August: A Chance to See Norte de Santander in a New Light—Experiences That Go Beyond the Destination

That's why this August we'd like to suggest a different way for you to explore our region: don't just think about the places that appear on a list of destinations, but about everything we can discover when we pay attention to the details.

Because traveling is also about discovering a story, tasting a flavor, strolling down a street, listening to the people who live there, and understanding what makes a place special.

Pamplona: A City Best Explored on Foot

Pamplona has one of those qualities that make historic destinations special: you only need to stroll through a few of its streets to find different eras coexisting in the same place.

Its architecture, squares, churches, and traditional buildings are all part of a city that has played an important role in Colombia’s history. But to reduce Pamplona solely to its past would be to overlook an important part of what it represents today.

The city continues to have a life of its own that can be found in its streets, its cafés, its restaurants, its cultural venues, and the people who live there.

One of the best ways to get to know it is to walk through it. Not necessarily by following a perfectly planned route, but by allowing yourself to take in whatever comes your way.

An old facade can catch your eye. A plaza can become the perfect place to sit for a moment. A small shop may carry a traditional product you’ve never tried before. Even a casual conversation can end up becoming one of those memories that linger long after the trip is over.

Pamplona is also a university and cultural city, so its atmosphere is constantly changing. It’s a lively place, full of gatherings and people from different generations sharing the same spaces.

For those who come to know it, Hotel Cariongo can be that perfect blend of comfort and destination: a place from which to begin exploring the city, enjoy its cuisine, and discover everything that defines its identity.

Chinácota: A Destination with Its Own Personality

While Pamplona captivates visitors with its history and architecture, Chinácota has a different character.

Its climate, landscapes, and atmosphere have made this municipality one of the favorite destinations for those seeking to discover another side of Norte de Santander.

But Chinácota is much more than just a weekend getaway. It’s a town that can be enjoyed from many different perspectives.

It's in its streets, its traditional venues, its surroundings, its cuisine, and the plans you can make for your visit.

Part of its charm lies precisely in the possibility of combining different activities. You can start with a tour of the town, continue with a special meal, explore some of its attractions, and end the day enjoying a conversation in a cozy spot.

It's also a destination that lets you get close to nature and see how the landscape changes as you move away from the city center.

And for those who want to explore this part of the department, Hotel Cariongo Chinácota offers a new option for lodging and experiencing the destination from a space designed to ensure a comfortable stay.

Food also tells stories

To talk about a destination without mentioning its food would be to leave out one of the most interesting ways to get to know it.

Gastronomy isn't just about eating. It also reflects customs, the ingredients available in a region, the recipes that have been passed down from one generation to the next, and the ways in which people gather around a table.

That's why, when we visit a different town, it's worth making time for food as part of the itinerary.

Trying a traditional dish can tell us much more about a region than we might imagine. It can also be an opportunity to discover dishes that aren't part of our daily routine and to experience new flavors.

In Pamplona, cuisine is an important part of the experience of exploring the city. From traditional dishes to contemporary creations, there are many different ways to discover its flavors.

At Hotel Cariongo, the Chitarero restaurant is also part of this experience. Its culinary offerings allow guests to enjoy a great meal without having to leave the hotel, providing yet another reason to enjoy their stay.

Because there are trips we remember for the places we photographed, but there are also others we remember for the food we ate.

The story is in the details

When we think about history, we often picture major events, important figures, or dates we learned in school.

But history can also be found in much more everyday places.

It’s in an old house that still retains its original structure. In a square that has been a gathering place for generations. In a church that is part of a community’s history. In a recipe that is still prepared the same way.

Pamplona is particularly interesting from this perspective.

Exploring its historic center offers a glimpse into an important part of regional and national history, but it also allows you to see how that history continues to shape the city today.

You don't have to be an expert in architecture or history to enjoy it. All you have to do is look.

Stopping in front of a building’s facade, observing the materials, noticing architectural details, or wondering what stories might have unfolded behind those walls can completely transform the way you explore a city.

And for a destination with such a rich history, every walk can become a mini-class—not in a classroom, but right out on the streets.

The scenery is also part of the experience

Norte de Santander's geography allows visitors to move from cities with a strong historical identity to municipalities surrounded by nature and completely different landscapes.

Chinácota is a good example of that variety.

The surrounding area offers settings that allow visitors to enjoy the scenery and understand why this municipality has long been an attractive destination for both residents of the department and visitors from other regions.

Sometimes all it takes is a change from your usual route to discover a different view.

And that variety is precisely one of the great attractions of traveling within our own region: we don’t need to travel hundreds of kilometers to find new landscapes.

There are places that are much closer than we think, yet we still haven't had a chance to visit them.

Not everything has to be planned

One of the advantages of visiting nearby destinations is that you have more freedom to explore them. Not everything has to be planned in advance. Some of the best experiences can happen when we leave room for spontaneity.

Maybe the plan was just to walk around downtown, and we ended up going into a restaurant we’d never been to before. Maybe we wanted to visit a specific place, and along the way we came across a building that caught our eye. Maybe an unexpected recommendation ended up becoming the best part of the day. Those kinds of moments are also part of traveling. It doesn’t mean improvising everything, but rather allowing the destination to surprise us.

A region worth exploring from the inside out

Sometimes we think that to have different experiences, we need to travel far away.

We plan trips to international destinations, look for new cities, and make lists of places we want to visit someday, while putting off those that are much closer to home.

But getting to know our own region can also be an enriching experience.

Norte de Santander is home to municipalities with distinct histories, diverse landscapes, unique traditions, and a cuisine worth discovering.

Pamplona and Chinácota are two examples of that richness. Two destinations that are close to each other but have completely different characters.

One invites you to discover history through its streets and architecture. The other allows you to explore landscapes, cuisine, and experiences that have their own rhythm.

And the best part is that both can be part of different kinds of trips: a family vacation, a romantic getaway, an outing with friends, or simply a few days to explore a place we’ve perhaps been hearing about for a long time.

This August, change the way you travel

Maybe we don't need to look for a completely new destination. Maybe we just need to return to a familiar one and see it in a different light.

Visit a museum we’ve never been to before. Ask about the history of a building. Try a new dish. Walk down a street we usually drive through. Chat with a local. Discover a landscape that wasn’t on the itinerary.

These are small decisions that can turn an ordinary visit into a much more meaningful experience.

This August, Hotel Cariongo invites you to see Norte de Santander in a new light.

Discover that behind every destination there are stories, flavors, people, and traditions just waiting to be discovered.

Remember that traveling doesn't always mean covering long distances. It can also mean getting a little closer to the things that are right here with us.

Pamplona and Chinácota have so much to share, and every visitor can find a different way to experience it. From Hotel Cariongo in Pamplona, and in Chinácota, we want to be part of those stories and offer a place from which to begin discovering them.

Because getting to know a destination isn't just about arriving there.

It involves looking, trying things out, walking around, asking questions, being surprised, and letting the place show us what doesn't appear in any photograph.

And perhaps that is the best reason to rediscover what we thought we already knew.

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