Santander Department · Colombia
Where to stay in Bucaramanga
Bucaramanga is a city in Santander Department, Colombia, home to about 615,000 people.
- Best months
- January
- Nearest airport
- BGA8 km · Palonegro Airport
- Currency
- COPColombian peso
- Time zone
- America/Bogota
- Language
- Spanish
About
About Bucaramanga
Bucaramanga is the capital and largest city of the department of Santander, Colombia. Bucaramanga has the fifth-largest economy by GDP in Colombia, has the lowest unemployment rate and is the ninth most populous city in the country, with a population of 613,400 (2023 projection).
Bucaramanga is a medium sized city, home to nearly 1 million inhabitants (all of the metropolitan area). It's a major commercial hub in northeastern Colombia, playing a significant role in trade between Colombia and Venezuela. It's not a huge touristy destination like Cartagena or Santa Marta but nonetheless it is surrounded by beautiful landscapes and ancient towns with a lot of history, which overall makes the visit to Bucaramanga worthwhile.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Bucaramanga
See
There are plenty of things to sightseeing in Bucaramanga, starting from the east side via Cúcuta you can find nice and large balconies and enjoy a panoramic view of the city. The center of Bucaramanga gets really crowded on weekends and peak hours, however you can enjoy lots of bargains and sales in the shops, nice quality of clothes and shoes of course. In the south of Bucaramanga you can find different resorts or clubs where you can play golf, futbol, swim, or just chill out with your friends. Generally the most popular zone in Bucaramanga is Cabecera, this is the most modern area in the city with lots of malls and entertainment like cinemas, restaurants and shops.
Do
- Colombia Paragliding
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Bucaramanga
21 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Ayenda 1502 Principe | 0.9 km | |
| Ayenda 1506 La Puerta del Sol | 1.4 km | |
| Ayenda 1507 Colonial Plaza | 0.8 km | |
| Ayenda 1511 Sevilla Plaza | 1.3 km | |
| Cabecera Country Hotel | 0.7 km | |
| Casa Mendoza Hotel Boutique | 1.0 km | |
| Hampton by Hilton Bucaramanga | 0.6 km | |
| Holiday Inn Bucaramanga Cacique | 2.5 km | |
| Hotel Alessio | 1.0 km | |
| Hotel Andino | 0.9 km | |
| Hotel Buena Vista Express | 1.2 km | |
| Hotel Chicamocha | 0.7 km | |
| Hotel Dann Carlton Bucaramanga | 0.4 km | |
| Hotel Guane | 0.7 km | |
| Hotel Internacional La Triada by DOT Urban | 0.8 km | |
| Hotel La Serrania Bucaramanga | 0.7 km | |
| Hotel Oviedo Real | 1.2 km | |
| Hotel Palonegro | 0.7 km | |
| Hotel Plazuela Real | 1.2 km | |
| Hotel Quinta de Cabecera | 0.8 km | |
| Hotel Ruittoque D Prada | 0.7 km |
All 21 hotels in Bucaramanga, with their history and operators
When to go
The best time to visit Bucaramanga
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Bucaramanga are January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; October is the wettest, with about 229 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Bucaramanga: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Palonegro Airport (BGA), about 7.6 km from the city centre in a straight line; Yariguíes Airport (EJA, 77 km) and Juan Vicente Gómez International Airport (SVZ, 110 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
The Metrolínea bus system uses exclusive lanes making many trips faster and more comfortable. It is safe and clean although it is almost always full. Tickets around COP$2150. Plentiful, and all run on meters. For added security take a note of the number plates, or even better: request a cab by telephone.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
BGA · Palonegro Airport
EJA · Yariguíes Airport
SVZ · Juan Vicente Gómez International Airport
Questions
Bucaramanga: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Bucaramanga?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Bucaramanga are January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; October is the wettest, with about 229 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Bucaramanga?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Palonegro Airport (BGA), about 7.6 km from the city centre in a straight line; Yariguíes Airport (EJA, 77 km) and Juan Vicente Gómez International Airport (SVZ, 110 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Bucaramanga?
Colombian peso (COP).
Nearby
Destinations near Bucaramanga
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.