How is Costa Rica and its culture?

The culture of Costa Rica has indigenous, European, Afro-Caribbean and Asian nuances, as well as a great Spanish influence, its language is Spanish. It is a mestizo and multiethnic country. Today we can say that it is a multilingual and multicultural society where people from other countries have arrived and have managed to establish themselves permanently.

Costa Ricans or “ticos” as they call themselves are very friendly and hospitable people, which has influenced people to decide to stay and live, they make them feel at home.

The Tico has become famous for his phrase «PURA VIDA», the pura vida is a way of greeting each other, a way of saying yes, a way of saying thank you, a way of saying that you are very well, in general the “pura vida” takes on a meaning depending on the occasion and the moment, becoming a phrase of everyday life.

Costa Rican gastronomy is a juicy mixture of Aboriginal, Spanish and African influences merging into a mestizo cuisine with a strong aroma and flavor. Due to multiculturalism, Asian, Italian, Indian food, Colombian dishes, and Cuban food, among others, can currently be found in our gastronomy. Being close to the sea, seafood is easily obtained, which can be prepared with national and international recipes.

The fine arts contain novelists such as María Isabel Carvajal «Carmen Lyra» and Carlos Luis Fallas; painters with a deep regional aesthetic moving on to a more modern one headed by Francisco Amighetti, and the internationally known Rafa Fernández.

Costa Rica has a strong artistic tradition in stone with pre-Columbian roots such as stone sculptures, jade and ceramics. This legacy has been sealed with quality by sculptors such as Jorge Jiménez Deredia, a Tico resident in Italy who is internationally known for his sculptures of marble spheres.

Some curious traditions of the Ticos is eating gallo pinto for breakfast, which is a mixture of rice and black beans seasoned with natural spices from the country. Or the rice with chicken widely used for some important celebration, for Christmas pork or chicken tamale are made, food based on corn, pork and rice.

One of the most deeply rooted traditions is the walk called the Pilgrimage in which every August 2 people walk from anywhere in the country to the city of Cartago where the Iglesias de Los Angeles is located in honor of the virgin which they call the “Negrita” Patron Saint of Costa Rica.

In Costa Rica, the eve of Independence Day is celebrated every September 14 with parades of lanterns, the arrival of the torch that announced the news of independence from Spain. On September 15 itself, a traditional parade of bands is celebrated with great festivity and enthusiasm, with the participation of primary and secondary schools.

Costa Rica is a country with very strong agricultural roots with internationally famous coffee production, currently it has taken an important step towards ecotourism and the high-tech industry.

Visit Costa Rica, a country without an army awaits you to share its culture!

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