Atlantico Route
Welcome to the joyful land of Barranquilla’s Carnival! We recommend adding another layer to the sabrosura —which was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2008— that is lived here and makes so many people end up dancing. There is nothing more exciting than discovering who is behind the Carnival’s costumes and decorations: the artisans who make Galapa’s emblematic masks. You will be able to enjoy the unforgettable experience of witnessing two master craftsmen from the same family (the Pertuz family) with unique and unmistakable personalities at work just 21 kilometers away from Colombia’s Port of Gold. You will admire them as they work on wood chunks that will later come to depict powerful animals or symbols of the troupe. We would also like you to visit one of the jewels of the Colombian Caribbean Coast: Usiacurí. It is known for being the food pantry of the Atlántico department and the birthplace of the iraca palm weavers. We invite you to see with your own eyes how endearing its people are and visit them on the Vía de la Cordialidad. You will not only be received by warm weather and flower-filled streets: you will also see a weaver outside every house ready to tell you their story.
Embark on a journey full of history
Artisans along the way
Artisans along the way
We recommended this tour
Recommendations
Schedule the visit in advance with the artisans.
Carry cash.
Length
2 days
Physical Complexity
Transportation
Car or Bus
Barranquilla - Galapa
At Colombia’s Puerta de Oro you can relish yourself with a rich culinary offer and intense nightlife. How not to walk along the imposing boardwalk of the river to appreciate the city’s magnitude, or visit the renowned Museum of Modern Art of Barranquilla and the Carnival Museum to prepare yourself for what is to come. Be sure to try the iconic restaurants El Cocuyo, or El Palo de Mango, and to have a nice bollo limpio, a traditional sancocho de guandul or mote de queso in La Tiendecita or Narcobollo. With a full belly and a happy heart, you are now ready to visit the artisans! 20 kilometers away from Barranquilla, if you go to Galapa, you need to visit craftsmen Luis and Manuel Pertuz. You need to spend enough time with them so that they can tell you the meaning behind every mask they carve. If you’re up for it, you can pick up one or two tricks about the art of wood carving and even try it for yourself. We guarantee this will be a phenomenal experience. Afterward, you can visit the Galapa Archaeological Museum, where you can discover the land’s pre-Columbian past and the incredible power of the images that are carved into the masks.
Baranoa
On the way to Usiacurí, 10 minutes away, you will pass through Baranoa. You will be able to find an incredible place on the latter town’s outskirts: the Megua Biothematic Park. Here, you will witness the magic of the tropical dry forest. You will learn how water is preserved for months during droughts and how the harvest takes place when the rainy season arrives. You will have the chance to walk through the site’s butterfly farm and animal trail, many of whose animals have been rescued from illegal trafficking. You will definitely be hungry after such a journey, which will give you the perfect opportunity to try the chicharrones that this coastal town is famous for. If you are here for a weekend, do not forget to ask for a Pital de Megua rice pie: it is one of a kind.
Usiacurí
At 15 kilometers from Baranoa, you will know you have arrived at Usiacurí when you see the monument to the weavers’ muse. It is an eight-meter-high sculpture dedicated to craftspeople made by Gino Márquez, an artist from Barranquilla, and inspired by the poem La Araña (The Spider) by the poet Julio Flórez. You will also know you have arrived because of the town’s flowers. After having traveled through the highway’s arid and dry landscape, purple and fuchsia bougainvillea —or Trinitaria flowers, as they are called in the region— will happily invade your gaze. You will feel the residents’ warm welcome. If you’re lucky, one of them will walk with you along the streets and answer all your questions. Take it easy at first: soon enough you will realize the strange way in which Usiacurí was built. The town has the shape of a horseshoe. There is no hurry and there are plenty of things to do. You can visit its mineral pools, eat a carimañola (cassava fritter stuffed with beef, chicken, or cheese), visit the Santo Domingo Church, go to the Luriza Nature Reserve, or walk around the Julio Flórez Museum and lose yourself in his verses. You can easily find comfortable accommodation there to stay the night.
Route acknowledgement
Recommended sites
Important information for your trip
Pueblo Patrimonio
La Red Turística de Pueblos Patrimonio de Colombia es un programa especial del Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, ejecutado por FONTUR, que trabaja con 17 municipios de Colombia que poseen declaratoria de Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC) a nivel nacional para su valoración y proyección mediante el turismo, generando así más oportunidades de desarrollo y sostenibilidad en las comunidades.
La Medalla a la Maestría Artesanal es un galardón que Artesanías de Colombia entrega anualmente, con el cual se hace un reconocimiento a aquellos artesanos, empresas y comunidades artesanales que, contando con una trayectoria destacada, sobresalen a nivel nacional por su excelencia en el oficio así como por preservar el quehacer artesanal.
Denominación de Origen
Es un signo distintivo que identifica productos reconocidos o famosos por tener una calidad o características específicas derivadas esencialmente del lugar de origen y la forma tradicional de extracción, elaboración y producción por parte de sus habitantes. La protección conferida sobre una Denominación de Origen implica que ninguna persona puede identificar con la denominación protegida productos iguales o similares a los amparados, cuando no provengan del verdadero lugar y no cumplan con las características o calidades que le han dado la reputación al producto reconocido. Las Denominaciones de Origen para productos artesanales colombianos que han sido protegidas por la Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio en nuestro país son actualmente 12.
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