Costa Rica Retirement in the Central Valley: Ciudad Colon, the Quaint College Town

Ciudad Colón is the third in a row of three towns west of San Jose that foreigners find attractive. I think of Escazu as being the most upscale and commercial, Santa Ana both rural and suburban, and Ciudad Colon pastoral and quaint.

Ciudad Colón is bordered on three sides by mountains and ravines, so development and growth are limited. But that hasn’t stopped the current real estate boom. Several developments are in progress, offering homes and condominiums in a wide price range.

If you drive west along the autopista (highway) from San Jose, you drive right into Ciudad Colón, past Escazu then Santa Ana. After billboards dot the landscape, the four-lane highway narrows down to two lanes, and you can tell you are getting into more rural country.

There are some commercial and light industrial businesses along the road and open spaces of undeveloped land. You’ll pass Essentia, a fine restaurant and bar hidden in a tropical wonderland, then a few other popular restaurants serving comida típica (typical Tico food).

You’ll enter a more populated area and finally arrive at an intersection with a No Hay Paso (one way, do not enter) sign, with the Enersol gas station on the right. To your left is a road leading to residential areas, including the Julia and David White Artist’s Colony, where visiting artists work and occasionally showcase their talents.

To get to the center of Ciudad Colón, take a right at the gas station, then your first left. This is the one-way “in” street that takes you into downtown (the “out” street brings you out of Ciudad Colón and back toward the autopista), and continues through town toward the University for Peace or Puriscal.

The University for Peace puts Ciudad Colón on the map. Started by the United Nations, UPaz attracts students from all over the world to obtain a Masters Degree in Media, Conflict and Peace Studies. These students gobble up affordable, furnished rental housing, so buying a property to rent out can be lucrative.

Most of downtown fits into seven blocks. It’s a small enough village to be able to meet the individuals who run the municipality, shops and produce stands, many of whom are well-educated Ticos who worked for decades in the United States, but returned to Ciudad Colón for a higher quality of life.

I think of Escazu as being the most upscale and commercial, Santa Ana both rural and suburban, and Ciudad Colon pastoral and quaint.

Crime is far less prevalent here than in other western towns. This town is noted for its community cooperation. Well-off Ticos in town have used their wealth to create and maintain social centers and soccer fields, which are the center for family life.

On weekends, soccer dominates the main field downtown, starting with peewee in the morning on up in age to adult soccer in the evening.

Besides soccer, every Saturday bicycle racers ride along the autopista into Ciudad Colón from the starting place in Santa Ana in front of the MegaSuper supermarket. And swimming is popular in Ciudad Colón. Lessons are available at Aguazul; El Higueron, a restaurant, has a large swimming pool that individuals can use when children’s swim meets are not in progress; and there is a private pool behind the post office that is available to the public.

A popular meeting place in town is along the pedestrian boulevard and in the old market, an open-air structure where festivals are held. Previously in this spot was the central market, with produce stands, butchers, fishmongers, tortilla and poultry shops, several sodas (homemade dining spots) and a taco stand, which all moved a half block north.

Ciudad Colón is not known for its culinary arts. However, numerous affordable restaurants serve típico, chicken, Chinese and seafood fare. This is a town filled with mom and pop places where you can buy the basics and enjoy more of nature. For more elaborate shopping, zip down the autopista to the Multiplaza mall.

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Written by Margie Davis who is retired in Costa Rica.

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Andrew Makarik

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Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.