Anyone have any good feedback on Neiva?

eng65 says on May 12, 2009, 05:25:

Been there hot as hell! ugly city dont do it honestly nothing there

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esanch36 says on May 12, 2009, 05:47:

I wouldnt call it an Ugly city...it is hot as hell thought. I love to go there because i have family and friends there and i always have fun. There is part of the city called the La Toma and thats were alot of the bars are. The main festival is San pedro which is the last week in june (I think). The city goes crazy the last weekend of the festival. Horse parades, people drunk on the streets, really really fun. There is also alot of cultrual things to see that week like the festival de bambuco. its the traditional dance of that part.

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ColombianoGringo (Moderator) (Trustee board) (☼Travelguide writer) says on May 12, 2009, 07:59:

I know Neiva very well. A lot of my family including my wife and my mother's side of my family are from there. I spend at least a few weeks there every year.

Neiva is a more a big town than a small city. There are some fun things to do, particularly if you know locals. It isn't a particularly pretty city and it can be a bit on the dangerous side when it comes to street crime. However, the people are very nice and it can be a great place to party. As Esanch mentioned, the San Pedro festivities in June are a huge draw for tourists. It is a pretty wild street party with lots of parades and revelry.

If you are going to need a hotel, I would highly recommend Hotel Pacande. It is a colonial style hotel and my preferred hotel in Neiva. However, booking a hotel for San Pedro can be difficult this close to the event.

Hotel Pacande
CL 10 4-39
Neiva
Tel: 57-8 - 871-1766

Here are some pics of the hotel.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colombianogringo/sets/72157607125557684/



As far as history, Neiva was founded in the 1500s. It has the odd distinction of being founded three times as the Spanish settlement was destroyed by natives about a year into its existence. It was refounded some years later, only to be once again destroyed. It was founded for the final time in 1612 in its current location.

Neiva has a lot of monuments. The most famous is La Gaitana which commemorates a native princess who led her people in resistance to the Spaniards. You can read her story at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaitana

I'm so hip, I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis.

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Rocco81 says on May 12, 2009, 08:24:

Very cool..thanks for the info folks! It turns out I might be there in June, so maybe I can catch this festival.

Sic semper tyrannis

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