There come various events in our lives when we just simply don’t know what is going on with our lives and what is the thing which is lacking in our life? In order to overcome this hollowness, all you have to do is to pack a bag and get out of your comfort zone. Traveling is simply the best therapy to relax the mind and to explore new horizons of life. But, one of the common thing which clicks in our mind is the destination like where we should head for attaining that peace of mind. Though there are various places on earth that not only showcase the true nature but also provides calmness. One of those places is Guaduas, a small town in Colombia that is hassle-free and free from all types of city noise.

If you are planning to travel to Colombia and wanted to explore the real beauty of this country, you must start with Guaduas town. It is a town in Lower Magdalena Province department on a drive of almost two hours from Bogota. Guaduas town has its historical importance and it is an agricultural and tourist center inhibiting 33.000 people. It is one of the cities on the Bogota-Medellin highway. Your first interaction with the beauty of this town will start with ten thousand pesos bill as its main plaza is featured on it. Guaduas is the birthplace of one of Colombia’s revolutionary heroes, Policarpa Salavarrieta. Recognized as one of the prestigious towns of Colombia, it is filled with small buildings. The viewpoint is specifically stunning and shows the entire overlook of the town and distant volcanoes of Ruiz and Tolima which can be easily seen on a shiny day.

One of the interesting things about this town is that it was founded three times and the first time in 1572 by Andrés Díaz Venero de Leiva with the title of Villa de Guaduas. It has also remained a center for experimentation for José Celestino Mutis for biological expeditions. Though there is various worth seeing points in Guaduas town but, we will start with the Policarpa Salavarrieta House.

Policarpa Salavarrieta House

A small two bedrooms house with a lounge, kitchen, and a patio was the house of Policarpa Salavarrieta. She struggled for independence and raised the idea and shot down in Santa Fe by Spanish troops on November 14, 1817. Due to her struggle for freedom, she has gained a special place in Colombian history and her house has been changed to a museum where one can see different objects like basins, spoons, jars, and mils from the eighteenth century.

Capira Stone

Capira Stone is such a place where you can view Magdalena River Valley, snowcapped Tolima and Ruiz, and Santa Isabel peaks. It is the main viewpoint of Guaduas and located at the end of the Kings Road which connects the town to Honda in colonial-era time. This important route was used by the Botanical expedition expert and also by the troops during the war of Independence.

Plaza

Guaduas it is a tourist spot and is packed with small boutique hotels and restaurants that entertain tourists from all over the world. The beauty of Guaduas is enriched by the main square, which is a whitewashed colonial church with palm trees located on the outskirts of the main square. In front of the main square is the statue of Salavarrieta. In the main square, there are two Houses of Culture that help tourists and tourists to get information about the city and what places are worth visiting there.

Another interesting colonial building which is a few blocks away from the main plaza is Casa Real. It was built in the XNUMXth century and it is said that La Pola and her Spanish lover Alejo often meet there. The courtyard of Casa Real now serve as a café to serve tourists.

Convento de la Soledad

Convento de la Soledad currently houses the municipal government but, it was built by Father Thomas Morales on 13 December 1610 and it has the award of being the first colonial building. Simon Bolivar who was a political leader and Antonio Narino stayed there.

Navaroo Bridge

Navaroo bridge was inaugurated in 1988 and declared as a National Monument on May 10, 1994 due to its relevance in national history and a sound example of engineering in Colombia.

Puerto Gallot

It is located 3Km from the Inspectorate of Puerto Bogota and it is a well preserved colonial building and the first river port in the Kingdom of Granada.

Aboriginal settlement

It is located 22Km from the town and it has archaeological pieces which date back to 200 BC. So, if you are an archaeologist or passionate about such places, you should visit the Aboriginal settlement.

Puerto Bogota

It is one of the most well-known historical locations in Guaduas town. It dates back to 1555 and there are plans to develop a theme park around it to showcase the history and culture of Guaduas. This is one of the important places to visit.

Apart from these beautiful historical places, another important place worth looking at is Piedra Capira, which is a great place for hiking. To get to Piedra Capire on foot, head west from Guaduas and during your journey, you will also learn about the history of the Camino Real-Honda Guaduas. This road took almost 100 years to complete and is almost 500 years old. On the way to Capira Stone, you can not only see the natural scenery, but also the green pastures, forests and rivers. The quality of life also makes this place extremely beautiful. As it is quite humid and alive, here you can see nature up close and apart from that, another important creature that you see is Blue Morpho which is a very large butterfly with a wingspan of 15-20 cm. It is amazing to see these beautiful creatures flying in such a healthy environment. The thick forest path is a place that not only showcases the beautiful creatures, but also lets you breathe fresh and pure air.

These are some of the specialties of the city of Guaduas that allow you to explore nature along with history. It is a city where you can not only experience nature, but also understand the struggle for independence of the Colombian people. To get to Guaduas from Bogotá, tourists can use different means of transport, since they can use public transport or hire a taxi according to their comfort. To use public transportation, go to portal 80 in the west of the city and take a local bus from Guaduas to Villette. We recommend that you take the first available bus due to limited transportation availability. It is almost 2 to 3 hours to Guaduas and a central stop in La Vega, which is also a small place on your way to Guaduas.

When it comes to staying in Guaduas, there are several hotels and motels available for tourists and one can easily find a room at a reasonable price. The hotels are very nice and offer a clean and tidy stay for tourists. They also help organize biking or rock climbing tours for their guests and if you want to experience paragliding, one can also have their first experience. In addition, there is another important place, the Salto de Versalles waterfall, which is also close to the city and is a great place to explore nature. In addition, you can also learn the Spanish language while visiting Colombia in one of the best schools, that is, the Spanish School Nueva Lengua. It has a team of dedicated professionals who are experienced in their field and makes the learning process fun and easier for students.

In the end, if we summarize Guaduas town in a single phrase, it can be said that it is a place with beauty and history. It not only allows you to have comfort but also becomes a major milestone in your travel history. So, if you wanted to explore something which is not only historical but also provides you a true scene of nature, Guaduas is the true choice.

This article was originally written in English