the pilgrimage. No activities have been plan, so you can rest or book a tour on your own. Some recommendations are the Poas Volcano, the Doka Estate Coffee Plantation tour or La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Your guide and driver will be available for the day if you need them, but entrance fees to parks or tours are not included in price. Lunch and dinner are both on your own. Overnight at hotel Aurola Holiday Inn. DAY 7 · August 3, 2017 · TORTUGA ISLAND CRUISE During your last day in the country, enjoy a full-day tour to visit Tortuga Island. Your tour departs at 6:00 am from your hotel where a representative from Calypso Island Cruises will meet you and transfer you to a private dock in the city of Puntarenas – approximate driving distance is 2 hours. Boat your cruise and you will travel for approximately 90 minutes until you reach a paradisiac island in the
Gulf of Nicoya.
BASÍLICA DE CARTAGO (OUR LADY OF LOS ANGELES)
In the island, you will have some free time to relax, do a snorkeling tour, swim in the blue ocean and enjoy a hearty lunch.
Considered to be a sanctuary, this church is home for Our Lady of Los Angeles, visited by thousands of pilgrims every year on August 2nd. It is a Roman Catholic Basilica located in the city of Cartago, and dedicated to the Virgen de los Pardos, officially known as Virgen de los Angeles or the Lady of the Angels. The basilica was built in 1639 and was partially destroyed by an earthquake. The basilica has since been restored and constitutes a unique mix of colonial architecture as well as 19th century byzantine style.
Return to San Jose in the early evening. Enjoy a farewell dinner at your hotel with your guide. Overnight at hotel Aurola Holiday Inn. DAY 8 – August 4, 2017 · DEPARTURE Departure transfer to the San Jose International Airport on time for your flight back home.
The church has lovely stained glass windows and it has a sculpted wooden ceiling.
The story says that the virgin was discovered by a peasant girl in Cartago. She found the small statue on a rock and took it home. The next morning, she found that the statue was not there but back at the rock, so she took it to the priest and he locked it in a small box. The next morning the statue was back at the rock. During the construction, the church was destroyed by earthquakes so many times, it was finally decided to move it to the location where the statue was found and they were able to finish construction. Many people (one being Andrea Meszaros, a local expert on religious affairs) think that the earthquakes were signs that the Lady of Los Ángeles wanted the basilica built there. Owing to the dark complexion of the stone statue, she is sometimes affectionately called La Negrita or Reina de Cartago (lit. Queen of Cartago). The original statue is kept in a golden shell inside the basilica. An official decree declared the Virgin of the Angels the official patron of Costa Rica.
METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL
SAN ISIDRO DE HEREDIA CHRUCH
Built in 1871, the Metropolitan Cathedral is the largest church in San Jose. The interior has painted wooden columns pattern, tiled floor and plenty of relief’s. It is distinguished by a small dome and stain glass windows. A side chapel, Capilla de Santissimo Sacramento, is decorated with carved painted flowers and leaves.
It was originally built in 1862 as a chapel, but later on, with the growth of the population, they started building the larger church 30 years later in 1892. It has beautiful ceilings all made with Costa Rican fine woods, and most walls are made of marble.
A bit of history of the churches you will visit on this tour. IGLESIA LA MERCED This is a Christian / Catholic Church which has a Neo-Gothic architecture. The first church was created in 1820, but it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1888. Then, the new construction started in 1894 and they finished in 1909.
Rates per person
(Valid specifically for the dates indicated in the program)
Coach Min Coaster 10 Senior 15 Senior 20 Bus 25
Max 14 19 24 30
Participants Double Triple USD $ 1,245 USD $ 1,184 USD $ 1,158 USD $ 1,097 USD $ 1,122 USD $ 1,061 USD $ 1,094 USD $ 1,033
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Single supplement $ 469 All rates are per person. Rates are in US dollars Air departure tax is not included in the quotation, (USD $29.00 per person)
Community / Volunteer Service Group
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS Level of Action: Med Highlights: • Volunteer program in Turrialba • Canyoneering / Canopy Tour • White Water Rafting • Volunteer program in Sarapiqui
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DAY 1 · ARRIVE SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA
DAY 7 · SARAPIQUI COMMUNITY SERVICE / GUIDED BOAT TOUR
Welcome to San Jose! Your journey begins with a warm greeting at the airport from a local representative and a transfer to your hotel. Overnight at hotel Park Inn or similar.
