Colombia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 508

5

photos, Guane pottery, fossils and various
early twentieth-century paraphernalia.
Very popular with hikers is the 9km
Camino Real , an ancient stone-paved trail
used by the indigenous Guane people,
leading down through a cactus-filled
valley with great mountain views to the
tiny village of Guane (2hr one-way).To
join the path, head uphill along C 5 from
the cathedral before taking a left along
Cra 10 to the edge of Barichara. From
Guane, there are five buses daily back to
Barichara, the last leaving at 6pm; bring
plenty of water and wear sturdy footwear.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus Buses run between Barichara's Parque Central and
San Gil's local bus terminal every 30min between 5am and
6.30pm (30-45min).

low on attractions, but it makes a great
jumping-off point for visits to nearby
Girón, the mountains surrounding the
city make for superb paragliding, and it
makes a convenient stopover for anyone
travelling to the coast or Venezuela.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Simón Bolívar (El Libertadór) spent
a grand total of seventy days living in
Bucaramanga in 1828, enough for the
locals to rename the beautiful house
where he stayed, at C 37 No. 12-15,
Casa de Bolívar (Mon-Fri 8am-noon &
2-6pm, Sat 8am-noon; COP$2000). It
now contains a small historical museum,
the highlight of which is the Guane
mummies and artefacts. Across the street
another colonial mansion houses the
Casa de la Cultura (Mon-Fri 8am-noon
& 2-6pm, Sat 8am-noon; free), which
holds displays of regional art. Also of
interest to art lovers is the Museo de Arte
Moderno (C37 No. 26-16; Mon-Fri
8am-noon & 2-6pm, Sat 8am-noon;
free), featuring temporary exhibitions of
contemporary painting and sculpture.
Bucaramanga is justifiably taking off as
a paragliding destination, thanks to
Colombia Paragliding ( T 312 432 6266,
W

ACCOMMODATION
Costs drop considerably outside high season; otherwise, a
day-trip from San Gil is a better option for those watching
their wallets.
Casa de Hercilia C 3 No. 5-33 T 315 641 1841, W lacasa
dehercilia.com. A light and airy guesthouse that oozes
tranquillity, with hammocks, beanbags and leafy pot plants
liberally scattered throughout. Also has a well-equipped
communal kitchen. No dorms, but in low season it's worth
asking about renting a single bed in one of their bigger
rooms. COP$100,000

colombiaparagliding.com), which now
offers everything from one-off fifteen-
minute tandem flights (COP$50,000)
to fifteen-day courses for those who
want their international licence
(COP$1,900,000). The owners, who also
run Kasa Guane (see below), also have
a hostel at their flight site outside town,
which means you can be airborne within
about ten minutes of getting out of bed.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Palonegro International Airport lies about
30km southwest of the downtown area. The taxi fare to
downtown is fixed at COP$30,000. You can also take one of
the colectivos that run to and from Parque Santander on
Cra 20 (COP$10,000). Alternatively, your accommodation
can arrange a lift in a shared taxi. There are ten flights daily
to Bogotá (1hr).
By bus The Terminal de Transportes is about 5km south-
west of the city, and is accessible by city bus marked
“Terminal” from Cra 15, or by taxi (COP$6500).
Destinations Bogotá (every 15min; 10hr); Cartagena (8 daily;
12hr); Cúcuta (several daily; 6hr); Santa Marta (2 daily; 9hr).

EATING
Some restaurants only open at weekends, and everything
is shut on Tuesdays.
Ì Color de Hormiga C 8 No. 8-44 T 7 726 7156. The
giant ants above the gate give the game away: yes, the
speciality at this lovely, airy restaurant is medallones de
lomito en salsa de hormiga culona (essentially steak in ant
sauce, COP$25,000), but it's far nicer than you imagine -
the steak is perfectly cooked and the ants are reminiscent
of popcorn in texture and taste. Plus, there are insect-free
options too. Daily 12.30-4.30pm.
Panadería Centra l C 6, at Cra 6. This bakery on the main
square selling bread, cheese, ham and cream-filled puffs
and doughnuts is a useful spot for walkers in search of
picnic provisions, and self-caterers. Daily 7am-9pm.

BUCARAMANGA
Founded in 1622, BUCARAMANGA has
shed much of its colonial heritage and
evolved into one of Colombia's largest,
most modern cities. The centre might be