Escazú

Escazú is a canton in the province of San José, located 9 kilometers west of the Costa Rican capital on the northeastern slopes of the Cerros de Escazú in the Central Valley. With a cantonal population estimated at between 45,000 and 50,000 inhabitants spread across 34.53 km², it combines a high-end residential identity — often described as the most exclusive neighborhood in the country — with a singular folkloric heritage. Its name derives from the Huetar word itskatzu, meaning "stone for resting."

The history of Escazú weaves together the colonial and the legendary. Explored by Juan de Cavallón in 1561, the area served as a rest stop on the road between Aserrí and Pacaca. For centuries, women living alone — widows, healers, midwives — practiced herbal medicine in the canton, earning a reputation that turned Escazú into the City of Witches, an identity so fully embraced that the municipal coat of arms features a witch on a broomstick flying over the mountains. Every second Sunday of March, the district of San Antonio celebrates Día del Boyero, a procession of hand-painted ox carts declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.

The Cerros de Escazú, with peaks exceeding 2,400 meters, are the canton's primary sporting asset. Pico Blanco (2,271 m) offers a demanding 9.5-kilometer trail with 750 meters of elevation gain, frequented by hikers and mountain runners. AllTrails documents 24 routes in the canton for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking. At the institutional level, the Comité Cantonal de Deportes administers the Villa Ecológica Deportiva and has plans for an eight-lane athletics track in San Antonio, alongside football pitches and beach volleyball courts.

Escazú was recognized as American City of Sport 2026 by ACES América, following an in-person evaluation of its infrastructure and sport programs. On the ACES Activa platform it has one registered event, a figure expected to grow substantially throughout its year of designation.