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Girón is a charming whitewashed colonial town just minutes from the bustling city of Bucaramanga.
Introduction to Girón
San Juan de Girón was founded on January 15, 1631, by Francisco Mantilla de los Ríos y Franco (1597-1632). One of Colombia’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio), it’s a good place to get away from the city and enjoy a quiet walk through history. You’ll find a peaceful escape to the colonial period with whitewashed buildings and cobblestone streets.
Where to Stay in Girón
There are a few decent options in town.
Hotel Las Nieves
We stayed at Hotel Las Nieves, which is located on the main plaza. It’s a colonial building with a large open patio in the middle, sitting areas, and balconies overlooking the town.
Our room was spacious and comfortable with a decent bathroom and a nice view from the balcony. There was a flat screen TV and a fan to help beat the heat. Our only problem was that the bed was too small for two people and was a bit too soft.
The ground floor of the hotel also serves as a restaurant. We had our complimentary breakfasts there, which were ok. The eggs were good but the coffee was terrible.
Where to Eat in Girón
You’ll find restaurants serving mostly traditional Colombian dishes in Girón.
Chill Out
For our first dinner, we went to Girón Chill Out Hotel Boutique, which has a small Italian restaurant on the ground floor. I had the pasta al pesto while Marisol had a small salad. Food and service were both good.
Casa Antigua (Permanently Closed)
Our second dinner was at Casa Antigua, which is right on the main plaza next to City Hall. This wasn’t a great experience. Service was slow and the food wasn’t good. I had ribs and Marisol had a crepe.
El Carajo
One restaurant we really wanted to try was El Carajo. It serves traditional cuisine from the Santander department. Unfortunately, it was only open for breakfast and lunch. I’m keeping it on the list for my next trip.
Frutos de mi Pueblo
Finally, there are two local treats that you have to try. Head to Frutos de mi Pueblo at Parque Peralta and get a maracumix and chicha de corozo.
Maracumix is a delicious passionfruit filled with ice cream, condensed milk, and coconut. Chicha de corozo is a fermented drink made of corozo, a small fruit that grows on a type of pine tree. It’s definitely an acquired taste. To me, it tastes like fermented garbage.
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Plaza Principal
The Plaza Principal of Girón is the center of life in this colonial town. It’s a peaceful place with trees and benches and is surrounded by whitewashed colonial buildings. On the southern side are several different street food stands.
Minor Basilica of St. John the Baptist
The most important building on the plaza is the Minor Basilica of St. John the Baptist (Basílica Menor San Juan Bautista). The parish was founded in 1639 and the original church was completed in 1646. It had a thatched roof and bahareque walls. The church we see today is the result of architectural changes between 1781 and 1883.
City Hall
On the side opposite the church is City Hall (Alcaldía). Across the street is a monument called Pasos de Bolívar, which commemorates Simón Bolívar’s (1783-1830) three visits to the town.
Mansión del Fraile
On the south side of Plaza Principal is the Mansión del Fraile. It’s a colonial mansion with three inner courtyards and wooden balconies. The building was the birthplace of Eloy Valenzuela (1756-1834), a botanist who participated in the Royal Botanical Expedition to Nueva Granada, led by José Celestino Mutis (1732-1808) between 1783 and 1816.
Religious Art Museum (Permanently Closed)
Next door is the Religious Art Museum (Museo de Arte Religioso), founded in 1978 by a local priest. It contains items used in Catholic religious services as well as paintings and carvings from different historical periods. It was closed during our visit to Girón.
Cultural Center
A block west of Plaza Principal is the Cultural Center (Casa de la Cultura). It was the birthplace of Federalist military leader Antonio Baraya (1776-1816) and features a tourist information desk. The cultural center is named in honor of Francisco Mantilla de los Ríos y Franco (1597-1632), the founder of Girón.
Parque Peralta
Continuing one block west and down a street to the right is Parque Peralta, which is a small and pleasant partially shaded park where Girón was founded.
Cemetery of Our Lady of Monguí
Another block further west is the Cemetery of Our Lady of Monguí (Cementerio Nuestra Señora de Monguí). This was historically the middle and upper class cemetery for citizens of Girón because people are buried in vaults. A small chapel sits at the entrance.
Plazuela de las Nieves
A couple blocks south of Parque Peralta is the Plazuela de las Nieves. It’s another picturesque plaza surrounded by colonial buildings.
Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows
The Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows (Capilla Nuestra Señora de las Nieves) is the most prominent building on the plaza. This is the town’s most beautiful church and is popular for weddings. Inside is an image of the Revelation brought from Barcelona. The church was built in 1757.
Malecón of Girón
Walking further south from there down a steep hill is the malecón, which is a riverside promenade featuring a few restaurants. There’s a bridge over the Río de Oro where you can spot a couple dilapidated wooden bridges. On the way down, you can spot the Sacred Heart Monument (Monumento El Sagrado Corazón), which is a statue of Jesus that sits above town.
Colonial Bridges of Girón
One of the best features of Girón are the six colonial stone bridges that span a creek a block south of Plaza Principal. All of the bridges intersect Calle 29 and cross Quebrada Las Nieves, which was completely dry during our visit. They connect the historic part of town with the rest of Girón. The bridges have been reinforced since their original construction and are now strong enough to support cars.
From west to east, the bridges in Girón are the Bridge of the Myrtles (Puente Los Mirtos), Bridge of the Snows (Puente de las Nieves), San José Bridge (Puente San José), Moor Bridge (Puente El Moro), San Benito Bridge (Puente San Benito), and Antón García Bridge (Puente Antón García). They get more scenic as you go east.
While Quebrada Las Nieves is dry, it doesn’t take away from the scenery. All six of the bridges are beautifully constructed and have been cared for nicely over the years. They seem to be a favorite of not only tourists but locals as well.
Wandering Around Girón
The best thing to do in this Colombian Heritage Town (Pueblo Patrimonio) is just wander through the cobblestone streets among the whitewashed colonial buildings. Here are a few more shots of Girón:
