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ACCAS · Colombian–American Schools Code of conduct ESEN
Colegio Granadino
The host city

Manizales

Capital of Caldas, in the heart of Colombia's Coffee Region: a mountain city of universities and coffee, and host of the tournament.

Altitude 2,150 m above sea level
Temperature 17 °C year-round average
From Pereira 1 h by road, from the airport
Emergencies 123 national emergency line
Before you travel

By air and by road

Manizales sits in the Central Andes. You can fly into its own airport or into Pereira, which has more flights.

La Nubia Airport

MZL · Manizales

The city's own airport, about twenty minutes from downtown. It's the most convenient, but it has few flights and mountain fog can delay or divert them.

Matecaña Airport

PEI · Pereira

Just over an hour away by road. It has many more daily flights from Bogotá, Medellín and Cali, and it's where large delegations usually arrive.

Bus terminal

By road

Buses from Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and Pereira. The terminal is linked to downtown by the cable car, which is also a ride with views of the mountains.

Lodging

Where to stay

Partner hotels for the delegations and other options near the school.

Tournament partner Avenida Santander Hotel Carretero On Avenida Santander, the city's main avenue. It has been welcoming travelers to Manizales for more than forty years. Carrera 23 n.º 35A-31 +57 606 893 0300 Palermo Hotel Piedras de Maní Small hotel in Palermo with breakfast included, a terrace and a garden. Quiet residential area. Calle 66 n.º 23B-98 El Cable Nodo Hotel Design hotel in the El Cable area, surrounded by restaurants, cafés and shops. Calle 70 n.º 25-35 +57 304 404 6862 El Cable Quo Quality Hotel Contemporary design, steps from the El Cable restaurant area. Calle 66A n.º 26A-28 +57 606 893 0320 Villamaría, old road to the Nevado Termales El Otoño Thermal pools, spa and restaurant on the outskirts. The place to unwind, at the cost of being far from downtown. Km 5 antigua vía al Nevado del Ruiz +57 606 874 0280 Km 11 on the road to Magdalena Estelar Recinto del Pensamiento Hotel y Centro de Convenciones Inside the Recinto del Pensamiento: forest, local coffee and a convention center for delegation meetings. Kilómetro 11 vía al Magdalena +57 606 889 7072 El Cable Hotel Estelar El Cable Next to the nightlife district, with a gym and breakfast buffet. Less than fifteen minutes from La Nubia airport. Carrera 23C n.º 64A-60 Downtown Hotel Benidorm Central hotel, a few blocks from the city's administrative center. Calle 44 n.º 20-20 +57 606 890 5040 El Cable Hotel Varuna Right in the nightlife district, three hundred meters from the Torre del Cable. Breakfast and parking included. Calle 62 n.º 23C-18
Food

Where to eat

From bandeja paisa to hot chocolate with cheese, and the parts of town where people go out to eat.

El Cable Zona de El Cable The liveliest area, around the tower of the old aerial cableway: restaurants, cafés and places open late. It's where groups go out to eat.
Milán Milán y Palermo Residential neighborhoods with good food and a calmer atmosphere. A good choice for quiet delegation dinners.
Downtown Centro histórico Traditional food at good prices, the set lunch locals call «corrientazo»: soup, main course and juice. This is where to try bandeja paisa, sancocho and hot chocolate with cheese.
Free time

Things to do and see

For afternoons without games and for the families traveling with the delegations.

Road to Magdalena, km 11 Recinto del Pensamiento One hundred and eighty hectares of humid forest with a butterfly house, an orchid forest, an aromatic garden and a short cable car that glides over the trees. 20 minutes from downtown
Downtown Catedral Basílica Metropolitana One of the tallest cathedrals in the country. You can climb the Polish corridor to the lookout in the towers and see the whole city and the mountains. Plaza de Bolívar
Chipre Monumento a los Colonizadores The sunset lookout. The bronze sculpture honors the Antioquian settlers, and from the esplanade you can see the valley and, with luck, the Nevado del Ruiz.
Urban forest Ecoparque Los Yarumos A forest inside the city, with trails, lookouts and outdoor activities. The easiest plan for a free afternoon without leaving Manizales.
Los Cámbulos – Fundadores Cable aéreo It's public transportation and a sightseeing ride: it links the bus terminal with downtown, gliding over the city's rooftops. It costs the same as a bus fare.
National Natural Park Nevado del Ruiz y PNN Los Nevados Páramo and glacier above 5,000 meters, a couple of hours from the city. Access depends on volcanic activity: check the park's status before planning the trip.
Good to know

Weather and practical information

What to know before you pack, especially if you're coming from a warm part of the country.

Mountain weather

There are no seasons here: cool mornings, strong midday sun and rainy afternoons, often on the same day. The average is around 17 °C and it gets colder at night.

What to pack

A jacket or sweatshirt for every day, a raincoat or umbrella —the city is all ups and downs— and sunscreen: it may be a cool city, but the sun is out for much of the day.

Altitude and health

At 2,150 meters the body needs a day to adjust: arrive with time to spare before competing, drink water and take the first practice easy. The emergency number is 123.

Getting around

Taxis cover almost everything. The local apps are Taxis La Feria and Taxia, and InDrive and Uber also operate. The cable car and city buses complete the network, and since the city is compact, trips are usually short.

Keep exploring

Useful links

Turismo de Manizales Official site of the city's events and tourism office: cultural calendar, food guide and the network of eco-parks. Alcaldía de Manizales Official city information and municipal news. Destino Caldas What to see in the rest of the department, for delegations staying a few extra days.