“You don’t choose where you are born, but you can choose where you live” wisely states the message from the Municipality of Atenas for the town’s 147th birthday celebration.
On Friday, Aug. 7, the pastoral coffee town of Atenas, Costa Rica will celebrate its 147th year of founding. Located in the mountains due west of Costa Rica’s capital city of San Jose, on the edge of the Pacific Coast, Atenas is known for its ideal location and great weather.
It is Atenas’ location, great weather and small-town ambiance that make the country town a special place to live for its 15,000 residents (27,000 including the outlying neighborhoods).
“Everyone is friendly and says hello. It is a tranquil town. I’ve lived here my whole life and will probably stay,” commented a native Atenas resident.
“We take care of each other. It is in our roots. Even with our town’s growth, we have still preserved our small town feel and our customs. People here love our traditions and our tranquility,” said another native resident.
Atenas is a top place to retire in Costa Rica, cited by International Living, HelpAge International and AARP, and has attracted a substantial international population from all over the world.
“One of the main reasons we picked Atenas is because we wanted a cool fresh climate, and it is close to the beach, close to the airport, and close to the city,” said one new resident from Canada.
“We picked Atenas because of location – being half-way between San Jose and the beach. We love Atenas for the climate, living in the country and being a small town. People are very friendly. It’s a quaint old-style village,” commented another Canadian.
“Everywhere your eye falls it is so beautiful. The weather is great. The people are the friendliest of anywhere in the world,” said a resident from the U.S.
A little history of Atenas, Costa Rica
Atenas was founded in 1868 from the oxcart trail that transported coffee from the fertile Central Valley to the Pacific coastal port of Puntarenas. Atenas was a main meeting point along the route. Traders from the coast would travel up the low coastal foothills to Atenas to meet merchants from San Jose and the valley, each side selling their goods to the other. As Atenas developed, citizens from neighboring cities of Alajuela, San Jose and Heredia relocated to the region. Atenas’ oxcart history is immortalized in the famous Oxcart Monument in town by sculptor Manuel “Manolo” Torrecillas Lopez.
San Jose is less than an hour to the east, and some of the best Pacific Coast beaches are under an hour to the west. The town’s rugged terrain of mountains and valleys ranges in elevation from 2,200 to 4,000 feet, offering its residents wonderful weather, stunning mountain landscapes, and panoramic 
valley and coastal views.
The heart of Atenas is its central park, with the Catholic Church bordering one side and ringed by shops, restaurants and cafes, the National Bank and the Atenas Municipality. The park is a perfect spot to enjoy an ice cream or coffee or simply take in local life. In the late afternoon, flocks of green parrots and the occasional toucan settle in the palm trees above the park.
Celebrate Atenas’ 147th birthday
The town’s birthday is Friday, Aug. 7, but the main celebration will happen on Sunday, Aug. 9 – the main day off for most people. There will be an exhibition of women entrepreneurs selling their crafts, art and products in the Atenas Central Park from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A children’s area will keep kids happy with inflatable jumping toys, clowns and games.
Visit or live in Atenas, Costa Rica
To visit or live in Atenas Costa Rica , contact the real estate agency Pure Life Development of Atenas. Costa Rica realtors Dennis Easters and Gerardo Gonzalez-Porras specialize in Atenas homes for sale, Costa Rica properties for sale and Costa Rica vacation homes.
Article by Shannon Farley
