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Neiva is the hot and sweaty capital of the Huila department of Colombia. It sits along the Magdalena River and is the gateway to the Tatacoa Desert.
Introduction to Neiva
Neiva was founded for the first time in 1539 by Juan de Cabrera in what’s now present-day Campoalegre. Juan de Alonso y Arias relocated the settlement to the current site of Villavieja on August 18, 1550, but it was destroyed on November 14, 1569, by the indigenous Pijao people. On May 24, 1612, Diego de Ospina y Medinilla (1567-1630) re-founded Neiva for the third time in its current location. The origin of the city’s name is up for debate.
Neiva doubled in size between the end of the 18th century to the end of the 19th century, and has grown considerably since 1960. The primary economic activities are agriculture and livestock followed by the exploitation of oil and natural gas. As far as tourism, if you find yourself in Neiva, there isn’t a whole lot to see or do.
Getting to Neiva
Neiva is easily reached from Bogotá and is on the main road to the border with Ecuador. Cootranshuila, Coomotor, and Bolivariano are the major bus companies that serve the city. We traveled to Pereira with Cootranshuila.
Where to Stay in Neiva
Neiva has some decent hotels because it’s an important business destination. We narrowed down our choice carefully since we only had two nights there.
GHL Style
We stayed at the GHL Style. It was extremely comfortable, spotless clean, had good WiFi and air conditioning, and a friendly and helpful staff. It’s a little out of the way as far as the city center or bus terminal is concerned, but it’s near the airport and attached to a decent shopping mall. It’s a little expensive by Colombian standards but is well worth the splurge. The only negative was the breakfast. Many items were cold or not prepared to standard.
Where to Eat in Neiva
We had one meal in town and it wasn’t very memorable. Fortunately, there are several better choices.
Nagasaki (Permanently Closed)
For dinner, we ate at a distastefully named Japanese restaurant called Nagasaki. It billed itself as “oriental fussion” (fusion). The wonderful decor (minus the bar decorated in imperial flags) didn’t match with the food. Our sushi was mediocre at best and the lo mein lacked flavor. The meal was saved with the banana tempura and a lychee lemonade. Service was abysmal.
Parque Santander
The heart of the city is Parque Santander. It features a statue of Francisco de Paula Santander (1792-1840). There’s also an obelisk erected in 1910 to commemorate the execution of local martyrs on September 28, 1815, during the struggle for Colombian Independence. In the middle of the 20th century, there was a pond filled with turtles, caimans, and fish cared for by a local woman, Sildana Díaz. It was removed during renovations.
The park is full of tall trees and street vendors but doesn’t provide many places to sit and relax. It’s surrounded by government buildings, hotels, shops, and two churches. If you’re there around 5pm, hundreds of parrots flock to a tree near the cathedral and make plenty of noise. It’s quite a sight.
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
The beautiful Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción) is on the south side of Parque Santander. It was designed in the Neo-Gothic style by architect Francisco Staute and constructed between 1917 and 1957. The church was elevated to a cathedral on July 24, 1972, after the creation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Neiva by Pope Paul VI.
The cathedral is on a Latin cross plan with a central nave and two aisles. It covers roughly 2,200 square meters. The bell tower is topped by a pyramidal dome.
Colonial Church
The Colonial Church (Iglesia Colonial) is situated on the east side of Parque Santander. It was originally built in the 17th century but had fallen into disrepair by 1785. Esteban Lozano began reconstruction of the church in 1791 and it was completed a short time after 1811. It features a single nave and preserves its brick floors and wooden ceilings. The tower has a clock on all four sides.
National Telegraph and Post Office Building
Just east of Parque Santander is perhaps the most interesting building in Neiva, the National Telegraph and Post Office Building (Edificio Nacional de Correos y Telégrafos). The building was commissioned by Minister of Transport Alfonso Araújo in the early 1930s. It was designed by architect Alberto Wills Ferro in a mixture of the Mudéjar and Art Deco styles and completed in 1935. The colorful structure features beautiful arches and patterns. It currently functions as a tax office.
Plaza Cívica Los Libertadores
The wide-open Plaza Cívica Los Libertadores is surrounded by modern buildings filled with shops.
400th Anniversary Monument
The 400th Anniversary Monument (Monumento Neiva 400 Años) stands proudly in the center of the plaza. It was created by sculptor Luis Eduardo Suárez and features seven iron and steel figures atop a concrete base clad in black marble. The figures represent the hard-working spirit of the people of Neiva. The monument is 13 meters long, 6 meters wide, and 8 meters high. It was inaugurated in January 2013.
Malecón del Río Magdalena
The west end of Neiva borders the Magdalena River, where you’ll find the touristic malecón (esplanade). It allows visitors to enjoy an ecological walk along the river with the chance to spot birds such as herons and hummingbirds. You can also buy handicrafts and try local specialties. Unfortunately it was dark and we couldn’t see the river, but there are a few points of interest as we made our way south.
La Gaitana
Along the malecón, it’s impossible not to notice the monument La Gaitana. It tells the story of Spanish conquistador Pedro de Añasco and Gaitana, a leader of the Yalcón people.
In 1538, Añasco called all the indigenous leaders of the region to demand a tribute. Gaitana and her son Timanco delayed the payment, and Añasco decided to set an example by burning Timanco alive. In response, Gaitana rallied 6,000 warriors across several tribes to rebel. Añasco was captured in a surprise attack and his men were executed. Gaitina was waiting with a sharpened stone and cut out both of his eyes to avenge her son’s death. He was then dragged around the village until he died. Unfortunately, the Spaniards retaliated by crushing the indigenous forces.
The monument was created in 1974 by sculptor Rodrigo Arias Betancourt (1919-1995). It’s positioned atop yellow steel columns and measures 12 meters high and 30 meters wide. Figures include Gaitana as a warrior, Pedro de Añasco pierced by a javelin, a warrior figure with an eagle mask, a centaur, and horses.
Huilassik Park
The steps under La Gaitana lead down to a small prehistoric museum with a fantastic name – Huilassik Park. Admission is COP$10,000 (as of May 2025) and it’s open daily.
The plaster dinosaur and ancient animals are super cheesy, but it’s good fun. All of the interpretive panels are in Spanish and provide good information.
