Hacienda Alsacia: Inside Starbuck’s Costa Rica Coffee Farm
Hacienda Alsacia is Starbucks’ only company-owned coffee farm and a top coffee tour experience in Costa Rica. Located in the hills of Alajuela near San José, the farm serves as a working coffee plantation, research center, and visitor attraction focused on sustainability and innovation.
Visitors come to Hacienda Alsacia to learn how coffee is grown, processed, and brewed, while enjoying sweeping views of Costa Rica’s coffee-growing countryside.
How It All Started
In 2013, Starbucks bought Hacienda Alsacia to be a kind of global testing ground for all things coffee – a R&D farm that lets them try out cutting-edge farming techniques & brand new, super climate-tough coffee varieties – all with the ultimate goal of passing on their discoveries to coffee farmers all over the world.
But Hacienda Alsacia isn’t just about experimenting with new ideas- it also works super closely with local agronomists and coffee experts who have spent their whole lives growing coffee in Costa Rica. By teaming the latest in science with the expertise of local farmers, Starbucks can try all sorts of new things without losing sight of what coffee is all about – the land, the people & the culture that make it so special.
Costa Rica was picked because of it’s perfect weather, rich volcanic soil, and over a century of producing some of the world’s best coffee. Now, Hacienda Alsacia is playing a vital role in shaping the future of coffee and at the same time, keeping alive all the wonderful traditions that make coffee in Costa Rica so renowned.
The Tour at Hacienda Alsacia
The Hacienda Alsacia tour is an up close and personal coffee experience that gives visitors a real eye opener on the whole journey of how coffee gets from plant to cup. You get to walk through the coffee fields, get insight on all the different types of coffee on offer, plus learn how elevation & climate come into play when it comes to getting that perfect brew.
Your guide will explain what it’s like to be part of a working coffee farm, and give some real context to help you appreciate how much work goes into producing top quality coffee. They really bring it home just how much care & attention goes into growing, harvesting & processing all those delicious beans.
You’ll learn where coffee cherries come from, how they get picked & processed, including all the ins & outs of washing & drying methods before they’re roasted.
Most tour days wrap up with a coffee tasting session, where you can try out different brews and find out just how the processing methods and roast levels all come together to create the final taste experience. Overall, the tour is a real treat for anyone who’s even a little bit into coffee – whether you’re a casual fan or a total coffee aficionado.
An Amazing Starbucks Cafe
The café at Hacienda Alsacia serves coffee grown directly on the farm, making it one of the freshest coffee experiences in Costa Rica. The open-air café overlooks the coffee fields and surrounding hills, offering a relaxed setting with scenic views.
Unlike a traditional Starbucks location, the menu focuses on single-origin coffee, pour-overs, and specialty brewing methods designed to highlight flavor rather than customization. Light food and pastries are also available.
Even without taking the tour, the café alone is worth a visit.
Plan Your Visit
Hacienda Alsacia is best visited as a half-day trip from San José. Most visitors spend between two and three hours exploring the farm and café. Tours should be booked in advance, especially during peak travel seasons, and bring a light rain jacket since weather in Costa Rica can change quickly.
Location
Hacienda Alsacia is located in Alajuela Province, approximately 45 minutes to one hour from San José, Costa Rica. The Starbucks coffee farm is easily accessible by rental car, taxi, or guided tour.
Many travelers combine a visit to Hacienda Alsacia with nearby attractions like Poás Volcano or other coffee farms in the Central Valley. If you’re like us, it proved to be a fantastic stop on the way to La Paz Waterfall before heading to La Fortuna.
