{"id":31327,"date":"2018-04-22T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-04-22T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.besabine.com\/things-to-do-in-honda-walk-through-one-of-colombias-most-unusual-towns\/"},"modified":"2023-07-03T17:06:30","modified_gmt":"2023-07-03T22:06:30","slug":"things-to-do-in-honda-walk-through-one-of-colombias-most-unusual-towns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.besabine.com\/en\/things-to-do-in-honda-walk-through-one-of-colombias-most-unusual-towns\/","title":{"rendered":"To do in Honda: walk through one of Colombia’s most unusual towns"},"content":{"rendered":"

The colonial town of Honda was one big surprise. Still totally undiscovered by tourists, “the city of bridges” turns out to be a gem in the middle of the country. There is so much to tell about this place that I am devoting a whole series to Honda. In the first part, you will read about a fantastic boat trip on the famous R\u00edo Magdalena.<\/strong><\/a> In this article, I take you into the city. Not only the historic center passes by, but also the many bridges Honda is known for, the ghost section and, of course, the beautiful old train station. Honda breathes history and color, and so it is incomprehensible that almost no tourists come there. As far as I am concerned, the new must-see of Colombia! Honda part 2: wander through a hidden gem in Colombia and marvel at the beauty and interesting history of this interesting place.<\/p>\n

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Honda: the city of bridges<\/h2>\n
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The town of Honda is a historic highlight of Colombia. With a location on the border between Cundinamarca and Tolima and the R\u00edo Magdalena running through Honda, it was one of Colombia’s most important ports between 1850 and 1910. When no extensive road network existed, both goods and people were transported via the R\u00edo Magdalena. This river runs from the Caribbean coast to beyond San Agust\u00edn, but only as far as Honda could ships sail. Thus, during this time, Honda was the economic heart of Colombia and the city experienced its golden age.<\/p>\n

In Honda you will find over 40 bridges over the Magdalena, Gual\u00ed, Guarin\u00f3 and Quebrada Seca rivers, all of which converge in this city. Besides “the city of bridges,” Honda is also called “the city of peace,” as the city was largely spared during the violent 1950s.<\/p>\n

Honda is a veritable open-air museum where colonial architecture captures your attention. The area where Honda is located was conquered by the Spanish in 1539. By order of the Spanish king, the town was founded in 1643. In 1805, there was a severe earthquake that destroyed much of what was then a village and several bridges. The colonial heart of Honda remained intact and you can still visit this beautiful old part today.<\/p>\n\n\t\t