Why should I visit Popayán? Cartagena has everything and more. In contrast, I have never heard of Popayán! – Colombia’s 480 Year Old Colonial ‘White City.’
| Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes Why should I visit Popayán? As a Seasoned Adventure Motorcycle Touring Rider. You may not have heard of a laidback 480-year-old colonial “White City” gem called Papayán. The Spanish Explorer Sebastian de Belalcazar founded Popayán on the 13th of January 1537. Thus, establishing it as the capital of southern Colombia before Santiago de Cali eventually took its place. What can you expect? Popayán is an authentic, unsanitized, tourist trap-free colonial city. It’s also nowhere near the ocean, making it safe from the cruise ship invasion for all eternity. POPAYÁN is named as the WORLD HERITAGE CITY of GASTRONOMY of Latin America. It has its own distinctive take on the national cuisine, drawing on pre-Colombian, Spanish, African, and European influences. On the surface, Popayán may look like an old, relatively unchanging place. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover a city buzzing with youthful energy and a creative, independent spirit. All the more astounding reasons to reserve your adventure motorcycle touring time with MotoDreamer´s Why should I visit Popayán? Tour |
Most people have heard of Cartagena, the colorful Spanish colonial city on the Caribbean coast.
Regarded as Colombia’s number one tourist destination, the name Cartagena conjures up images of a romantic, sun-kissed city. A city that´s full of cobblestone streets. With some of the most, brightly painted mansions, and mango-colored churches you have ever seen.
Yet, being crowned “the Most Beautiful Colonial City in Latin America” does have its drawbacks.
Just imagine, tacky souvenir stores, pointless attractions, scammers, tricksters, and “tourist tax” prices come with the crowds. Don’t even get us started on the cruise ship passenger herds. Before Covid-19, it seemed these one-day-only tourists were crammed into the city in more significant numbers every year!
Despite all this, Cartagena does remain a truly stunning place and utterly worthy of its reputation. But while Cartagena hogs the limelight, many travelers remain in the dark about Colombia’s other World Heritage-listed colonial city.
In contrast, nestled in the lush Valle de Pubenza is a far more laidback colonial gem, namely Popayán.
Popayán, nicknamed la Ciudad Blanca (the White City) for the whitewashed buildings that give its historical center a stately, distinctive appearance.
Still largely undiscovered by foreign visitors, Popayán is an authentic, unsanitized, tourist trap-free colonial city. It’s also nowhere near the ocean, making it safe from the cruise ship invasion for all eternity.
After reading the above, it makes sense that Popayán is Colombia´s second colonial city.
One year after Cartagena. The Spanish Explorer Sebastian de Belalcazar founded Popayán on the 13th January 1537.
Thus, establishing it as the capital of southern Colombia before Santiago de Cali eventually took its place.
Popayán’s historic downtown, a collection of beautifully preserved colonial-era buildings. In addition, there are dozens of striking landmarks, with some dating back to the 16th century. Now, plenty of the majority you´ll find clustered around a massive central plaza, the lovely, lively Parque de Caldas.
So why should I visit Popayán? What will I see?
Also as you wander the old streets of Popayán, and remember to look out for some of the city’s most famous landmarks, including:
- Iglesia de San Francisco: a lavish 18th-century cathedral and one of the finest examples of Baroque-style architecture in Colombia.
- Also, ask to see the ossuary, which was cracked open by an earthquake in 1983, revealing six unidentified mummies.
- Iglesia Santo Domingo: built in the mid-1700s, this is the city’s most spiritually significant church. Popayan’s famous Holy Week celebrations are flooded with pilgrims, held between Good Tuesday and Easter Saturday.
- Natural History Museum: within the magnificent grounds of the University of Cauca, don´t forget, this excellent museum, dedicated to Colombia’s amazing biodiversity
- Puente del Humilladero: – this 240m long, 11-arch stone bridge, built in 1873 to connect the city center to the northern neighborhoods
Ok, what other reasons answer why I should visit Popayan?
How about POPAYÁN being named the WORLD HERITAGE CITY OF… GASTRONOMY?
Earlier, we described Popayán as a World Heritage Listed city, which is true.
But while Cartagena’s fine colonial buildings brought it UNESCO recognition, Popayan’s architecture, although undeniably pretty, isn’t quite World Heritage league a la Cartagena.
In fact, Popayán received its World Heritage honors for something else entirely. Furthermore, in 2009, UNESCO’s Creative Cities initiative declared Popayán the first World City of Gastronomy in Latin America.
Furthermore, Popayan is known for its distinctive take on the national cuisine, drawing on pre-Colombian, Spanish, African, and European influences. In addition, it utilizes a vast array of native ingredients, some found only in southern Colombia’s mountains, forests, and coastal areas.
