Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [101]
CASA ANZOáTEGUI
Now housing a museum with a modest collection of exhibits related to the crucial events of the period, Casa Anzoátegui (Carrera 6 No 7-48; admission free; 9am-noon & 2-5:30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-noon Sun) was the home of General José Antonio Anzoátegui, the Venezuelan hero of the independence campaign who fought under Bolívar. His strategic abilities largely contributed to the victory in the Battle of Boyacá of 1819. He died here, three months after the battle, at 30.
CASA COLONIAL
One of the oldest buildings in town, Casa Colonial (Calle 6 No 2-56; admission by donation; 8am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Sat) dates from the early Spanish days. The collection includes some pre-Columbian pottery, colonial sacred art, artifacts of several indigenous communities including the Motilones and Tunebos (the two indigenous groups living in Norte de Santander department), plus antiques.
CATEDRAL
The 17th-century Catedral was badly damaged during the earthquake of 1875 and altered in the reconstruction. The five-nave interior (two outer aisles were added at the beginning of the 20th century) is rather austere except for the magnificent main retable that survived the disaster. The central figure of San Pedro was made in Spain in 1618.
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Festivals & Events
Semana Santa (Holy Week) The town is known nationwide for its solemn celebrations.
Fiestas del Grito de Independencia (Jun-Jul) This is another important annual event, also called the Fiestas de Pamplona. The feast is celebrated for two weeks preceding July 4, commemorating the day when Pamplona rebels declared their independence from Spain on July 4, 1810. The festival features concerts, bullfights, parades, bands and the must-see beauty pageant.
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Sleeping
Hostal Santa Clara ( 568 4105, 316 835 2338; Carrera 6 No 7-21; s/d with shared bath COP$18,000/22,000, with private bath COP$25,000/30,000) Located in a funky old colonial building, this family-run hotel has comfy basic rooms with TV, hot water and the biggest doors you’ve ever seen.
Hotel El Álamo ( 568 2137; Calle 5 No 6-68; s/d COP$25,000/35,000) Rooms with private bathroom are a bit small but probably the best bet in the budget category. The on-site restaurant serves a decent, cheap breakfast.
Hotel Imperial ( 568 2571; Carrera 5 No 5-36; s/d COP$24,000/37,000) Contrary to its name, Imperial is kind of a dive but you can’t beat the location. All rooms are clean with comfy beds, TVs and private baths with hot water. Ask for a room facing the plaza.
Hotel Cariongo ( 568 1515; www.hotelcariongo.com; cnr Calle 9 & Carrera 5; s/d COP$50,000/80,000; ) It’s clear that the Cariongo has seen better days, but this place still manages to be the best hotel in town. All rooms come with a TV, but not all have hot-water showers. The hotel also houses one of the new nightclubs in town, open on weekends only.
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Eating
Juanrry’s Pollo Broaster (Carrera 6 No 8B-49; set meals COP$4000; 11am-10pm) Reasonably priced roasted chicken is what you’ll find here. Check out the various caricatures on the walls and see Juanrry the Chicken posing with the likes of Shakira, Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger.
Restaurante Govinda (Hostal Santa Clara, Carrera 6 No 7-21, set meals COP$4000, lunch) The only vegetarian and vegan option in town, this Hare Krishna–run restaurant has good healthy, cheap and filling set meals.
El Palacio Chino ( 568 1666; Calle 6 No 7-32; mains COP$8000-12,000; 10am-8pm) While not particularly atmospheric, this Colombian attempt at Oriental cooking produces some fresh and hot dishes of soups, noodles and steamed veggies.
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Getting There & Away
Pamplona’s new bus terminal is just 600m southwest of the main square. You can walk to town in about 10 minutes, or pay COP$2000 for a cab.
Pamplona is on the Bucaramanga–Cúcuta road, and buses pass by regularly to both Cúcuta (COP$13,000, two hours, 72km) and Bucaramanga (COP$25,000, 4½ hours, 124km).
The road from Bucaramanga to Pamplona