Heredia is the capital city of the Heredia Province, one of the most beautiful provinces of Costa Rica. Nestled in the foothills of the dormant Barva Volcano, Heredia is surrounded by lush green hills dotted with coffee plantations, tropical forests, and national parks, offering ISA students the ideal location for exploring the region's natural beauty. Only 11 kilometers (less than 7 miles) from San José, the capital city of Costa Rica, students also have easy access to all the city has to offer.

Founded in 1705, Heredia is filled with well-preserved examples of colonial architecture. The most famous and majestic is the church of La Inmaculada Concepción, one of the oldest churches in the country. The church is located in Heredia's Central Park in the heart of the city and is surrounded by lively plazas, restaurants, and stores. The charming center of Heredia is the perfect place to people-watch, meet with friends, or chat with local Heredianos.

With several notable universities, the student population of Heredia is quite significant, and both international and local students alike bring a unique personality to the town. ISA students in Heredia enjoy many of the advantages of a big city, including excellent cafés, patisseries, ice cream parlors, vegetarian and health food, and several options for nightlife, while retaining the more relaxed pace of a smaller city.

Of course, the bustling city of San José is nearby and conveniently-reached using public transportation. Day or night, an affordable and quick 40-minute bus ride brings students to the capital and cultural center of Costa Rica. Museums, theater, live music, diverse cuisine, and exciting nightlife are readily available in San José, a vibrant and entertaining Latin American capital.

Church of La Inmaculada Concepción: The most majestic of Heredia's numerous examples of colonial architecture, this church was constructed in 1796 and is one of the oldest in Costa Rica. The church bells were imported from Cuzco, Perú and can still be heard ringing throughout the nearby plazas.

Parque Central (Central Park): A popular place to gather, talk, and relax, Heredia's main park is home to lush gardens, fountains, and several monuments. The Casa de Cultura is located across from the park and is a pleasant place to enjoy visiting art exhibits.

Barva Volcano: Heredia is nestled in the foothills of the Barva Volcano, one of the few Costa Rican volcanoes that can be climbed by tourists. Located inside the nearby Braulio Carrillo National Park, students enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding lush, green hills and landscape that gives Heredia the nickname "City of Flowers".

San José: A quick and affordable bus ride from Heredia gives students the opportunity to enjoy the bustling capital of San José and all of its cultural offerings. To learn more about points of interest in nearby San José, please visit the ISA San José Culture Corner.

POPULAR PHRASESpura vida - “pure life”; can mean hello, goodbye, cool (the phrase that represents the essence of Costa Rica, “everything’s great”)
mae - dude, man, friend (very common between good friends). This word is usually only used by males.
chunche - knicknack, thing
qué tuanis/chiva - how cool
estoy limpio - I’m broke
salveque - backpack
¡Upe! - “Anyone home?” when knocking on a door
con mucho gusto - with pleasure (used instead of “de nada”)
de hoy en ocho- one week from todayEN LA CALLEavenida - avenue
calle - street
carretera - highway
¡alto! -stop!
esquina - corner
cien metros - one block
paralela - parallel
acera - sidewalk
cruzar, atravesar - to cross
semáforo - street light
tráfico - traffic
carro, auto - car
autobus - bus
camion - truck
parada - bus stop
botella - bottle
botellín - small bottle
llamada por cobrar- collect call
cobrador - ticket collector
boca - hors d’oeuvre
conductor - bus driver
guiar - to guide, to driveEN LA CLASEaula - classroom
profesor - professor
escritorio, pupitre - desk
catedrático - department head
pizarra - blackboard
asignatura - subject (class)
tiza - chalk
curso - course
borrador - eraser
apuntes - notes
borrar - to erase
notas - grades
oficina - office
aprobar - to pass
horas de consulta - office hours
perdì el curso - to fail
horario - schedule, timetable
programa - syllabus
examen - exam
parcial - midterm
prueba - quizTIENDASalmacén - department store
entresacar - to trim
papelería - paper goods store
librería - book store
biblioteca - library
farmacía - pharmacy
mercado, plaza - market
panadería - bread store
supermercado - supermarket
pescadería - fish store
soda - a basic restaurant
billete - bill
carnicería - meat store
colón - natnl. currency
verdulería - fruit and vegetable store
repostería - pastry shop
heladería - ice cream shop
quinientos - 500 colones
pulpería - corner store
ferretería - hardware store
mil - 1,000 colones
frutería - fruit & vegetable store
peluquería - hairdresser
salón de belleza - beauty parlorEN LA CASAentrada - entrance
salida - exit
almohada - pillow
cuarto - room
sábana - sheet
ducha - shower
edificio - building
colchón - mattress
portero - doorman
lavatorio - bathroom sink
bañera - bathtub
dormitorio - bedroom
comedor - dining room
papel higiénico - toilet paper
cuarto de baño - bathroom
jabón - soap
cocina - kitchen
cepillo de dientes - toothbrush
pasta de dientes - toothpaste
toalla - towel
balcón - balcony
cama - bedCOMIDAdesayuno - breakfast
almuerzo - lunch
cena - supper
arroz - rice
atún - tuna
pan integral - wheat bread
café con leche - coffee w/milk
aceite - oil
chorizo - spiced red sausage
salchicha - hot dog sausage
té - tea
mantel - tablecloth
verduras - vegetables
tostada - toast
galleta - cookie
mantequilla - butter
lechuga - lettuce
avena - oatmeal
mermelada - marmalade, jelly
tomate - tomato
cebolla - onion
cajeta - fudge
ajo - garlic
sal - salt