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Valle de San José is a great place to stop if you’re heading between San Gil and the Cascadas de Juan Curí.
Introduction to Valle de San José
Valle de San José was originally a stop on the route between San Gil and Charalá A chapel was built there in 1720 to meet the needs of travelers. The modern town was founded on February 28, 1724, and it became its own municipality in 1776.
Where to Eat in Valle de San José
The tiny town is famous in the region for its chorizo cooked in guarapo (fermented sugar cane juice).
Doña Eustaquia
The most popular place to try this chorizo is at Doña Eustaquia, which has two locations in town. We visited the one on the northwest corner of the main plaza.
The chorizos are very small. We ordered three to start and ended up getting 10 in total. It has to be one of the most delicious chorizos I’ve ever tried.
Parque Central
Aside from the chorizo, you can take a quick walk around the town. We started at the pleasant main plaza, Parque Central, which contains a fountain and busts of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830) and Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840).
The plaza is surrounded by colonial buildings. There’s also a beautiful brick church on the southeast corner.
Our Lady of Purification
The most important building on the plaza is the Church of Our Lady of Purification (Nuestra Señora de la Purificación). The original church was destroyed in 1947 leaving only the bell tower, which was the basis for construction of the current church.
Inside the church, you’ll find a beautiful wooden retable, several statues in the aisles, and some nice stained glass windows.
Chapel of San Roque
Just a block west of the plaza is the Chapel of San Roque (Capilla de San Roque). It was built around 1745 and held the electoral college for the Independent Republic of Socorro from 1812 to 1816.
