It all begins with a torch lit in Guatemala, illuminating a path of hope for all of Central America. That flame crosses borders until it reaches Costa Rican soil, and from there it travels across the country to a place that holds a special meaning in our history.

Now picture a small town, tucked between mountains. Dozens of children walk down the main street carrying lanterns made with their own hands — some of cardboard, others from recycled materials, a quiet reflection of how deeply respect for the environment is woven into the way we see the world. Their families follow close behind, proud, carrying candles and flags. Suddenly, everyone stops. It’s time to sing the National Anthem. And for one moment, the whole country sings together.

In Costa Rica, this date isn’t marked with cannon fire or military parades. It’s celebrated with families gathered in every corner of the country, telling the world that this torch is a light of hope carried through the faces of its children.

What Is Being Celebrated, and When?

Every September 15th, Costa Rica commemorates its independence from Spain, alongside the rest of Central America — a moment that dates back to 1821. This year, the country celebrated 205 years of independence, with civic ceremonies and school parades held in towns and cities across the nation.

But to truly understand this date, it helps to know two traditions that live at the heart of every Costa Rican: the Independence Torch Relay and the Lantern Parade.

The Torch That Travels the Country on Foot

Every September 14th, a symbolic flame crosses Costa Rica from border to border. This year it traveled 378 kilometers: entering through Peñas Blancas, on the border with Nicaragua — the point where the news of independence first arrives — and reaching Cartago, the country’s first capital, founded in 1569.

What makes it most moving is that this torch is carried hand to hand, passed along by nearly 22,000 students through towns, districts, and provinces across the country. It isn’t carried by soldiers or officials. It’s carried by generation after generation of young Costa Ricans, a relay repeated every year as a reminder that here, freedom has always been upheld together.

And in that simple act, Costa Rica reminds the world of something remarkable: it was the first country to abolish its army, on December 1st, 1948, choosing to invest in classrooms and hospitals instead.

The Lantern Parade: A Tradition With Its Own Story

The night before Independence Day, Costa Rica fills with hundreds of small lights. This tradition began in 1953, following the Civil War of 1948, as a way to instill civic spirit in the country’s children. Its symbolic roots go back even further, to 1821, when torches and kerosene lamps were used in Guatemala to spread the news of independence.

Today, the tradition is very much alive and keeps evolving with each generation: lanterns made of cardboard and candles now share the streets with designs crafted from recycled materials, imagined by children who are already thinking about sustainability, almost without realizing it. It’s a small, perhaps unintentional, glimpse of what Costa Rica strives to become a little more each day.

How to Experience Independence Day as a Traveler

If your trip happens to fall in September, this isn’t a date to watch from a hotel window. It’s a date to walk with a lantern in your hand — to blend into the crowd and feel that shared pride of an entire nation, and of the generations who carry its message to the world.

At Neo Travel, we believe that connecting with Costa Rica means more than seeing its nature — it means sharing its table, its streets, and its traditions. That’s why, when travelers are here during these dates, we make sure they’re never on the outside looking in: joining a lantern parade in a real community rather than a shopping mall, watching the Torch pass through a small town, or spending September 14th with a Costa Rican family, just like one of their own.

Because there’s no better way to understand the heart of a country than by celebrating alongside its people.

Will you be in Costa Rica this September?

At Neo Travel, we’ll design a route that follows the path of this torch — so that, like the students who carry its message from generation to generation, you can carry one home too: one that brings you closer to the heart of Costa Rica, and that you can share with the people you love.

Reach out to us and discover the route we’ve designed to experience this date, meeting the faces behind our heart.

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