San Juan de Pasto

Photo courtesy Government of Nariño. Author: Luis Ponce.

Famous travelers, foreigners and Colombians say Pasto "the city with the most beautiful contours", "the only European landscape found in Colombia". "Quilt of patches" and the "Surprise City" and also known as the theological capital of Colombia.

Modern city with large and reliable projections of residential, commercial and cultural development, San Juan de Pasto, capital of Nariño, located in the Atriz Valley in the foothills of the Galeras volcano, 795 kilometers south west of the capital of Colombia, with a height above sea level of 2,559 meters, average temperature of 14 degrees Celsius, and an area of ??1,181 square kilometers.

Its name derives from the name of the indigenous people Pastos, which means People of Earth.

Pasto is characterized by its landscapes, nature reserves, great temples, craft workshops and cultural centers. A sample of the culture of the city is the Blacks and Whites' Carnival, declared by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage of humanity, where friends and strangers enjoy a true exchange of culture, always accompanied by joy and respect, where the tourist is considered as one more "Pastuso".

Since colonial times, the city is distinguished by its deep devotion to the Catholic faith, example of this are the religious buildings that are pieces of beautiful architecture, with perfect finishing and polishing made by locals of Narino, also considered architectural gems; in addition you can find museums, libraries, theaters, cultural schools, plazas, and picturesque towns in the surroundings as Tescual, Mapachico, Genoy, The Encano, Jongovito and Catambuco, sites where you can enjoy delicious typical dishes, such as "Cuy" (Guinea pig), "Frito" (Roasted pork, popcorn and potatoes), "Tamales" (Corn flour dough stuffed with meat, pork or chicken wrapped in plantain leaves), "Empanadas" (Pieces of fermented corn dough stuffed with meat, chicken, rice or cheese), "Hornado" (Baked pork), and "Lapingachos" (Roasted potato pancakes stuffed with cheese usually accompanied with pork, lettuce and chili pepper), among others.

Its fine and beautiful handicrafts in varnish and chaff, which have been passed through generations among artisans. The varnish comes from the vegetal resin extracted from the tree mopa mopa, and chaff extracted from wheat and barley.