We ticos (that’s what we call ourselves in Costa Rica) have a unique—and let’s be honest, sometimes a little confusing—way of giving addresses. If you’re planning to visit Costa Rica, you need to be prepared: maps and GPS don’t always help. House numbers rarely work, and official street names are often ignored. Instead, we rely on something we call “adresa a la tica”—addresses based on landmarks, which may or may not still exist.
TWO WAYS TO GET THERE: NUMBERS VS. LANDMARKSIn Costa Rica, we navigate in two ways:
Numbered addresses – Similar to Europe or the U.S., we technically have house numbers and street names. But honestly, who uses them? They’re mostly there for paperwork. Most ticos neither know them nor need them.
“A la tica” addresses – Our favorite way. Forget numbers. We use landmarks: trees, shops, even statues that no longer exist. Ask for a precise number or street name, and you’ll likely hear: “It’s over there, near…”.
A classic Costa Rican address might sound like: “De la Plaza de la Cultura, 50 metros al este y 25 metros al sur”. Translation: “From Plaza de la Cultura, 50 meters east and 25 meters south.”
So instead of exact coordinates, you get: “Go this far from that place.” And somehow, it works! Creative, chaotic—but perfectly normal for us.
One of the most famous is the Higuerón tree in San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José. This huge tree died from pollution years ago and was cut down—but addresses based on it are still in use. You’ll hear: “Del antiguo Higuerón, 200 metros al este”—“From the old Higuerón, 200 meters east.”
The same goes for Spoon cafés—some branches no longer exist, but we still use them. You might be told: “Frente al antiguo Spoon”—“In front of the old Spoon.”
Other classics:
“From where the Coca-Cola sign used to be, 200 meters west, corner with the palm.”
“From the tree that fell during the hurricane, 300 meters south, big stone-walled house.”
Even if the sign disappeared decades ago or the tree is long gone, the reference lives on in our directions.
Another twist: we use “arriba” (up) and “abajo” (down) not for hills but for direction relative to downtown. Going toward the city center? That’s “arriba”, even if it’s downhill. Heading away? That’s “abajo.” Logic doesn’t apply—tico sense does.
ADDRESSES WITH PEOPLE, HISTORY, AND LEGENDSSome addresses refer to people or old businesses. For example:
“From the house where they sold the best empanadas, 300 meters east, red-roof house.”
“From the house with the barking dog, 100 meters north, second house on the left.”
“From the corner where they sold chicharrones, 100 meters east, two-story cream-colored house.”
The businesses are gone, the dog is dead, but the memory lives on—in our addresses.
Here’s the funny part: even official institutions use them! For example, the Ministry of Environment and Energy’s address is:
“From the Casa Matute Gómez, 100 meters east, 50 meters south, next to CANARA on a private street.”
So yes, even our government trusts landmarks more than street numbers.
San José does have numbered avenidas and calles. Technically, Avenida Central splits north and south, Calle 0 splits east and west. But almost nobody uses them. We prefer our landmarks—they’re fun, familiar, and carry a bit of history.
Be ready. When you ask for directions, you probably won’t get a house number or street name. Instead, you’ll hear something like:
“From the old Higuerón, 200 meters east.”
Even though the tree no longer exists.
But don’t worry—tico addresses have charm. They’re full of memories, history, and creativity. And if you get lost? There’s always a smiling tico ready to help you… even if their directions confuse you even more.
If you’re planning a visit or even considering investing in Costa Rica, remember: here, the journey is just as unique as the destination.
And if you’re interested in real estate investments, feel free to reach out—I’ll be happy to help you navigate both our market and our “orientational chaos.”
