Atenas, Costa Rica Real Estate

About Atenas

The Spanish title for Athens, Atenas is in the Alajuela province in Costa Rica. From a distance Atenas sits on a mountainside that looks remarkably like the fabled city in Greece!

Even within a very special country, Atenas is one of the most unique places on the planet! Imagine a traditional small town that doesn’t appear to change over time yet offers the type of modern touches that can be found in the most avant-garde urban cities in the world today.

The population of 27,000 people hasn’t changed much over the past 20 years. A peaceful town off the beaten path, inhabited by the friendliest people in the nation, Atenas is perfectly situated between beach, city, and airport, all less than 1 hour drive away, making it extremely popular with foreigners seeking a modern lifestyle while keeping its rural-style small town vibe.

Most notable for having the “Best Weather in the World” (Lo Mejor Clima del Mundo) due to its 2000+ foot elevation between two oceans, the people of Atenas enjoy 65 to 85-degree year-round temperatures that make this matchless location the envy of Ticos and foreigners alike,

Properties in Atenas

Atenas is a nature conscious community, and one will be able to find different prices depending on the location of the area desired and the type of home wanted.  With growth of the interior Central Valley and beach locations over the past 20 years along with recent nationwide road infrastructure additions and improvements, Atenas has grown into an ideal spot for retirement,

Roca Verde, an upscale Atenas community, boasts refreshing breezes and exceptional views from highland peaks. New homes popping up on the lower slopes feature larger properties and the convenience of close-by Route 27, designed, and built as a modern highway going directly to Pacific beaches, Central Valley and the airport with easier accessibility and faster travel times.

Things to See

The recently revamped Atenas Park, located in the heart of the main village, is a perfect place to relax in the afternoon and enjoy the many nearby coffee shops, restaurant cuisines, art shops and cutting-edge clothing stores. Dotted with tall Royal palm trees and tropical plants, the famous park offers views of traditional architecture such as the Catholic Church and the Municipal Palace and often features free live music, dancing, festivals, concerts, and more!

Recently Atenas has been steadily improving with modern infrastructure like 4G networks along with municipal works designed to bring this formerly sleepy small town into the 21^st century. What makes this truly amazing is that they’ve managed to do all this modernization without losing their small-town flavor, their happiness with family-centric lifestyle and truly enjoying where they live while having fun with family, friends, and neighbors in this extraordinary town.

What makes Atenas truly unique in a nation filled with special locations is the nature backdrop to everything. Nowhere else is it possible to see a Pacific Ocean panorama on a highland peak, turn around and be treated to the sight of the entire Central Valley spread out before you from that lofty perch and yet be a 10-minute drive to a bustling town that offers so much. Many of the locals say they never want to live anywhere else in Costa Rica and who can blame them?

Other things if interest

Atenas is home to the Escuela Centroamericana de Ganadería (“ECAG”). Created in the early 80’s, this 525-acre farm has a secondary forest occupying a bit less than half of its territory. This institution is one of the few universities in Central America, North America, or South America that offers careers and education in Forestall and Wild Life Management, Food Technology, Agro Ecotourism, and Animal Production. ECAG serves as a shelter for species such as crocodiles, snakes, and butterflies. ECAG also produces and markets its own beef and milk byproducts.

Other places of interest include the Museo Ferriovario de Rio Grande (Train Museum), the Municipal Market, and the Monumento Nacional al Boyero, where visitors and locals can learn a bit more about the history of Atenas and Costa Rica.