Villa Picaflora's Community: Atenas, Costa Rica

Escape the North American climate for
Atenas, Costa Rica, where tropical fruits and vegetables are sold every week at a charming outdoor
market in one of Atenas' city parks. Enjoy a tropical retirement or vacation paradise in the friendly Costa
Rican town of Atenas, midway between the capital of San Jose and the central pacific beaches. Atenas,
Costa Rica is home to European and North American ex-pats and offers tropical international living at its best.

Photo © Alison Tinsley

Villa Picaflora is located just 2 km from the center of Atenas, Costa Rica, a thriving agricultural community of about 20,000 inhabitants. Several hundred Canadian, Italian, German, Dutch, and American full- or part-time residents call Atenas home.

As the capital of its canton and the major town in the area, Atenas has everything you need for everyday business and comfortable living: supermarkets, banks, building materials and hardware, car parts and mechanics, doctors and dentists, lawyers, Spanish classes and a wonderful Friday-morning fruit and vegetable market. The major shopping area of Escazú, with international brand-name boutiques, quality supermarkets and membership discount warehouses is only an hour away.

A Delightful Climate
Excerpt from the newspaper La Nation, May, 1998

"Atenas is endowed with an excellent climate due to a moderate temperature, a mixture of warm winds with cool fresh air currents, lots of sunshine and exceptional broad-leaved vegetation. This climate is characterized by an average temperature of 23.7 degrees Celcius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) with close to 7 hours of sunshine per day.

The year is divided into two well defined seasons: winter, the rainy season, from May to October, and summer, the dry season, from November to April. The climate of the township of Atenas is a myth for those who refer to it as “the best climate in the world”, but at the same time a luxurious reality for those who enjoy it day after day.

Based on this reputation, which is both a legend and a reality according to the experts, the township of Atenas decided to erect a monument dedicated to the best climate in the world. The chosen site is located a few hills south-east of the village in the neighbourhood known under the name of Guizaros (Barrio Jesus).

The breeze is refreshing, the air is pure, and the sunsets are truly privileged moments, as a visiting team from this newspaper could confirm. The area is mostly rural with winding roads, lush pastures, rich and varied croplands and many species of birds. The area is ideal for the observation of eclipses and other celestial phenomena."