3 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
Between 1hr45min to 2hrs by bus from San Jose
When to go
From November to April
Minimum stay
One day
Turrialba (Costa Rica)
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Eduardo A. Pacheco
Practical information about Turrialba
Reviews of Turrialba
Turrialba is a brightly colored, university town. It's not a major town on the tourist trail, but it's a nice stopover if you're on a Costa Rican road trip.
My suggestion:
Take your camera out and explore the streets in the vividly colored center of town; you'll have fun shooting some street scenes.
Summary:
When I was travelling in Costa Rica, I spent a day and night in Turrialba. There aren't really any tourist activities here, but I still found this town charming and you get the feel of how the Costa Ricans live outside of the tourist zones. As for what there is to eat in Turrialba, we were simply wandering the streets and by chance stumbled upon a Mexican restaurant. And from the look on the face of the owner, it was clear that he wasn't used to having tourists stop by to eat. Even so, the service was great! The owner and his waiters were really attentive and we tried several Mexican specialities that cost very little. If I remember correctly, its in La Calle 0 or La Calle 2, behind the Quesada Casal park.
In any case, if you get talking to the locals ask them about the university and the CATIE research center (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza), which is internationally known and a place of pride for the community.
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flickr cc micahcraig
Turrialba is an active composite volcano in Costa Rica, situated in the central province of the same name, and Irazu's neighbor.
My suggestion:
Turrialba and Irazu are twins, because they share the same foundations, but they are 20 kilometers apart. Personally I suggest you choose Irazu.
Summary:
At the meeting point of 3 tectonic plates, Costa Rica has 116 volcanoes on its territory, of which 7 are still active. Turrialba is one of the most active volcanoes, along with Irazu and Arenal.
Its last major eruption, in November 2014, projected ash as far as the capital San José, about 50 kilometers from the crater. Its summit is formed of 3 craters of which one is active and very closely monitored.
There are 2 ways to get to the volcano: an approximately 4 hour hike for the sporty or a 3 hour horse back ride.
This is an interesting volcano to see if you're traveling around Costa Rica but I prefer its neighbor, Irazu. I thought it was much more attractive, with a beautiful jade colored lake in its crater.
©
Eduardo A. Pacheco
138 travellers' photos
