La Fortuna, Costa Rica: Self-Guided Walking Tour
Things to do in La Fortuna
La Fortuna is a small town in Costa Rica’s Alajuela Province, set beneath the iconic Arenal Volcano. It is worth visiting for its volcanic landscapes, geothermal hot springs, lush rainforest trails, and the chance to explore a region shaped by one of the country’s most famous eruptions.
Neywo offers a free audio guide for La Fortuna with 2 narrated places available in 11 languages, letting you hear the story of each site as you walk at your own pace.
Arenal Volcano
Just ahead you see the striking silhouette of Arenal, a youthful andesitic stratovolcano rising to about 1,670 metres above sea level. Its nearly symmetrical cone dominates the skyline and draws visitors to Arenal Volcano National Park. The cone itself rises roughly 873 metres above the surrounding terrain, and at the summit sits a crater about 140 metres across. The volcano covers an area of around 33 square kilometres and is estimated to be less than 7,500 years old.
For centuries Arenal lay quiet, with two craters and wisps of fumaroles beneath a forest blanket. That changed on July 29, 1968, when a sudden eruption devastated the nearby town of Tabacón and created three new craters on the western slopes—only one remains today. The eruptive phase lasted until 2010, ranking as the tenth longest volcanic eruption on record since 1750, and the volcano has been dormant ever since. Locals know the mountain by many names—Pan de Azúcar, Canaste, Volcán Costa Rica, Volcán RÃo FrÃo or Guatusos. An exclusion zone protects visitors from unstable slopes, ash, fumes and falling rocks, so climbing to the crater is not permitted.
Museum and Coffee Bar
In the heart of La Fortuna you’ll find the Museum and Coffee Bar, a small venue where you can learn about local culture and enjoy a cup of coffee. It offers a quiet spot to pause after exploring the volcano’s surroundings.
Explore northern Costa Rica
La Fortuna serves as a popular base for discovering the wider northern part of the country. You can venture out to other destinations such as Limón, San José, Santa Elena and beyond, or simply enjoy the rainforest trails, wildlife‑rich viewpoints and panoramic vistas that surround the town.
Explore La Fortuna with Neywo
Download the free Neywo app to experience La Fortuna’s audio guide. With 2 narrated places available in 11 languages, each story plays automatically as you reach the site, letting you explore at your own pace—no group, no schedule. The app tells the story of each location as you walk, giving you a deeper understanding of the volcano, the museum and the coffee bar, all while you move freely through the town.
Places with an audio guide in La Fortuna
1 place in La Fortuna with a Neywo audio guide. Each one starts telling its story as you reach it.
Walk La Fortuna with Neywo
Neywo turns La Fortuna into a self-guided audio tour. Stories arrive as you reach the place they belong to, and the route reshapes when you wander off it.
