There are a few things to do in San Juan del Sur besides visit the beach – although the beaches are lovely! After one week, I’ve visited places that are tops on tourist lists, and some that aren’t. One of the first sites I visited was the statue of Cristo de la Misercordia, who sits 134 meters up on a hill overlooking the Pacific ocean.
Estatue de Cristo de la Misercordia
A pretty easy walk up a mostly paved road, or you can drive most of the way if you choose, the view is worth the hike. You can walk right from the beach of Playa del Sur through a residential neighborhood to the top. The site of the Christ statue offers a 360 view of the main town beach and more. Admission cost is $2. There is even a little chapel in the bottom of the statue!
It was interesting checking out the spot. According to the display in the church, the statue is quite new and was only completed in 2009. They did a good job because this is definitely a tourist attraction! Lots of tourists go, and apparently Jimmy Carter and his wife went a few years ago (there’s a photo of them in the chapel).
The Views
My reason for hiking up the hill is for the views. As I said, the statue overlooks the town beach and the Pacific Ocean, but it also showcases the whole town of San Juan del Sur and outlying communities.
I chose a good day to do the hike. It was hot, but the clear skies made for great photo opportunities. Walk or drive there, whatever you prefer, but don’t miss San Juan Del Sur’s Cristo de La Misercordia.
