Santander
The Concierge Diary

Santander

"Canyons, colonial towns and pure adrenaline"

Best TimeDec - Mar (Dry Season)
Average Weather20°C - 30°C
What to PackLight clothing, hat, adventure sneakers, and a swimsuit.

Welcome to Santander. Forget the tourist traps. We've spent weeks exploring every corner, tasting every dish, and resting in the best beds to curate this exclusive guide. This is our personal diary of the city, designed for travelers who seek the extraordinary.

— The BViajero Editorial Team

Explore by City

Municipalities & Cities of Santander

Select a city to discover custom editorial guides, activities, boutique stays, and local gastronomy.

Barichara

Barichara

Colombia's most beautiful town, suspended in colonial time.

Explore Guide
San Gil

San Gil

Colombia's extreme sports capital. Pure adrenaline.

Explore Guide
Bucaramanga

Bucaramanga

The Beautiful City: gastronomy, canyons, and a vibrant urban energy.

Explore Guide
Zapatoca

Zapatoca

Santander's best-kept secret. Silk climate and the luxury of silence.

Explore Guide
01

Chicamocha Canyon

Deeper than the Grand Canyon, this natural spectacle offers dizzying views, a cable car that crosses it, and opportunities for extreme paragliding.

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02

Barichara: The Prettiest Town

Cobblestone streets, rammed earth walls, and perfectly preserved colonial architecture. It is a haven of peace for artists and travelers.

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03

Intense Flavors of Santander

Santander's food is for adventurous palates. Roasted kid goat, pepitoria, peeled corn arepas, and, for the brave, the famous 'hormigas culonas' (big-bottomed ants).

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04

Floridablanca Obleas

The quintessential dessert. Two huge wafer cookies filled with arequipe (dulce de leche), cheese, blackberry jam, cream, and almost any sweet topping you can imagine.

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Other Recommended Experiences

Extreme Sports in San Gil

The adventure capital of Colombia. Do class 5 rafting on the Suárez River, caving in the Cueva del Indio, or bungee jumping.

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Juan Curí Waterfalls

An impressive 120-meter waterfall in the middle of the Santander jungle. You can swim at the base or rappel down it.

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The Concierge's Notebook

Iconic spots in Santander you cannot miss.

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Color de Hormiga

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Tierra Barichara

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Fundación Escuela Taller

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Capilla de Santa Bárbara

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El Gallineral Park

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San Gil Municipal Market

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Colombia Rafting Expeditions

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Cerro del Santísimo

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Casa del Libro Total

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Sagrada Familia Cathedral

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Parque del Agua (CDMB)

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Parque San Pío

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Puente de la Novena (Bicentenario)

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Topocoro Lake (Embalse)

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Hacienda El Roble (Mesa de los Santos Coffee)

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Farmers Market Mesa de los Santos

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Tienda Yelatera

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Obleas Floridablanca

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Mercagán

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Restaurante El Tony

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Restaurante Republicano

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Stella Carnes y Vinos

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Diner American Kitchen

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Mía Nonna

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Battuto

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Café Tres Montes

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Azafrán Restaurant

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Guanes Canyon Viewpoint

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Café Don Mateo

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Editor's Secrets

Things you won't find in a regular guidebook.

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Distances in Santander take time due to winding mountain roads.

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The weather in Bucaramanga is warmer, but in higher towns like Barichara it gets cool at night.

Where to rest

Our Curated Sanctuaries

San Gil: Charming Stays & Nature Hideaways
Adventure & Nature

San Gil: Charming Stays & Nature Hideaways

Zapatoca: Retreats in the silk climate
Heritage Town

Zapatoca: Retreats in the silk climate

Bucaramanga: Spectacular Hotels
Beautiful City

Bucaramanga: Spectacular Hotels

Barichara: The luxury of silence
Heritage

Barichara: The luxury of silence