Among the main towns of Santander (Colombia) to visit are Barichara, Girón, El Socorro, Vélez and San Gil. In this Colombian department there are several towns and settlements that date back to the time of the Spanish conquerors.
It is one of the regions of the country with the greatest historical wealth. Originally it was inhabited by the Guanes, Agatáes and Chipatáes indigenous peoples.
Santander is one of the 32 departments that make up the Republic of Colombia. It is located in the northwest sector of the country.
The 5 most popular towns in Santander
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Barichara is known as the most beautiful town in Colombia. Its name means "resting place".
It is characterized by being quiet, cozy and ideal to rest. It is a town that belongs to the network of Heritage Towns of Colombia.
In this town the streets, houses and churches are made with an ocher colored stone. When the sun shines on your buildings, it accentuates their yellow color. That is why its inhabitants are called "patimarillos".
Its history dates back to 1702 and the town still preserves its colonial architecture.
Its main tourist attractions are the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, the viewpoint, the Cemetery Park, the Chapel of San Antonio, the Camino Real, the Plaza de Santa Bárbara and the Puente Grande.
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Girón is known as "The White City". In this town of 17th century architecture, its streets are made of stone and its houses make up a white landscape. Girón is also part of the Heritage Towns of Colombia.
It is a very important place for religious tourism in Colombia. Among its most significant chapels are the minor basilica of San Juan Bautista, the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves chapel, the Señor de los Milagros chapel and the San Roque chapel.
Among the activities that can be carried out are rafting, rappelling and hiking. The offer of scenic places to visit is wide. They are the ecological reserve Humedal el Pantano, the Fasana hill and the Zhogra lagoon.
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Like the two previous towns, El Socorro is also part of the Heritage Towns of the country.
In El Socorro the history of the revolution is still alive. Here several important historical events took place that triggered the Independence of Colombia.
On the street and in the squares you can hear guitars and songs telling stories of that time.
Among its tourist attractions are the Historic Center (declared a National Monument), the House of Culture and the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Socorro.
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It was founded in the 16th century. It became a center for gathering Spanish troops and grew thanks to the trade in handicrafts in colonial times.
Its main tourist sites are the Nuestra Señora de las Nieves cathedral and the Cueva de los Indios.
This cave is historical heritage. It was used by the natives to hide from the Spanish. Inside there are underground waterfalls, sectors of stalagmites and stalactites.
Sandwich factories are also famous. These are made with guava pulp and are typical of the area.
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San Gil was founded and inhabited by the Spanish during the colonial period. It is located on the banks of the Fonce river and the historic center of this town dates from the 17th century.
San Gil has experienced an important tourism development in recent years. Adventure tourism has grown a lot thanks to its many waterfalls, rivers, mountains, natural caves and the great Chicamocha canyon.
Canoeing, rafting, paragliding, bungee jumping and mountain biking are practiced, among other activities.
References
- Tourist Sites in Santander. (sf). Obtained from Viaja por Colombia: viajesporcolombia.com
- San Juan Girón - Santander. (sf). Obtained from the Network of Heritage Peoples of Colombia: pueblospatrimoniodecolombia.co
- The 5 most beautiful churches in Santander Colombia. (sf). Obtained from Patiamarillos: patiamarillos.com
- Socorro Santander - Tourist Guide. (19 of 12 of 2016). Obtained from Santander Encanta: santanderencanta.com
- Velez (Santander). (sf). Retrieved from Wikipedia: wikipedia.org