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I had no intention on visiting Génova until I read an article on The Culture Trip mentioning it as a one of “11 stunning alternatives to Salento“. I thought there must be some truth to it, so we set out one afternoon and took the three hour drive from Belén de Umbría.
Driving to Génova
Everything was going smoothly until we turned off on the road to Génova. It suddenly became extremely narrow and curvy, with spots where only two small cars would be able to fit safely. There was an accident when two large trucks got into a head-on collision on one of the curves. This set us back about two hours while we waited for the police to come and fill out their reports.
Tamales
When we reached the center of town, we were starving. There was a small fiesta and we ended up finding some delicious homemade tamales. We sat down and devoured them before exploring town.
Plaza de Bolívar
Plaza de Bolívar, the focal point of Génova, was where we began. It’s a nice large plaza with several tall trees and benches.
In the center of the plaza you’ll find a café and a statue of Simón Bolívar.
Surrounding the plaza are some colonial buildings, including the colorful town hall (alcaldía).
Church of San José
The most important building on the plaza is the Church of San José (Iglesia de San José). It’s nicer on the inside than on the outside.
The best parts of the church are the reliefs on the doors.
Casa de la Cultura
A block behind the church is the Casa de la Cultura. This small cultural center has an exhibit of photographs of Génova, which wasn’t terribly interesting. Admission is free, and it’s located just inside the entrance and downstairs.
Around Town
Around the rest of town, we found some nice buildings but nothing of real interest.
My Thoughts
To be completely honest, I don’t see Génova as an alternative to Salento. Of course, it’s scenic setting surrounded by mountains is nice, but it has nothing of interest. It doesn’t qualify as a hidden gem like Pijao or Buenavista. The effort it takes to get there and the dangerous road you have to travel on is not worth the trouble.
FARC
Finally, an interesting footnote is that the founder of the FARC, Manuel Marulanda, was born in Génova.
Getting There
To get to Génova, you can take a direct bus from Armenia.
