Popayán is the capital of Cauca, this municipality has taken great strength in terms of tourism, and is that Popayán is full of magical places in which nature makes visiting this place of Colombia leaves you breathless and with all the desire to return. In addition, the Colonial Historical Center of Popayán is one of the largest in the country with about 236 blocks. And not only that, this city has been declared City of Gastronomy by UNESCO. A tourist destination rich in landscapes, gastronomy, history, culture and variety.
Image taken from Wikipedia
How to get to Popayán?
To get to Popayán you can do it in several ways, the first and simplest is by air, Popayán has an airport called Guillermo León Valencia which is very close to the city center and next to the transport terminal. You can take a flight from your city to Popayán.
On the other hand, you can take a bus from your city to Popayán and arrive at the transport terminal. Getting to Popayán is really easy.
Weather and recommendations in Popayán
Popayán is 1760 meters above sea level, so it has average temperatures of 14 to 19°C. When visiting the municipality of Popayán, wear comfortable clothes, not very warm for temperate weather. If you are going to visit the different waterfalls and fountains, we recommend that you wear a bathing suit. Wear comfortable shoes for the walks and for the outings to the nature shoes of grip.
Do not pollute the natural spaces or the water sources, take care of the environment and the streets, remember that Popayán is one of the most conserved cities, in spite of being one of the oldest.
Destine at least 3 days to make a good tour of the city and all its attractions.
Tourism in Popayán
Popayán keeps in its streets an immense historical wealth, it is a scene of colonial houses with very well cared facades and excellent conditions, it is obligatory that the tourist crosses all these streets in which he will be able to take very good photographies for the beauty of the architecture.
In this tourist destination you will find variety of things to do, you must spend at least one day to make the tour of the most important architecturally places, for example, the Rincón Payanes or Pueblito Patojo, in this place have been built replications of the most important monuments of Cauca. In this little town you will find the clock tower and the Humilladero Bridge, besides, you will be able to enjoy the most delicious sweets.
Rincón Payanes. Image by Mapio.net
In Popayán there are many museums and cathedrals that are open to tourists. On the one hand, there is the Negret Museum and the Ibero-American Museum of Modern Art, which exhibits the works of the Colombian artist Edgar Negret and pieces of modern art from Ibero-America. Another of the museums is the Arquidiocesano religious Museum (Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art), which is a favorite during Easter and for the most religious travelers. You’ll also find a Natural History Museum and the Casa Valencia Museum.
Popayán is a municipality strongly marked by religious airs and of this they give account of the 4 churches that will be found while it crosses the place, between these, Cathedral Basilica Our Lady of the Annunciation located in the park Caldas; the Church of San Francisco that is characterized by its architectonic neogranadine baroque style; the Temple of San Agustín that besides being a church, is a museum of religious art that shows invaluable pieces; finally, the Church the Hermitage is the church of greater antiquity, therefore it keeps the traditions of the colonial art.
If you travel to Popayán, don’t miss the Puracé National Natural Park, a park with a natural charm that has an enormous environmental importance for the region and was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979.
Puracé National Natural Park
Gastronomic offer and restaurants in Popayán
Being declared City of Gastronomy, in Popayán you will find an immense and varied gastronomic offer. August is the ideal month to travel if you are a food lover, because this month is the gastronomic festival where you can taste typical dishes such as Chulquín, Carantanta, also delicious empanadas and tamales and to lower all this food the typical drink, “Champús”.
Hotels and Camping in Popayán
Annually, Popayán receives a significant number of travelers interested in knowing all the attractions of the municipality, for this reason, the locals have arranged numerous hotels and hostels around the city in which tourists can spend the night. In addition to this, you will have the opportunity to sleep in excellent camping sites, areas where you can camp with all amenities. Among these, Ecoparque Rayos del Sol where you will find rooms and camping area. At Casa Belén you can enjoy quiet nights in a beautiful colonial house located in the historic center of Popayán.
