Apart from the larger San Carlos – or Ciudad Quesada, as it’s also known – La Fortuna is the biggest town in the area. As it’s a touristy place, it has a number of daily services catering to foreigners, such as English-speaking dentists and pharmacies. 

La Fortuna is a pretty town consisting of a well-planned grid of roads lined with souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants, hotels, pharmacies and grocery stores. The town has a bullring and a sports field, and the scenery is beautiful, with the volcano and the mountains of Monteverde and Santa Elena setting the tone.

As mentioned above, there seems to be limited interest in residential properties in La Fortuna. Most property seems to be aimed at serving tourists, one way or another, with both foreigners and expatriates engaged in the industry.

Further out into the hills of San Carlos, you find mainly small villages and towns and the land is dedicated to farming. The countryside is stunning and largely empty. It is also a little nearer the Central Valley than Arenal and Tilarán, which makes it more convenient for those who want to live within a short drive of urban conveniences.

Real estate brokers are increasingly pushing the area, but prices are still reasonable. It’s a good place to buy large parcels of land and ideal for setting up an ornamental plant farm, other agricultural endeavors, or reforestation.