Turrialba (district)

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  Little Switzerland Church

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  Little Switzerland Costa Rica House

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  Turrialba Views

Turrialba is the second largest city in the Canton of Cartago and the principal town in the Turrialba Canton (county). It is situated in east-central Costa Rica between San Jose and the Caribbean coast town of Puerto Limon. It is at an elevation of about 2118 feet 646 meters above sea level, and lies at the foot of the Turrialba volcano and Turrialba mountain range. The volcano produces a column of smoke that rises into the clouds but it is not considered dangerous because the smoke releases the pressure from underground. POPULATION The population of Turrialba town according to the 2012 census is 26,680 while the Turrialba area including towns and villages administered by the Municipality of Turrialba is estimated at 69,616. The town is home to the University of Costa Rica (Turrialba campus) plus the Willian Allen Hospital, several clinics and five bank branches. There are several supermarkets and many smaller stores and restaurants. Turrialba is in the center of Little Switzerland, an area so named for its resemblance to Switzerland with many beautiful mountain vistas, waters falls and cows used to produce the famous local cheeses. Although “Turrialba Cheese generally refers to a white, runny cheese that is not aged, there are several producers of other cheeses that resemble those of Switzerland and other parts of Europe. In and around Little Switzerland are found several important tourist sites. In fact it is said that there are more tourist sites in this area than in any other part of Costa Rica. These include the CATIE institute for agriculture and natural resources http://www.catie.ac.cr/ , Guayabo National Monument http://www.costarica-nationalparks.com/guayabonationalmonument.html ,the only real archeological site in Costa Rica and Rawlings Baseball factory which produces most of the baseballs used in the United States. There is also a coffee tour and a bird watching sanctuary. Turrialba is famous for rafting and kayaking and was listed as one of the top 5 rivers on the planet by National Geographic in 2010. The Pacuare River is ranked as one of the top White Water Rafting rivers in the world and offers 18 miles of class III and class IV rapids. The Little Switzerland area is considered a mountain biker’s paradise because of its scenic terrain and cooler climate. LITTLE SWITZERLAND, the area all around Turrialba, offers breathtaking scenery and magnificent waterfalls. Downtown Turrialba is known for its extensive open air market with fresh produce from local growers. Little Switzerland can be reached from San Jose by taking Highway 10 through Pacayas and Santa Cruze. Little Switzerland is becoming a popular destination for expatriate Americans, Canadians and Europeans. {Infobox settlement | name = TurrialbaInsert non-formatted text here | native_name = | settlement_type = City | image_skyline =

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  Turrialba Market

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  Waterfall in Little Switzerland, Costa Rica

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Turrialba is a small city in Cartago Province of Costa Rica with an estimated population of 35,618. The main industries are textiles, agriculture and tourism. The Pacuare and Reventazón Rivers are among the most famous in the world for whitewater rafting, making Turrialba a mecca for the sport.