Zarcero travel guide

At the northern limit of the Central Valley, Zarcero (population 3904) enjoys a fresh mountain climate where the bean gives way to the beast. After climbing the gently meandering lower slopes the roads scaling the last few kilometres adopt an obsessive winding tendency. The views are very scenic – drivers should make sure they keep their eyes on the road. Dairy cattle chewing the cud fuel the local economy. A local speciality is palmito, a white, moist cheese rather like mozzarella, and a range of sweet products including dulce de leche and the best cajeta de leche in the country. Fruit jams are another regional product, which can be bought in town or at any of the many roadside stalls. Heading north from Zarcero, the road falls, rapidly twisting and winding down through the western limits of the Cordillera Central and the eastern edge of the Cordillera de Tilarán.

In town, it is the bizarre topiary creations filling the main square that draw in the crowds. Travel guides and brochures go into linguistic spasms in their attempts to describe and explain these creations of Zarcero’s most famous son, Evangelista Blanco Breves. Given the job of maintaining the central plaza in 1964, Evangelista set about the task with a few simple ideas that have subsequently grown, been clipped, grown and been clipped again. He has created animals, couples dancing, a helicopter, baskets and many Henry Moore-like sculptures that are still in metamorphosis. According to Evangelista, the inspiration and the idea for these naturally evolving artworks comes from ‘El Maestro’ – the great celestial Master who also happens to reside in the white twin-towered church at the end of a topiary double arch leading through the plaza. Within the church, colour and motifs use just a pinch of artistic guidance from the carreteras of Sarchí.