Discover Génova: History, Crafts, and Nature

Get to know Génova through two concrete landmarks: the community gathering place, Parque de Génova, and the history of the parish of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes. Crafts and nature add to the picture of the municipality of Colón, while cultural and culinary traditions broaden the focus to Nariño. This lets you choose different priorities for your trip, from local history and community life to nature.

History and community life

The parish of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes de Génova was founded on July 31, 1952. This date anchors the parish in the history of the town. Parque de Génova, the main park in Colón, offers a different insight into community life. It is where the local community gathers to share stories and play volleyball. Together, the parish and the park show two distinct sides of Génova: a historical landmark and a place for people to come together.

This distinction is useful when planning your trip: the parish gives you a specific historical point of reference, while the park represents community life. You can explore either one, whether your trip is focused on history or on local life.

Iraca crafts in the municipality and in Nariño

In the municipality of Colón, local residents make crafts from iraca, including hats, bags, placemats, and miniatures. Family-run businesses also make hats from Paja Toquilla, considered a typical product of the municipality. These examples range from a variety of iraca products to a distinctive hat made from Paja Toquilla.

Iraca crafts are also an important feature of the wider region: iraca hat weaving in the municipalities of Sandoná and Colón Génova forms the largest and most developed craft value chain in Nariño. Approximately 56% of the department's artisans are part of it. In planning your trip, you can connect the products of the municipality of Colón with a craft tradition that also shapes Nariño as a whole.

Nature in the municipality of Colón

The municipality of Colón has a great diversity of flora and fauna, making various ecotourism activities possible. Notable water features include Cascada La Palma and Quebrada San Mateo. Cerro San Cristóbal adds a low-difficulty hike of about one hour to these nature attractions.

If you want to take a specific time frame into account when planning, the roughly one-hour hike offers a clear point of reference. Cascada La Palma and Quebrada San Mateo offer a different focus: they are highlighted water features in the municipality of Colón. This lets you distinguish between a described hike and other named nature attractions.

Nariño as a cultural and landscape setting

The Quillacinga, Pastos, and Awá peoples, as well as Afro-Colombian communities, are part of Nariño's cultural identity. Traditional cuisine also offers a distinct way to experience the region: traditional dishes include fried cuy and empanadas de pipián. These points broaden the focus from Génova and the municipality of Colón to Nariño's cultural diversity.

Nariño's notable landscapes include the 12-hectare Isla de La Corota in Laguna de La Cocha and its insular high-Andean forest. The area around Cascada El Motilón is part of the La Cocha Ramsar Wetland; Laguna de La Cocha is also a tourist destination in Nariño. Another regional activity lets visitors tour sugarcane fields and mills along the Ruta de la Panela and meet local producers. Confirm current arrangements for the route with the route operator.

Choose the focus of your stay

If you are especially interested in nature, the hike at Cerro San Cristóbal offers a specific option in the municipality of Colón. If you want to explore local history and community life, you can start with Parque de Génova and the parish. When choosing a vacation rental in Génova, it helps to first decide which of these themes you want to shape your stay; Nariño's regional cultural and nature attractions can complement that focus.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: La Florida, El Tablón, El Charco, Don Diego, Teques, Providencia, Chachagüí, Potosi.

For the broader travel overview: Nariño.