Monument in Valledupar

By Lorraine Caputo

For the visitor arriving to the cradle of Vallenato music when the festival isn’t on, there is a chance to experience Valledupar for what it truly is: a small town with deep artistic roots. You can visit or study at a music school, or drop by one of the city’s several cultural centers. Wander the streets, taking in the colonial architecture of the center and the dozen monumentos. To cool off after all your exploration, dip into the cold waters of Balneario Hurtado. On that near Western horizon is the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, home to four indigenous nations. You can visit the Arhuaco villages of Pueblo Bello and Nabusimake.