Bucaramanga

A charming destination with parks and more

In the capital of the department of Santander, you'll enjoy a pleasant weather that stays around 77 degrees Fahrenheit all year long. The luscious green of this city's many parks give it a distinctive feel. In fact, Bucaramanga is known as the "City of Parks."

Bucaramanga is also characterized by the selection of hotels it offers, which cater to the tastes of different travelers. All of these factors, in addition to the city's commercial and industrial activities, make Bucaramanga an excellent business destination in Colombia.
 
Bucaramanga's culinary offerings, which include charming local dishes such as cabrito (roast goat kid), pepitoria, hormigas culonas (a type of large ants, cooked), arepa de maíz pelado (a type of corn-based bread), bocadillo veleño (guava jelly), tamal santandereano (a type of tamale usually filled with meat, beans, peppers, and other ingredients), carne oreada (sun-dried steak), mute (a traditional soup full of meat, beans, vegetables, and pasta), and changua (egg and milk soup), also help set the city apart.

What is there to do in Bucaramanga?

 
Like we said before, Bucaramanga is known as the "City of Parks," so we highly recommend taking a stroll through a few of them while you're here.

Bucaramanga's most noteworthy parks include Parque Centenario, which is the heart of the city's cultural and commercial development; Romero Park, a place of great historical significance; and Parque Santander, which just might be the most important park in Bucaramanga thanks to the economic, historical, and commercial significance of the buildings that surround it.

Other important parks include Parque García Rovira, Parque de los Ninos, Parque Bolívar, Parque Las Palmas, and Parque del Agua.

In addition to its many parks, Bucaramanga has many other places of interest for tourists, such as the Cathedral of the Holy Family and the Capilla de Los Dolores, which is the oldest temple in the city and is a prime example of the cultural heritage of the Republic of Columbia.

Another important place you can visit in Bucaramanga is the Centro Cultural del Oriente (Eastern Cultural Center), which was declared a National Monument in 1995 and currently provides valuable cultural services for the city.

Bucaramanga also offers a number of museums, theaters, and other cultural landmarks, such as the Museum of Modern Art of Bucaramanga, the Casa de Bolívar (a mansion where Simón Bolívar once lived, now a museum), the Casa Luis Perú de la Croix (where Luis Perú de la Croix once lived), the Teatro Coliseo Peralta, the Teatro Santander, and the Estación de Café Madrid.

Unique experiences

In Bucaramanga, there are many different events you can attend, such as the Feria Bonita, which is celebrated in September and has free cultural activities for all ages.

One very popular festival celebrated in Bucaramanga is Abrapalabra, which brings together storytellers, musicians, poets, minstrels, singer-songwriters, composers, oral narrators, comedians, and dancers from around the world.

The International Film Festival in Santander, where new cinematic trends from around the world are celebrated year after year, is another event you won't want to miss out on. One thing that makes this event special is its focus on cinema workshops for children and the general public.

 
Activities you won't want to miss out on

In the outskirts of Bucaramanga, where you will find crops of tobacco, cacao, pineapple, corn, and other crops, you can participate in different adventure sports.

Those who visit this Colombian city nestled between the mountains can feel the thrill of participating in activities such as paragliding, rafting, and rappelling.
                                                 
Paragliders enjoy an exceptional, panoramic view of Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area. The place is perfect for enjoying the beautiful sunsets at the end of each year, whether from a diner or while gliding through the air.

But if there's one thing that you can't miss, it's visiting Chicamocha National Park, which is easily reached from Bucaramanga, to enjoy the unique landscape and practice paragliding, in addition to other sports. Chicamocha National Park it is one of the Colombia's parks that is dedicated to ecotourism.  

Recommendations

• Bucaramanga's climate is warm and dry, and its average temperature is 73.4 °F. At the same time, the city's maximum average temperature is 87.62 °F, so it's best to bring along some cool clothes to handle to heat.
• For getting around the city, it's best to use the Metrolínea bus system. We recommend that you plan your travel beforehand.
• If you have questions during your travel, or simply would like to learn more about places of interest in the city, you can visit a Tourist Information Point (PIT for their initials in Spanish), which offer guidance to those wanting to explore the most emblematic places and cultural events in the city.
• These points are located in a shopping center called Centro Comercial Cuarta Etapa (on the first floor, next to the Information Point) in the Municipal Institute of Culture and the Transport Terminal.

With this itinerary you can fully enjoy the charm of the 'City of Parks'. Visit Bucaramanga, a destination where the warm weather blends with carefree joy. Find out more about the country of beauty here!