Jewelry

L.A CANO: Heritage worn in style

With over 40 years in the market and more than a 100 years of artistic tradition, L.A. CANO is Costa Rica’s most experienced jeweler specializing in pre-Columbian art reproductions. Every reproduction is a faithful copy of original works found in the museums ofCosta Rica and other countries in Latin America. We represent the artistic traditions of more than 12 cultures, and have exclusive permission of Costa Rica’s Diquis Culture to reproduce and promote their artistic style — a responsibility we accept with great pride.

Costa Rican Coffee

Freshly ground coffee will make your luggage smell good and will please folks back home. At supermarkets around the country, you can buy freshly ground coffee or coffee beans in light or dark roast. Café Britt, a high-quality local brand, makes a wide variety, including espresso, decaffeinated and unroasted coffee www.cafebritt.com

Wooden handicrafts and Oxcarts

Ox carts are the unofficial national symbol of Costa Rica and are still used in rural areas. They symbolize the independence and diligence of small farmers. The small town of Sarchí is the home of our country’s traditional brightly painted ox carts. They come in all sizes, from desk paper weights to full sized, and can be shipped to your home. In Sarchí you can see artisans painting the carts and creating wooden bowls, furniture and other items.

Leather rocking chairs

Folding wood and leather rocking chairs decorate the sitting rooms and porches of many country homes in our country. They are sold in Moravia, a suburb of San José that has many crafts shops, and in the small town of Sarchí, about an hour north of the capital. For travelers, they are packed in boxes to accompany your luggage, or may be shipped. If you forgot to get a chair while you were in Costa Rica, you can order one from www.sittingprettyinstyle.com

Salsa Lizano

The original Costa Rica sauce, Salsa Lizano (since 1920). A little sweet, a little savory, like nothing you've ever tasted before. Goes on just about anything. Costa Rican cooks use it to flavor everything from meat to beans. It’s not spicy and is made from water, sugar, salt, vegetables, (onions, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers) and spices, Buy it in any Costa Rican grocery store or order it online.

Guaitil (Chorotega) ceramics

Guaitil and San Vincente, small towns near Santa Cruz, Guanacaste (northwestern Costa Rica) are famous for their pottery. Artisans there—mostly women-- retain Chorotega Indian traditions but have also incorporated newer techniques and designs. They make most pieces by hand without using a wheel, and use native clay and natural paints and colors. Horizontes Nature Tours arranges visits to these artisans’ communities.