Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [178]
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Festivals & Events
Semana Santa (Holy Week) Like most traditional towns dating from the early days of the Spanish Conquest, Santa Fe celebrates this with pomp and solemnity. Book accommodations in advance.
Fiesta de los Diablitos (Dec) The town’s most popular festival is held annually over the last four days of the year. It includes music, dance, craft fair, and – like almost every feast in the country – a beauty contest and bullfights.
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Sleeping
Most people come to Santa Fe as a day trip, but the town has about a dozen hotels catering to all budgets. Prices during the week are much lower than on the weekend.
Hostal Plaza Mayor ( 853 3448; Plaza Mayor; r per person COP$25,000, with 3 meals COP$50,000; ) Set in an old colonial building on the main square, this perfectly adequate option will do when everything else is full. There’s a pool out back, but was it closed when we visited, and some of the newer rooms are built of bessa brick. Be sure to check a few before deciding.
Hotel Caserón Plaza ( 853 2040; halcaraz@edatel.net.co; Plaza Mayor; s/d/tr/q COP$67,000/127,000/180,000/233,000; ) On the town’s main square, this inn was once home to a member of the local gentry. Rooms are ranged around an attractive courtyard, and there is a nice pool and garden in the back, plus a decent restaurant. Meals are extra.
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Eating & Drinking
There are plenty of decent budget restaurants on the main plaza.
Buffalo Bill ( 853 1072, 314 784 5072; Plazoleta de la Chinca; mains COP$18,000-28,000; noon-midnight Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat; ) During the day this vaguely cowboy themed restaurant pumps out grilled meat and fish. At night they push the tables aside and it turns into one of Santa Fe’s only discos. For day-trippers, consider its Día de Sol promotion – COP$35,000 gets you a main meal of your choice and all-day access to its large swimming pool.
Restaurante Portón del Parque ( 853 3207; Calle 10 No 11-03; mains COP$18,000-30,000; lunch & dinner) Occupying an elegant colonial house with high ceilings and a flowery courtyard, this restaurant is widely considered the best in town. The kitchen prepares top-quality traditional food, including ajiaco (local stew of Bogotá) and arequipe con leche (supersweet dessert of milk and sugar).
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Getting There & Away
There are at least six buses daily (COP$9000, 1¾ hours) to/from Medellín’s Northern Bus Terminal. There are also shared taxis that leave when full (COP$13,000, 1½ hours) from the second floor of the bus terminal in Medellín.
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PUENTE DE OCCIDENTE
The white peaked towers of this 19th-century bridge jut skyward against a backdrop of green hills. The Puente de Occidente (Western Bridge), a 291m-long bridge over the Río Cauca, was designed by José María Villa and constructed between 1887 and 1895. When built, it was one of the first suspension bridges in the Americas. It carried general traffic until 1978, when it was declared a national monument. Buses are now banned, though cars can still use it.
The bridge is 5km east of Santa Fe on the road to Sopetrán. A small fleet of Chinese-made tricycle moto-taxis now usher tourists to and from the bridge (COP$12,000 return). These open-air taxis seat three and, as there is often a queue to cross the bridge, will offer to let you off on the near side, so you can walk across, and then pick you up on the other side.
On the far side of the bridge you’ll find Camping Occidente ( 855 0088, 385 8210; dm COP$30,000). There isn’t any camping, but there are six-person dorm rooms that include access to the enormous pool. There is also a restaurant and bar, plus ice-cream stands and tiendas de artesanías (handicraft stores). If you just want to use the pool it’s COP$6000. The place is packed on the weekends and empties