Turrialba

The town of Turrialba sits about an hour east of San Jose in the Central Valley, and 15 kms south east of the volcano that shares its name. The active volcano hasn't seen a major eruption since 1866, but recent volcanic activity have the town and emergency officials on alert.

Turrialba is one of Costa Rica's most beautiful towns, offering roaring rivers, picture perfect mountains, rolling coffee and sugar cane fields, and emerald green scenery for as far as the eye can see. Seamlessly blending its low-key vibe, agricultural history, and clean mountain air, Turrialba -- often referred to merely as "Turri" -- is a dream location.

Known as a world-class whitewater rafting destination, Turrialba's off-the-beaten-track status has helped keep it relatively quiet and peaceful, despite the appeal of its rushing waters. Unquestionably, Turrialba's rivers offer the best rafting in Central America, and many believe that they are some of the best in the world. Several budget-friendly tours service the area, providing 1-day, 3-day and longer tours that promise to get your adrenaline pumping in the best way possible.

The Turrialba volcano national park is not as organized as some of the other volcano's like Poas or Irazu, but it offers guests the closest viewing of an active crater in the country, and is the second highest volcano after Irazu.

Though Turrialba is already heavy on natural beauty, the Centro Agronomic Tropical de Investigacion y Ensenanza (Tropical Agronomic Center for Research and Teaching) offers 1000 hectares (approximately 2,471 acres) dedicated to agricultural research, beautiful gardens, and walking trails. Guided tours are available to educate you on the center's research, but many visitors and Turri residents prefer to quietly walk through CATIE on their own, enjoying nature's beauty all around them.

For the history buff in you, a bus will take you from Turrialba's main terminal straight to Guayabo National Monument, Costa Rica's most important pre-Columbian site. Partially excavated, the national park welcomes you to the area was between 1000 B.C. and 1400 A.D., when a purported 10,000 indigenous Costa Ricans lived here. Walk old roads, investigate the city's aqueducts, cross over stone bridges, and take in the sites of old homes and temples. When you're finished exploring the ruins, take a walk through the park's rustic trails, discovering colorful birds, playing in the river, and enjoying nature.

Up until late 2007, the ancient Turrialba Volcano was an off-the-beaten-path destination that few tourists or Turrialba locals ever visited. Up a long, scenic path, the volcano silently sat, active but quiet, until December 2007, when it erupted for the first time in almost 150 years. Because of its instability, travel to the volcano has been severely reduced, and it is currently recommended that you postpone your visit until scientists are more sure of the volcano's activity.

Back in downtown Turri, an chilled-out, relaxed atmosphere awaits. Roads perfect for biking wind their way through the town, tasty restaurants dot the street, and beautiful rivers trickle over rocks and under Turrialba's many bridges. Incredible mountain vistas surround you, and the town's warm climate and friendly people will make both visitors and new residents feel right at home. The town is also home to the company that manufacturers major league Rawling baseballs.

For a less-touristed vacation spot and a very "tico" place to live, it's hard to beat Turrialba, located in the Central Valley's Cartago province. Offering all the amenities, plenty of adventure, and an atmosphere that is both relaxed and high-adrenaline, it's no wonder that the people who find their way here rarely want to leave.

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