Sarchi is known throughout Costa Rica for its beautiful and intricate arts and crafts and souvenirs. It is a neighboring town to Grecia and 30 km (18 miles) northwest of Alajuela city, in the Alajuela province. It also is only an hour drive northwest from San Jose. The town of Sarchi is perhaps most widely recognized for its colorful and decorative oxcarts that have been made there for over a century.

The largest and oldest oxcart factory is found in Sarchi. The Joaquin Chaverri Oxcart Factory was built in 1902, and is considered to be the birthplace of oxcart handicrafts in Costa Rica.

A far less commercial factory, open since 1923, is located just minutes from the center of town. Constructing oxcarts upon special request, you can see the construction of oxcarts utilizing the same methods applied during the early part of the century. The factory's nearby river generates the energy needed to power the numerous tools required to carve, cut and piece together these magnificent carts.

A national symbol of Costa Rica, the oxcart plays a key role in the country’s history, as they were used to transport coffee beans to nearby and faraway markets. In the middle of the 19th century, when coffee was first being cultivated in the surrounding countryside, oxcarts provided the only method in which to transport the hand-picked coffee beans over the mountains and to the coast. Since these trips were long and difficult, a reliable, well-built oxcart could help them arrive before the coffee beans went bad. In many cases, oxcarts where a family's only means of transportation, and at times even served as a status symbol. Thus, the tradition of painting and decorating the carts started in the early part of this century. Originally each region of Costa Rica had its own particular design, enabling one to identify from which part of the country the driver lived by observing the pattern on the wheels.

As highways, trucks and trains have displaced the oxcart as the main means of transporting goods, its significance has changed and it is now a symbol of Costa Rican country life. Featured prominently in parades as well as in both religious and secular celebrations, the brightly painted and detailed designs now cover every inch of the cart.

Also, widely found throughout town are more than 200 wooden furniture and souvenir stores that sell everything from beautifully decorated bowls and trays to intricately carved wooden utensils, jewelry and masks. Elegant and stylish, a lot of wooden furniture is also available in Sarchi, from rocking chairs and tables to dressers and desks.

Besides the beautiful handicrafts, another reason to visit this charming town is for its unusual church that is painted pink and blue and decorated with small drawings. Built in the 1950’s, this two-towered church sits on a hill overlooking the town, just across from the main square.

Many consider the Central Valley to be the most comfortable climate in the world with temperatures usually in the upper 70s during the day and lower 60s at night. The rainy season runs from May through November, though the heavy rains are generally during September and October.

Sarchi is usually visited by people who are going to the nearby Poas Volcano or the Juan Castro National Park, both of which are over an hour’s drive away.

Nestled in the countryside of Costa Rica's Alajuela province, Sarchi is the perfect place to finish off your trip and find those last minute souvenirs and gifts and souvenirs for family and friends.