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about la casita:
La Casita del Turista is an immersive learning center in Costa Rica creating residential programs and educational journeys that connect learning with real places, people, cultures and environments.
Based in the countryside of Cartago, La Casita offers a welcoming home base from which participants can study, explore and experience Costa Rica as part of the learning process.
who we are:
Learning that continues beyond the classroom
La Casita del Turista is a small, independent educational project bringing together residential learning, cultural immersion and purposeful travel.
Our programs explore language, biodiversity, gastronomy, culture, heritage and community life through a combination of guided instruction and direct experience. A lesson may begin at the study table and continue in a market, a forest, a kitchen, a historic town or a conversation with someone who calls that place home.
Our size is intentional. By welcoming small groups, we can create experiences that feel personal, participatory and connected to the places being explored. Participants do not simply visit Costa Rica. They are invited to observe it closely, engage with it respectfully and learn through it.
our model:
A home base and a wider learning environment
La Casita is both a place to stay and a place to learn. Living and studying together allows conversations, reflection and cultural exchange to continue naturally beyond scheduled class hours.
The house provides a sense of belonging and continuity throughout the program. From here, participants travel to communities, cities, protected areas, farms, cultural sites and other regions, returning to a familiar space where they can rest, reflect and connect what they experienced with what they are learning.
This relationship between home and journey is central to our approach: La Casita gives each program a center, while Costa Rica becomes an extended learning environment.
our mission:
To create meaningful educational experiences that connect academic learning with real places, people, cultures and environments, encouraging curiosity, participation and a deeper understanding of Costa Rica.
our vision:
To develop La Casita into a distinctive residential learning center known for thoughtful programs, small-group experiences and an approach that transforms destinations into living classrooms.
meet the founders:
The people behind La Casita
La Casita is being built by Diego Luna and Simón Berlioz, partners in life and co-founders of a project shaped by their shared interest in education, travel, hospitality and meaningful human connection.
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Founder and Program Director
Co-Founder and Director of Operations
Diego Luna
Founder and Program Director
Diego brings together studies in tourism, sustainable tourism management, educational program development and the teaching of Spanish as a second language. He leads the academic and creative direction of La Casita, designing programs that connect structured learning with Costa Rican culture, communities, heritage and everyday life. His goal is to create experiences that are intellectually meaningful, personally welcoming and genuinely connected to place.
Simón Berlioz
Co-Founder and Director of Operations
Celso contributes experience in operations, human resources, cybersecurity and participant support. He helps transform the educational vision into a well-organized residential experience, with particular attention to preparation, communication, safety and the details that help participants feel at home.
Together, Diego and Celso are creating an independent space where education, hospitality, cultural exchange and purposeful travel can meet.
there is more to the story
La Casita began with a family home and a different idea of what learning could look like. Discover how the project started, what guides it and how the space was transformed into a residential learning center.