Paseo de los Turistas

Puntarenas

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This beachside, pedestrian boulevard stretches along the southern edge of town. Cruise ships make visits to the eastern end of the road, and a variety of souvenir stalls and casual restaurants known as kioscos are there to greet passengers. Their specialty is the Churchill, a bizarre dessert concoction of condensed milk, syrup and chopped fruit, which got its name in the 1940s from a guy who regularly ordered it and looked like the British prime minister.

On weekends, this is the place to knock back beers.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Reserva Santa Elena

    Reserva Santa Elena

    24.92 MILES

    The exquisitely misty 310-hectare Reserva Santa Elena offers a completely different cloud forest experience from Monteverde. Cutting through the veiled…

  • Montezuma Waterfalls

    Montezuma Waterfalls

    27.46 MILES

    A 40-minute river hike leads to a waterfall with a delicious swimming hole. Further along, a second set of falls offers a good 12m leap into deep water…

  • Catarata Manantial de Agua Viva

    Catarata Manantial de Agua Viva

    22.43 MILES

    This 200m-high waterfall is claimed to be the highest in the country. From the entrance, it’s a steep 3km (45-minute) hike down into the valley (an hour…

  • Playa San Isidro

    Playa San Isidro

    6.05 MILES

    About 8km south of Puntarenas is Playa San Isidro, the first ‘real’ beach on the central Pacific coast. It's quite often empty, and preferred by…

  • Rustic wooden bridge on the trails of the Curu Wildlife Reserve in Costa Rica.

    Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Curú

    14.71 MILES

    Situated at the eastern end of the peninsula, this tiny 84-hectare wildlife refuge holds a great variety of landscapes, including dry tropical forest,…

  • Scarlet Macaw, Costa Rica

    Parque Nacional Carara

    20.51 MILES

    Carara is the famed home of one of Costa Rica’s most charismatic bird species, the scarlet macaw. While catching a glimpse of this tropical wonder is a…

  • Ladys Slipper (Cypripedium calceolus) orchid.

    Jardín de Orquídeas

    23.53 MILES

    This sweet-smelling garden in Santa Elena has shady trails winding past more than 500 types of orchids. On your guided tour, you’ll see such rarities as…

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Nearby Puntarenas attractions

1. Casa de la Cultura

0.18 MILES

Casa de la Cultura has an art gallery with occasional exhibits as well as a performance space offering seasonal cultural events. Outside there's a…

3. Palacio Municipal

0.29 MILES

Built in place of the previous Municipal Palace that burned down, this rather unusual 1970s structure with jutting upper floors, designed by architect…

4. Casa Fait

0.3 MILES

Quite possibly the most beautiful building in Puntarenas, Casa Fait is a purple-and-cream clapboard 1920s colonial building, with ornate iron balconies…

5. Parque Marino del Pacífico

0.56 MILES

This retro marine park has seen better days, but it will certainly keep the kids entertained for a while. There's an aquarium showcasing many tropical…

6. Playa San Isidro

6.05 MILES

About 8km south of Puntarenas is Playa San Isidro, the first ‘real’ beach on the central Pacific coast. It's quite often empty, and preferred by…

7. Playa Doña Ana

6.67 MILES

The pair of beaches known as Playa Doña Ana are relatively undeveloped and have an isolated and unhurried feel. They are popular among Ticos on day trips…

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