Breakfast included at the lodge. Morning visit to a local school in Sarapiqui for interaction with children. You will be able to teach them some English and at the same time, learn some Spanish, too. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided boat tour on the Sarapiqui River looking for wildlife. Dinner and overnight at Hacienda Pozo Azul.
DAY 2 · SAN JOSE - TURRIALBA After breakfast, you will be transferred to the city of Turrialba – approximate 2.5 hours driving distance. On the way, you will visit a Costa Rican school where you will be able to interact with children, teach them some English and learn some Spanish as well. The volunteer program will also include painting a fence or doing some gardening. Arrive later to the Turrialba area – you will overnight in the Explornatura Tent Camp. DAY 3 · TURRIALBA · CANYONEERING / CANOPY TOUR Enjoy breakfast in the tent camp, and then, go on a Canyoneering / Canopy Tour. You will begin the tour with an introduction of our guides and the equipment to help familiarize you with the different uses of the equipment. After this, you are off on a 2-3 hour adventure... rappelling down four waterfalls, zip lining down four canopy cables, and walking across a 132 foot hanging bridge. Enjoy the rest of the day in the camp site and overnight. DAY 4 · TURRIALBA · WHITE WATER RAFTING For your third day in the Turrialba area, you will go white water rafting on the Pejibaye River. You will go down the river with your guide. The river allows you to go rafting for several miles. There will be sections of the river where your guide will encourage you to jump out of the boat and go for a short swim. This is perfectly safe and adds lots of fun to the tour. Mid-afternoon return to the tent camp for dinner and overnight. Overnight at Explornatura Tent Camp.
DAY 8 · SARAPIQUI - SAN JOSE Breakfast included at the lodge. Depart to San José and visit the Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens on the way. You will be able to visit the Poas Volcano National Park, hike in the forest and see the crater and the lagoon. Then, you will hike in the waterfall gardens at La Paz, where you will be able to see plenty of wildlife including birds, some mammals and visit the serpentarium. Lunch included in the local restaurant. Overnight at hotel Crowne Plaza or similar. DAY 9 · SAN JOSE COMMUNITY SERVICE On your last day in the city, you will visit an orphanage. You will be able to interact with children and play with them. Lunch today is on your own, and in the afternoon, visit the San Jose Central Market, the Gold Museum and the National Theater. Farwewell dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight at hotel Crowne Plaza or similar. DAY 10 · DEPARTURE Departure transfer to the San Jose International Airport on time for your flight out of the country.
Rates per person Low Season
DAY 5 – TURRIALBA / VOLUNTEERING PROGRAM Today’s program is a volunteering in Turrialba. The options for volunteering are: • • • • • •
Children’s Home Retirement Home Museum Library CATIE – Tropical Agriculture MINAE – Archeological Site
Overnight at Explornatura Tent Camp. DAY 6 · TURRIALBA - SARAPIQUI Depart after breakfast on the way to the Sarapiqui area. Visit and hike in the OTS (La Selva Biological Station) where you will be able to see a great variety of wildlife in the rainforest. Lunch included at OTS. Afternoon check in at Hacienda Pozo Azul and overnight.
Valid dates: January 5 through December 15, 2017 Coach Coaster Senior Senior Bus
Min 10 15 20 25
Max 14 19 24 30
* Single supplement $ 210
Participants Double USD $ 1,245 USD $ 1,158 USD $ 1,122 USD $ 1,094
Triple USD $ 1,184 USD $ 1,097 USD $ 1,061 USD $ 1,033
P.O.Box 7-1970, ZP San José, Costa Rica. Tel.: (506) 2282-4898 info@swisstravelcr.com · www.swisstravelcr.com