Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [99]
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Entertainment
Bucaramanga comes to life when the sun goes down. La vida nocturna, or the nightlife scene, attracts clubbers from around the region. Buca’s best bars and clubs are located on the east side of town in the zona rosa (nightlife zone) and Sotomayor and on the road to the airport. Some popular venues are Babilonia (Km13 Via Aeropuerto), Mi Pais (Carrera 34 No 52-07) and Club 80’s (Carrera 49 No 32-17). For salsa dancing, try Cepita (Hotel Chicamocha, Calle 34 No 31-24) and Cali Son (cnr Calle 33 & Carrera 31). Most clubs don’t get cranking until 11pm and are open until dawn on weekends.
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Getting There & Away
AIR
The Palonegro airport is on a meseta (plateau) high above the city, off the road to Barrancabermeja. The landing here is quite breathtaking. Local buses marked ‘Aeropuerto’ link the airport and the city center every hour or so; you catch them on Carrera 15. It’s faster to go by colectivo (COP$5000), which park in Parque Santander. There are flights to some major Colombian cities, including Bogotá (COP$184,000 to COP$395,000) and Medellín (COP$133,000 to COP$395,000).
BUS
Bucaramanga’s bus terminal is situated southwest of the center, midway to Girón; frequent city buses marked ‘Terminal’ go there from Carrera 15 or take a taxi (COP$6000). Buses depart regularly to Bogotá (COP$70,000, 10 hours), Cartagena (COP$101,000, 12 hours) and Santa Marta (COP$80,000, nine hours), Pamplona (COP$20,000, four hours) and Cúcuta (COP$36,000, six hours).
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GIRÓN
7 / pop 45,000 / elev 780m
The cobbled streets, horse carts and lazy atmosphere of San Juan de Girón are a world away in time, but just 9km from bustling Bucaramanga. The pleasant town was founded in 1631 on the banks of the Río de Oro. In 1963 it was declared a national monument. Today it’s a magnet for artists and day-trippers. But if you’ve already been to Villa de Leyva or Barichara, Girón is a bit of a letdown.
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Information
Web surfers can get more info from www.giron.gov.co.
AmiNet (Carrera 25 No 30-20; per hr COP$1000; 9am-10pm)
Banco Popular (Carrera 25) On the eastern side of the Parque Principal. It has an ATM.
el port@l.net ( 646 9878; Carrera 25 No 30-86; per hr COP$1500; 7am-midnight Mon-Fri) Internet facilities plus coffee and snacks.
Tourist office (Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo; 646 1337; Calle 30 No 26-64; 8am-noon & 2-6pm) Free guided tours (in Spanish) of the town are available.
Tourist police ( 630 2046; cnr Calle 30 & Carrera 27)
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Sights
Take the time to stroll about Girón’s narrow cobblestone streets, looking at whitewashed old houses, shaded patios, small stone bridges and waterfront malecón.
The Catedral del Señor de los Milagros on the main plaza was begun in 1646 but not completed until 1876.
Don’t miss the pleasant plazas, Plazuela Peralta and Plazuela de las Nieves, which features a charming village church, the 18th-century Capilla de las Nieves.
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Sleeping & Eating
Giron Chill Out ( 646 1119; www.gironchillout.com; Carrera 25 No 32-02; r COP$30,000) This basic hostel with a bamboo roof has clean rooms with shared baths, kitchen, laundry, TV lounge, terrace and restaurant.
Hotel Las Nieves ( 646 8968; www.hotellasnievesgiron.com; Calle 30 No 25-71; s/d COP$35,000/55,000) Circling a courtyard and overlooking the main plaza is this quaint hotel, featuring large but simple rooms with TV, desk and private bathroom. Try for one of the balconied rooms over the plaza.
For cheap eats, grab a bite at the vendor stalls on the waterfront. Finer restaurants include Mansión del Fraile ( 646 5408; Calle 30 No 25-27; mains COP$7000-15,000; noon-6pm), Restaurante Villa del Rey ( 653 2809; Calle 28 No 27-49; mains COP$7000-15,000; 8am-6pm) and Restaurante La Casona ( 646 7195; Calle 28 No 28-09; mains COP$7000-20,000; noon-6pm).