Santander

San Gil liegt in Santander, rund 300 Kilometer nördlich von Bogotá und 95 Kilometer südlich von Bucaramanga. Die Stadt ist die Basis für Rafting, Canyoning und Paragliding in der Region und Ausgangspunkt für Barichara und den Chicamocha-Canyon. Die 1689 gegründete Stadt am Río Fonce hat rund 60.000 Einwohner; mitten im Ort liegt der Park El Gallineral.

Barichara is a colonial town in the mountains of Santander Department, northeastern Colombia, 21 km from the adventure town of San Gil. You come for its yellow sandstone houses, cobblestone streets, and the hike on the Camino Real to Guane. Founded in 1705, the town is at around 1,300m; its historic center is a National Monument since 1978.

Villa de Leyva is a colonial town in Boyacá, about 165 kilometers northeast of Bogotá and 40 kilometers west of Tunja. You come for its white houses, cobbled streets, and the Plaza Mayor, which, at about 14,000 square meters, is among South America's largest squares. The town, founded in 1572, is at 2,149 meters and has been a National Monument since 1954; its dry surroundings hold fossil finds and a Muisca site.

Zipaquirá, about 49 kilometers north of Bogotá, is famous for its underground Salt Cathedral. The trip from the capital can be easily combined with a stroll through its colonial center. Founded in 1600, the city has over 160,000 inhabitants; white facades and wooden balconies earned it the nickname 'ciudad blanca' (white city).

The region comprises the capital Bogotá and the Andean highlands of Cundinamarca and Boyacá to its north. You come here for museums and colonial architecture in the capital, the underground Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, and Boyacá's white colonial towns. Bogotá lies at 2,640 meters, making the climate throughout the highlands accordingly cool.