Top 5 Cantons of Heredia Province

Costa Rica is divided into 7 provinces, 84 cantons (counties, each with its own municipality) and about 490 districts. Every canton has an official number within its province. This article covers Heredia province's first 5 cantons by that number, numbers 1 to 5, rather than a ranking. Areas and district lists come from the official 2025 territorial division published by Costa Rica's government.

Heredia is the smallest province by area, at about 2,660 km², and has 10 cantons. Its south is part of the greater San José area, on the slopes of the Barva Volcano; its north, the canton of Sarapiquí, runs down into the Caribbean lowlands.

1. Heredia

The city of Heredia, known as the City of Flowers, received the title of city in 1824 and is the provincial capital. It's home to the National University (UNA). Most of the canton is part of the greater metropolitan area, except the large, mountainous district of Varablanca, which runs up toward the Poás and Barva volcanoes.

Area: about 283 km². Districts (5): Heredia, Mercedes, San Francisco, Ulloa and Varablanca.

2. Barva

Barva, just north of Heredia, has a colonial-era town center. It's named as a canton in the 1848 decree. Its newest district is Puente Salas.

Area: about 56 km². Districts (7): Barva, San Pedro, San Pablo, San Roque, Santa Lucía, San José de la Montaña and Puente Salas.

3. Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo was created in 1869 from the canton of Heredia and became a city in 1902. It lies between Heredia and San José and, at about 25 km², is one of the smaller cantons in the country.

Area: about 25.4 km². Districts (8): Santo Domingo, San Vicente, San Miguel, Paracito, Santo Tomás, Santa Rosa, Tures and Pará.

4. Santa Bárbara

Santa Bárbara was made a canton in 1882. It sits on the slopes northwest of Heredia, with coffee farms and small towns.

Area: about 52.1 km². Districts (6): Santa Bárbara, San Pedro, San Juan, Jesús, Santo Domingo and Purabá.

5. San Rafael

San Rafael was created in 1885, split from the canton of Heredia. It climbs from the edge of Heredia city into the cool hills of the Barva Volcano.

Area: about 48.3 km². Districts (5): San Rafael, San Josecito, Santiago, Ángeles and Concepción.

Yoga in the province

Heredia has no yoga studio we currently profile, but it's close to the San José studios: Yoga Mandir in San Pedro and Krama Yoga in Santa Ana were both open in November 2026. For retreats, see where to do yoga in Costa Rica.

Frequently asked questions

What is a canton in Costa Rica?

A canton is the level of local government below the province, roughly like a county, with its own elected municipality. Each canton is split into districts.

How many cantons does Heredia province have?

10, according to the official 2025 territorial division.

Is Heredia close to San José?

Yes. The city of Heredia is about 10 km north of downtown San José, and the two are joined by continuous suburbs.

[Updated on: 4 November 2026]