Why should I visit Popayan Must-try local dishes include:
Empanadas de Pipián: Snack-sized pasties, filled with a mixture of meat, potatoes, garlic, onion, and achiote
Helado de Paila: A traditional ice cream of fruit juice and ice, hand-stirred and set in a copper pot.
Breva Calada: Commonly enjoyed at Christmas, this dessert, made from figs soaked in panela (brown cane sugar), served on top of white cheese.
Champus: Altogether, this sweet, aromatically spiced dessert drink is a blend of pineapple, sour orange, lulo, cloves, and cinnamon.
Salpicon Payanes: This delicious fruit cocktail is a blend of the Colombian fruits lulo, papaya, guanabana and mora.
Why should I visit Popayán & where should I go to eat?
Hotel Camino Real:
Then, there´s this hotel’s owners are key players in the Congreso Nacional Gastronómico. Altogether, set in an elegant Colonial mansion, the restaurant showcases skillful cooking across an innovative menu combining French and Colombian elements.
La Coescha Parillada:
Of course, there´s a restaurant with smartly dressed, bow tie-wearing waiters, this restaurant has a friendly, old-fashioned vibe and specializes in giant cuts of beef cooked on an open grill.
La Fresa:
It might not be more than a few plastic tables and chairs, but this cheap-eatery is famous for its scrumptious empanadas de Pipián.
Aplanchados Doña Chepa:
An awesome pastry shop run by Doña Chepa, a veteran baker who’s been making her legendary aplanchados (shortbread-style flat pastries) for some 70 years.
La Semilla Escondida:
Before you go on a diet, try this French-owned bistro is a cozy spot for delicious sweet and savory crepes.
Why should I visit and Popayán What’s the nightlife like?
Author´s Note: This article titled Why should I visit Popayán? has to be the culinary delights that await all Adventure Motorcycle Touring Warriors after a tough and challenging day on their bikes.
On the surface, Popayán may look like an old, relatively unchanging place. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll discover a city buzzing with youthful energy and a creative, independent spirit.
It’s Home to prestigious educational institutions, including the University of Cauca. Popayán attracts thousands of students from across Colombia every year. Thus ensuring a lively, authentically local after-dark scene most nights of the week.
Before you decide, to call it a night, Salsa fans should check out Bar Iguana and New York. For something a little more old-school, El Sotareno is an old-time locals’ favorite.
Occasionally, El Sotareno loves playing classic Tango, Bolero, and Ranchera. However, for a more chilled-out bar experience, check if there’s live music playing at Wipala. This is a cafe, bar, gallery, and performance space all in one.
Also, as an alternative, why not cozy up at Bendito. A labyrinthine student hang-out with a pop and rock soundtrack, craft beers, and tea-infused cocktails.
DAY TRIPS FROM POPAYÁN.
Popayán, a compact city, and its significant sites, see in a day. However, it’s worth extending your stay to explore the magnificent natural landscapes of the surrounding region.
Some of the best day trips from Popayán include:
Purace National Park is a vast, rugged park protecting a swathe of Andean paramo (high altitude alpine grasslands.) Each is also, dotted with waterfalls and thermal springs. Furthermore, this is home to a small population of endangered Andean condors.
So, remember, in the park is Volcan Purace, one of the most active volcanoes in Colombia. However, Tour companies from Popayán offer grueling full-day trekking trips to the top of the volcano at 4,750m.
Alternately, for motorcycle riders, there are two highways that cut through Purace offer hours of fun dirt and gravel mountain roads through the prehistoric-looking paramo.
Silvia Tuesday Market: Silvia is a tranquil little mountain town, 60km northeast of Popayán. Every Tuesday, Silvia comes alive thanks to the weekly market, when Guambiano villagers in colorful traditional dress come to town to trade local wares.
While this authentic trading post is mainly dedicated to fresh produce and wool, the Guambiano set up stalls selling handicrafts, bead necklaces, and ponchos to the few tourists who visit.
Remember, this is a real market and not a tourist attraction, so please respect the local people, who are generally shy of cameras.
Altogether, we highly recommend a few days to absorb the charms and natural beauty of Popayán. Since, it’s only two and half hours from Cali down a fast, straight highway. And remember, it’s a worthy stop for those planning to ride southern Colombia and its roads less traveled.
Written by: Fiona Davies (extreme pillion rider and adventure travel writer)
Why should I visit Popayán? was also, edited for SEO optimization by Mike Bowley at www.mikedbowley.com
Finally, the rest of the world has started to realize that Colombia is a very unique and beautiful destination with a huge historical backstory.
Why not see it before the masses and come on your next tour with the prominent and independent thinking Adventure Motorcycle Touring Operator MotoDreamer.
So, if you have the time why not consider back-to-back tours.
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So, why should I visit Popayán? Best we ride together with MotoDreamer and find out.
