Zapatoca

Zapatoca sits at around 1,700 metres on a ridge with the Chicamocha canyon dropping away to one side, and in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries it had a reputation for its climate - dry, temperate and thought to be good for respiratory illness, which drew people from the lowlands and gave it the nickname the city of good air. That produced a substantial and well-built town for its size, with a large stone church, arcaded plaza and whitewashed streets with dark timber balconies. It has since become very quiet, which is now the appeal. La Fuente cave is nearby with formations and a river, and the Cueva del Nitro was mined for saltpetre. The road in from Bucaramanga is long and winding.

What you actually see

• A whitewashed ridge town - with dark timber balconies.
• A large stone church and arcaded plaza - built beyond the town's size.
• A climate reputation - the nineteenth-century city of good air.
• Caves nearby - La Fuente and the old saltpetre workings.

When to go

December to March. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The road from Bucaramanga is slow and winding. The town is genuinely quiet - that is the point but it means limited services. Caves need a guide and are not always accessible. Nights are cool.

Nearby

The Chicamocha canyon is east; San Vicente de Chucuri is west.