Copa Airlines’ Destinations in the Americas Tour: Colombia [Part I]
Copa Airlines has an important presence in Colombia. Its first destinations in Colombia were Barranquilla and Medellín during the 1960s, the decade when the airline started to expand internationally. Copa Airlines entered deeply in the Colombian market with the acquisition of AeroRepública, later rebranded as Copa Airlines Colombia. Today, they have a subsidiary named Wingo, which replaced AeroRepública and took over their IATA and ICAO codes (P5/RPB). Today Copa Airlines flies to 11 cities in Colombia.
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We return back to mainland, landing in Colombia’s capital city: Bogotá. The land where the city is located, was conquered by the Spanish explorer Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada, after an expedition through the Andes. The name given to the town back then was Santafé, it later became the seat of the Spanish Royal Audiencia of the Kingdom of New Granada, later the Viceroyalty of New Granada. Bogotá then became the capital of the newly independent Colombia after the Battle of Boyacá.
Bogotá is the seat of Colombia’s government branches. It stands out for its economic strength and associated financial maturity, its attractiveness to global companies and the quality of human capital, it’s also Colombia’s main economic hub. Copa Airlines flies to El Dorado International Airport for their flights to Bogotá
Some places to visit in Bogotá are:
- Museo del Oro
- Barrio la Candelaria
- Parque Metropolitano Simón Bolívar
- Plaza de Bolívar de Bogotá
- Torre Colpatria
Moving a bit up northwest, still on mountainous terrain, we find the 2nd largest city in Colombia and the capital of the department of Antioquia: Medellín. Its history goes back to 1616 when the Spaniard Francisco Herrera Campuzano founded the village of San Lorenzo de Aburrá, years later in 1675, queen consort María of Austria would found the city of Villa de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Medellín, which is today the center of present-day Medellín.
Towards the 20th and 21st centuries, the city has had a boom in social development accompanied with industrial dynamism, thanks to urban projects such as the subway, improved education and liberalized development policies. Tourism has also helped Medellín to stay relevant in the world stage, thanks to the culture and museums. Copa Airlines flies to José María Córdova International Airport for their flights to Medellín.
Some places to visit at Medellín are:
- Medellín Metrocable
- Parque Explora
- Museo de Antioquia
- Planetario de Medellín
- Festival of the Flowers (seasonal event)
Moving southwest Colombia we find the city of Cali, Colombia’s largest in this region, the third largest by population and second by area. Founded back in 1536 by the Spanish explorer Sebastián de Belalcázar, Cali is one of Colombia’s fastest-growing economies and a city in constant development, becoming even the center of attention for sports when it hosted the Pan American Games in 1971.
Like the previous cities visited before, Cali is also located in mountainous terrain, surrounded by the Cauca Valley. Its downtown offer a wide variety of cultural and business attractions that has kept the city busy. Copa Airlines operates at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport for their flights to Cali.
Some of those attractions are:
- Barrio San Antonio
- Museo Aéreo Fenix
- Zoológico de Cali
- Parque Nacional Farallones de Cali
- Museo de Oro Calima
After visiting Bogota, Medellin and Cali, we land in Pereira, the 2nd largest city in Northwestern Colombia after Medellin. It’s the capital city of the department of Risaralda and a center for investments, trade and commerce. It’s also a major site of coffee production, since it’s located in the Coffee Axis, an area where most of Colombia’s coffee production is done. Copa Airlines flies to Matecaña International Airport for their flights to Pereira.
Some places to visit while in Pereira are:
- Nevado Santa Isabel
- Parque Regional Natural Ucumari
- Plaza Victoria
- Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Pobreza
- Jardin Exótico Kamala
Continuing northeast, we find Bucaramanga. It was founded in 1622 primarily to facilitate the evangelization of indigenous people and exploit gold mines. It transitioned from an indigenous settlement to a mining town and eventually became a parish. Throughout the centuries, Bucaramanga has experienced economic ups and downs, influenced by factors such as mining, agriculture, and commerce.
Today, serves as the capital of Santander and has played a significant role in Colombian history. Today, Bucaramanga is a major city and economic center in the regio. Due to the large number of parks it has, Bucaramanga has a variety of green areas for recreation, and its known as “The City of Parks” and the “Beautiful City in Colombia.” Copa Airlines flies to Palonegro International Airport for its flights to Bucaramanga.
Some places to visit while in Bucaramanga are:
- Panachi
- Cathedral of the Holy Family
- San Pio Park
- Parque del Agua
- Museo Casa de Bolívar
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