Turrialba, Costa Rica
There is something about the people who live in Turrialba that make them extra friendly and hospitable; it is said that Turrialbeños, whose communities are nestled between mountains, plains and rivers, have a wonderful sense of humor, and that the doors of their homes are always open to everyone.
Turrialba has been a key town in the development of the Limon province and the Caribbean coast since its early days. Being on the main route between the capital city and Port Limon, it is a natural stop for people traveling in either direction. This meeting of cultures in a small town created a diversity of customs and social mixing that is still apparent today.
Turrialba prospered with the construction of the Atlantic Railway, as it did with subsequent improvements in roads and public transportation. For many years, a stop in Turrialba was something travelers look forward to, where they could find everything and meet up with friends.
The geography of this area makes several micro-climates possible within a very short distance; for instance, while the town of Turrialba is located at an elevation of 600 meters above sea level, the Turrialba Volcano, at a short distance away, towers over the town at 3349 meters. Because of the different elevation there is a great variety of contrasting flora and fauna.
Turrialba Volcano is not as touristy as the other active volcanoes in Costa Rica, although you can hike or take a horseback ride to the summit. The Guayabo National Monument is located on the slopes of the Turrialba Volcano. This is Costa Rica's most important archaeological site which dates from 1,000 BC to 1,400 AD. Here lies the remnants of a Pre-Columbian city that had somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 inhabitants. There is also the Center for Agronomy Research and Development nearby, which is one of the world's foremost facilities for research into tropical agriculture.
West of Turrialba, Volcano Irazu is the tallest volcano in Costa Rica at 11,260 feet. Its irregularly shaped sub-cone has five different craters, one of which, the “Diego de la Haya,” is a 2,000 feet wide and 300 feet deep green lake, while the main crater is almost perfectly circular with walls of almost 3,500 feet in diameter and 1,000 feet deep.
Two rivers flow through the center of the city: the Colorado and the Turrialba Rivers. The later flows down the mountain slope to join the Reventazon River, a principal white-water rafting destination. Two mountain ranges surround the Turrialba and its neighboring communities: the Central Volcanic Mountain Range and the Talamanca Mountain Range. The communities have built roads among the lower sections and into the nearby hills which provide views of incredibly unique rural beauty that can only be found in this area; on one side visitors have a good view of the Caribbean lowlands, and on the other side of the majestic mountains.
The community of SANTA CRUZ is famous for homemade Turrialba cheese; and a visit to LA SUIZA and AQUIARES is highly recommended, as is a rafting trip down the famous rapids of the Reventazon and Pacuare Rivers.