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La Dorada sits along the Magdalena River in the Caldas department of Colombia. It’s the second most important city in the department after Manizales.
Introduction to La Dorada
La Dorada, which typically has very hot weather, was originally settled as Conejo in 1886 by Antonio Acosta, Ricardo Mejía, and Luis Valdésas, who established a timber mill. It grew into a small village in the early 20th century after former railroad workers and their families settled there. The town of Victoria wanted to annex the village, but instead it was declared its own municipality on July 1, 1923. Since then, La Dorada has grown into one of the most important areas in Colombia for livestock production and fishing
In all honesty, based on our experiences in other less touristy towns in the Caldas Department, we had very low expectations when we decided to stop there for the night on our way to the department of Santander. We were expecting a dirty city with unpleasant people, but were proven wrong as we walked through the streets. We ended up finding it fairly pleasant.
Getting to La Dorada
La Dorada can easily be reached by direct bus from Manizales or Honda. It’s also on the road between Bogotá and Medellín. The bus terminal is located across from Parque Santander in the center of town.
Where to Stay in La Dorada
We have only stayed two nights in the town and at very different places.
Hotel Mall Santana del Río
On our first trip, we stayed at Hotel Mall Santana del Río, which is located in a shopping mall on Parque Jorge Eliecer Gaitán in the city center. It’s got two large swimming pools and is surrounded by a few restaurants. The pools were a great way to relax after a long day of driving.
Our room was spacious and clean although the bed was a bit small. Staff did a wonderful job making sure we were comfortable.
In addition to the pools, there’s also a game area with pool tables and a fun sitting area made out of a classic car. The mall, however, is disappointing.
Hotel Confort
On another trip, we broke up a long drive by spending the night at Hotel Confort. Other than a poorly designed shower, it turned out to be a quiet and comfortable place to stay. The price was reasonable and staff was excellent. We were able to order dinner from the fast food restaurant downstairs and park the car a couple blocks away.
Where to Eat in La Dorada
For dinner on our first visit, only one of the restaurants at the Hotel Mall Santana del Río was open. It was a barbecue restaurant, and we ordered wings and a steak which were delivered directly to our room. The food was better than we expected and reasonably priced. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the restaurant. Sorry I can’t be more helpful on this issue.
Parque Jorge Eliecer Gaitán
We started at Parque Jorge Eliecer Gaitán. In the center is a statue of Jorge Eliecer Gaitán (1903-1948), a politician assassinated in 1948 in Bogotá. The rest of the park has tall trees and some flowers as well as benches to sit and enjoy the scenery. It was a little run down but, again, much cleaner than expected.
Parque Simón Bolívar
Next, we walked a couple blocks north to Parque Simón Bolívar, which is the main square in La Dorada. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot one of the huge iguanas that live in the park. If not, there’s an iguana sculpture you can pose with.
The center of the park has a bust of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830). There were several vendors surrounding it, selling cold drinks, ice cream, and handmade souvenirs.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
On the west side of the square is Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Nuestra Señora del Carmen), which serves as the city’s cathedral. It was built between 1930 and 1960 with Romanesque and Neoclassical features. We weren’t able to walk inside but the doors were open allowing us to get a peek.
Parque Santander
Finally, we walked to Parque Santander, which features a monument dedicated to the city’s fishing industry. There are several vendors selling guarapo (sugar cane juice) and other snacks. Fast food booths are located across the street.
