Semana Santa in Costa Rica (what we call Easter week) is a big event here. A strongly Catholic country, the Ticos (Costa Ricans) celebrate the holiday with traditions and festivities that last not just during Easter day, but for the entire week leading up to Easter Sunday. In Costa Rica, many of the festivities occur over the two-day period from Thursday to Friday as well as Sunday celebrations.
This year will be no different from most with celebrations starting at the beginning of the week and taking place until the biggest parties on Friday. There will be parades throughout the country, lots of food being served and there’s definitely no end to the fun. In fact, in many areas the businesses close for a few days so that employees can celebrate as well. Schools, banks and government institutions will also be closed or have limited hours.
With the warm weather that’s common on this holiday, it’s the perfect time for locals to head to the beach. Although many also prefer the cooler temperatures and will seek out cloud forest and mountain environments.
For those traveling to Costa Rica you may want to stay in the tourist areas as most businesses will stay open. If you travel into the more rural areas of Costa Rica you’ll find many businesses are actually closed and even public transportation is quite limited in celebration of Semana Santa.
An important tip to remember is that many of the areas have “dry laws” in place for several days leading up to Good Friday. In these areas, alcohol is strictly forbidden from being sold.
If you’re thinking about checking out this country there’s no better time to do it than during Semana Santa. With the parades and parties going on, you’ll be pulled right into the fun just like the locals.
Surf Costa Rica with Real Surf Trips and see why it’s called the ‘Rich Coast’. Real Surf Trips offers first class accommodation, experienced teachers, and superior service in one of the best surfing spots in Costa Rica!