Many associate Alajuela with the warm and sunny climate that characterizes the city of the same name and the various towns in the western end of the Central Valley that also belong to this large and populous province. However, the vast majority of the provincial territory lies on the other side of the volcanic cordilleras, extending north to the Nicaraguan border.

Following the establishment of the city of Cartago in the latter part of the 16th century, the population began expanding westward. By the beginning of the 18th century, the population of Heredia had grown such that it became a second base of expansion, against to the West. To the Catholic colonists one drawback to founding new settlements was the inherent difficulty in attending mass when living far from the established towns. For this reason, in 1782, a new parish that included several small settlements scattered to the west of Heredia was formed in a site known as La Lajuela. Over time this place name evolved into Alajuela, which was also known as Villa Hermosa, "beautiful village."

In the last few decades, with an extensive network of all-weather roads constructed in this once isolated region, cattle and crop production have come to dominate the countryside and a thriving agricultural economy now exists which supplies much of the nation's corn, beans, and fruit and vegetable produce.

In this province you will find Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge, Arenal National Park, Poás Volcano National Park, Juan Castro Blanco National Park, as well as other points of interest such as Zarcero shaped trees park, wood-working and painting in Sarchí where you can find our typical oxcart in different sizes. On the route to Poas Volcano you will enjoy of the magnificent view of La Paz Waterfall, Fraijanes Recreational Park. In Alajuela downtown is the Juan Santamaria Museum dedicated to the historic events that occurred in the mid-1850's when William Walker attempted to gain control of much of Central America.