An important stop on the old road to the sea, Turrialba (650 meters above sea level) was almost forgotten after the construction of the highway connecting San José to Limón. It was founded as part of the economic development of the region, during the construction of the railroad that connected San José to the Caribbean coast. This city of agricultural tradition, with a population of 30,000, is fortunately located near the Pacuare River, a river discovered by the pioneers of whitewater sports. In addition to its reputation for higher education (the city is home to CATIE and the University of Costa Rica) and its cheese expertise, people come to Turrialba not for the charms of the city, but for rafting on its mighty rivers nearby; it's no coincidence that the world championships were once held here. Hikers and cyclists also have a great playground. It is also an ideal base for exploring the volcano, or visiting the archaeological site of Guayabo, a national monument that houses the oldest and most important pre-Hispanic architectural structures built between 1000 BC and 1400. Turrialba is part of the geographical region related to the Caribbean coast. But since it can be a day trip from San Jose, we have shamelessly changed the regional boundaries to include it in the Central Valley.

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Volcan Turrialba. Nkuzmina - iStockphoto
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