Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [93]
Carnes y Carnes ( 724 6246; Carrera 12 No 8-09; COP$13,000-28,000; lunch & dinner) Carnivores unite at this posh restaurant that specializes in meat, meat and more meat including beef, chicken, pork and seafood. There is no sign identifying this south bank bistro, so just follow your nose.
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Drinking & Entertainment
Café Con Verso (Calle 12 No 7-81; drinks COP$6000-8000; 4pm-late) The colorful hand-painted murals, Sinatra and Hendrix portraits and art-deco decor provide a welcome change of atmosphere to San Gil. The friendly lounge keeps punters happy with strong drinks and chilled-out sounds. Daily pasta specials will keep your tummy happy.
La Habana ( 317 389 3886; Carrera 9 No 11-68; 6pm-midnight Sun-Thu, 6pm-2am Fri & Sat) Located on the 2nd floor of a shopping mall, this hot nightspot is a hidden local gem. The high-reaching walls are decorated in canvas artwork by local artists. Movies are screened at 6:30pm on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Discoteca El Trapiche ( 724 4423; Via Charalá; admission COP$3000; 10pm-dawn Fri & Sat) One of several discos located on the outskirts of San Gil, El Trapiche is a proper nightclub with smoke, lasers and a kicking sound system and wacky DJ churning out salsa and reggaetón. It’s located 2km southeast of San Gil on the road to Charalá.
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Getting There & Away
San Gil has three bus stations, but you’ll most likely arrive at the intercity bus terminal located 3km west of downtown on the road to Bogotá. Local buses shuttle regularly between the terminal and the center, or take a taxi (COP$2800).
Frequent buses depart to Bogotá (COP$35,000, seven hours), Bucaramanga (COP$15,000, 2½ hours), Santa Marta (COP$60,000, 13 hours), Barranquilla COP$70,000, 15 hours), Medellín (COP$65,000, 11 hours) and Cúcuta (COP$40,000, nine hours).
Buses to Bucaramanga (COP$15,000, two hours) via Parque Nacional del Chicamocha depart from the Cotrasangil bus terminal (Carrera 11 No 8-10) every 30 minutes until 7:30pm.
The local bus terminal (cnr Calle 15 & Carrera 10) has frequent buses to Barichara (COP$3300, 45 minutes) from 5am to 6:30pm. This station also serves Guane, Charalá and Curití.
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BARICHARA
7 / pop 10,000 / elev 1336m
Barichara is the kind of town that Hollywood filmmakers dream about. A Spanish colonial town of striking beauty, it boasts cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings with red tiled roofs that look almost as new as the day they were created some 300 years ago. It’s no wonder that many Spanish-language films and telenovelas are shot here. Granted, the movie-set appearance owes a debt to considerable reconstruction efforts made since the town was declared a national monument in 1978.
Barichara is located 20km northwest of San Gil high above the Río Suárez. According to legend, in 1702 a farmer discovered an apparition of the Virgin Mary on a rock in his field. The locals built a small chapel here to commemorate this miracle. Three years later, Spanish Capt Francisco Pradilla y Ayerbe founded the town of Villa de San Lorenzo de Barichara, after the Guane word barachalá, meaning ‘a good place to rest.’
The town’s natural beauty, temperate climate and bohemian lifestyle has long attracted visitors. In recent years, Barichara has become a magnet for affluent Colombians. Compared to Villa de Leyva, Barichara is more upscale but less touristy. Many boutique hotels, spas and gourmet restaurants have opened here in recent years, but the town retains its traditional atmosphere. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful small colonial towns in Colombia. Don’t miss it.
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Information
There are two ATMs on the plaza; one is to the right of the cathedral and the other is by Casa