Grecia is a medium-sized town with little in the way of tourist-driven infrastructure. However, this doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty to do here. Grecia’s large and active expat community organize many groups and activities to keep its residents occupied, while the town’s mountainous setting is also perfect for outdoor adventure. To help you choose what to do first, here are the five most popular expat activities in Grecia:
1. Browse the Feria
Like many towns in Costa Rica, Grecia hosts a feria, or farmers’ market, every weekend. Not only is the feria a place to get the freshest fruits and vegetables around, but it’s also a great place to meet up with other expats. A large number of expats shop at the feria because of the variety, quality, and low price of the produce.
Many will shop at the same time each week and make grocery shopping a social event. Grecia’s feria is open on Friday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday from 6 a.m. to around noon. Most expats choose to shop early on Friday.
2. Meet Friends at the Church and Park
The red metal church in downtown Grecia is the most iconic in the country. Right next to it is the central park, and both are popular expat meeting places. Not only is the church easy to find, it is close to shopping and restaurants. In fact, whenever someone gives directions, they typically start with, “From the red church…”
The church and park are not just meet-up areas either; they also host a number of cultural events. The bandshell in the center of the park often hosts a number of events each month that range from children dancing to a full orchestra.
3. Go Clubbing
There is a large and active expat population in Grecia and interests vary widely. Because of this there is a group or club for just about everything. Want to have the latest draft of your novel critiqued? There is a writers’ group that can help. Want to learn to weave or knit? There are groups for that, too. There are groups who get together to cheer on their favorite teams, and groups for budding artists looking to be creative. Most interests will have a group already going, and if you can’t find one that fits your niche, you can always just start your own!
4. Take a Hike
Grecia is surrounded by mountains, and many of the popular expat areas are located on a mountain slope. Hiking and exploring on farm roads and nature preserves is a popular pastime for expats. Not only can you see beautiful vistas and animals; you might also discover a hidden waterfall.
In addition to exploring the mountains there are two parks expats go to, with groomed trails to hike along. Each has a series of paths leading to overlooks and waterfalls. The first is Basque del Niño, a private park with miles of trails on Calle Rodrigues. The second is Los Chorros Park, which consists of two waterfalls connected by a river. There is a natural pool in front of each waterfall where visitors can swim.
5. Lend a Hand
Another popular activity for expats is to utilize their time and give back to the community. By volunteering, expats get to immerse themselves into the culture and become part of the community.
There are many opportunities to help in the community, from working to give stray dogs new homes, to building shelves for the library downtown. Or, helping with one of the projects at one of the local schools. There are enough volunteer opportunities to keep everyone as busy as they want to be.
Bonus Activity: Explore the Surrounding Area
As you can see there are plenty of things to keep you busy in Grecia proper. That being said, one of the reasons expats choose Grecia is its close proximity to larger towns. An hour’s drive from Grecia can take you to Central America’s largest mall, in Alajuela, or to the beautiful 19th century theater in San José, or even to Costa Rica’s tallest waterfall—Catarata del Toro. These and other day trips are another popular activity for expats in Grecia.
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