Barranquilla: A Local's Guide

This is a guest blog, written by one of my Colombian students. I was so impressed by her homework, I decided it deserved a spot on the page. This way, you can hear about Barranquilla from a native. It was also Barranquilla's 202nd birthday on Tuesday, so here's to the sandy city!

View from the north of the city at dawn

The City of Barranquilla

Dancers in the Carnival parade

Barranquilla is a coastal city that is located in Colombia, South America. It is famous for Barranquilla's Carnival, which is the biggest festival in the country. If you want to visit it, the most important thing you have to take into account is that you can stand high temperatures. The climate from December to February and in July is colder: 26ºc. The maximum temperature during the rest of the year is 35ºc. Despite that, Barranquilla is a cool city: the nightlife is great. 84th street, which is one of the main streets in the city, has a variety of elite clubs. There are pubs too, one of the is Bogotá Beer Company, where you can drink handmade beer. If you prefer to go shopping, the best place is Buenavista, which is the biggest mall in the city. But you can get cheaper things from the best shops like Studio F, Naf-Naf and Quicksilver in Unico. There is a varied cuisine that is influenced by African, Spanish and native ancestors. You can eat 'lisa' rice, coconut rice, alegrías, arropillas as candies, or you can eat fish in Las Flores.

Locals enjoying the nearby beaches

There are a lot of good hotels, for all kinds of budgets. The transportation is good. For example, Transmetro, which is the district transport system, can take you to all places with air conditioning. There aren't so many green spaces, but the current mayor restored most of the parks and places of interest. You can relax in Plaza de la Paz, which is the main park, and it's located in front of the Cathedral María Reina. The landmarks you have to visit are: Bocas de Ceniza, where you can see the end of the Magdalena River and the Caribbean Sea, Avenida del Río (River Avenue), that is a new place by the Magdalena river and, of course, you can refresh yourself there with the strong wind. There are also the Pradomar beaches, where you can tan and even dance in Climandiaro (a club).

Written by: María Fernanda Zuñiga Hernández
Photos: Natalie Arnold