The White City of Liberia (population 36,407), as the city is known in Costa Rica, stands out brightly just off the junction of the Pan-American Highway with Highway 21 to the Nicoya Peninsula. While it may be provincial capital, transport and commercial hub and the largest city in northern Costa Rica, don’t expect high rise and hot dogs – it has evolved perfectly to survive the blazing temperatures that bake Guanacaste in the dry season.
The white, mainly single-storey buildings are designed to reflect the heat. On many of the older buildings a section of wall either side of a corner is replaced by large doors. When left open this distinctive puerta del sol allows warmth and ventilation to move freely through the house. Nobody ventures out at high noon, giving the town a deserted feel if you turn up around midday, but rise with the sun, or take an early evening stroll, and the streets gently swagger to life.
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