Ibague

Ibague's claim rests on institutions rather than a single festival: the Conservatorio del Tolima was founded in 1906 and has trained musicians ever since, the city holds the Festival Folclorico Colombiano each June and a national music competition, and there is a long tradition of choral and band music through the schools. The bambuco and other Andean forms are the repertoire most associated with it. The Jardin Botanico San Jorge covers a large area of dry tropical forest on a hill in the city with trails. Ibague sits at the foot of the climb to La Linea, the pass over the Central Cordillera, where a long road tunnel has replaced the worst of the old route. The Nevado del Tolima is visible on clear days.

What you actually see

• A conservatory founded in 1906 - the basis of the musical claim.
• A June folkloric festival - and a national music competition.
• The San Jorge botanical garden - dry tropical forest on a hill.
• The foot of La Linea - the pass over the cordillera.

When to go

Year round; June for the festival. A full day.

Honest expectations

It is a working city and the music is in institutions and events rather than on the streets. Heat is heavy. Traffic through the city on the Bogota-Cali route is constant. The Nevado is often hidden by cloud.

Nearby

La Linea pass is west; Honda and the Magdalena are north.