Socorro is a city in the Santander department of Colombia about an hour south of San Gil. One of the country’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio), it’s famous for playing an integral role in the Colombian independence movement.
Barichara’s Plaza Principal is the main plaza and focal point of life in the small town, one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio). It’s surrounded by several beautiful colonial buildings.
Just a few blocks uphill from the main plaza in Barichara is Plazuela de Santa Bárbara. It contains the 18th century Chapel of Santa Bárbara (Capilla de Santa Bárbara) as well as a sculpture of a cross and two oxen.
Barichara sits high on a ridge that borders the western edge of town. There are a few interesting things to see in this Colombian Heritage Town (Pueblo Patrimonio), including spectacular views of the valley below.
The Barichara Paper Workshop (Taller de Paper Barichara) is a small paper factory in Barichara, one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio). They make paper out of several different types of plants.
There are plenty of good choices for food in Barichara, one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio). You can find everything from traditional Colombian food to pizza and fast food. There are also decent vegetarian options. We had both good and bad luck with the restaurants we tried.
If visiting Barichara, a great activity that will get your blood pumping is to hike the Camino Real to Guane. It’s a relatively easy 9km stone path that takes about two hours one way from Barichara, one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio), to the small village.
Breathtaking Barichara, one of Colombia’s Heritage Towns (Pueblos Patrimonio), is a great place to get away from it all. In fact, Barichara means “place of rest” in the indigenous Guane language. This small, quiet town founded on January 25, 1705, has everything you need to unwind.
Parque La Libertad is the main plaza in San Gil. While the rest of the city isn’t very beautiful, the plaza is one place that’s worth visiting.
El Gallineral Nature Park (Parque Natural El Gallineral) is the best attraction to visit in the city of San Gil. It’s a small nature park on an island between the Río Fonce and Quebrada Curití.