Stopover in Pasto — Colombia’s Unappealing Border City

Pasto is a small city near the Colombia/Ecuador border and a frequent stopover for those making the long overland journey from Colombia to Ecuador. It’s an unappealing city and we wouldn’t recommend more than an overnight stop here, but it’s a better option than stopping in Ipiales.

Pasto is one of the oldest cities in Colombia, and gives you a more authentic Colombian city experience because it’s not set up for tourists at all. The best thing to say of the city is that it’s surrounded by brilliant green Andes mountains, though at a street-level Pasto isn’t very pretty.

Things To Do in Pasto

Visit St. Ezequiel Moreno Cathedral

There’s a surprising number of churches in Pasto, so while you’re here you may as well visit one. The Cathedral of St. Ezequiel is a pleasing redbrick building that’s painted with familiar religious motifs. You can pay COP $0.20 to light a small electric candle. 

Visit the Taminango Museum

The Taminango Museum is a quaint, old building housing traditional art and artisan items. It’s only a small museum but a popular place to visit if you’re stopping over in Pasto. Unfortunately we didn’t get to go inside, as when we turned up the guard said he couldn’t open the gate for us — we’re not sure why but we suspect it’s because the museum is only seen by guided tour and a guide wasn’t available at the time.

Centro Historico

Pasto’s historic centre is worth a stroll. It’s dotted with dozens of churches and colonial buildings amongst more modern concrete and breeze block structures. You’ll find street vendors selling strawberries, cherries and mangoes. The Plaza de Nariño is the city’s main square and is surrounded by cafes where you can stop for an empanada.

Las Lajas Sanctuary

Outside of Pasto towards Ipiales, Las Lajas Sanctuary is a basilica church that makes a popular stop near the border. The church is located inside the canyon of the Guáitara River. We decided not to stop because even though the Pasto is close to the border, it’s still a fairly long journey and we were keen to cross over to Otavalo before sunset.

Where to Eat in Pasto

Moenta, Cafe y Memoria — This is an excellent place to drink coffee in Pasto. Unlike many places in Colombia which do a watery brew, if you order a coffee here you can choose your strength. There’s also a small art gallery and the friendly staff play excellent music. Some pastries are also available, but no substantial lunch options.

La Catedral Cafe (The Cathedral Cafe) — This cosy cafe, not far from the cathedral, serves up an array of treats both sweet and savoury. We tried a couple of different Colombian dishes, some of which were delicious. We’d recommend trying these tasty treats from the menu:

• Lapingacho — a potato cake with cheese, lightly fried and served with a spicy peanut sauce.
• Quimbolito — a sponge cake-like mixture with raisins, steamed in an achira leaf.
• Pan de Yuca — a type of small, round bread made from yuca.

There are also more familiar favourites such as croissants, mozzarella sandwiches and a variety of cakes. There’s a green space at the back of the cafe and everything is inexpensive.

Pericles Cafe Bar — It’s a solid concept: serve coffee in the morning and switch to craft beer in the evening. But while Pericles Cafe Bar has some nice touches, sometimes it can feel a little bit style over substance. Our toast came in what can only be described as a bouquet, and while it was perfectly nice piece of toast, a conventional knife and plate would’ve been handy.

Where To Stay in Pasto, Colombia

Despite being a stopover city for travellers crossing the Ecuador/Colombia border, Pasto isn’t a hub of accommodation. On our journey across the border, we met another couple who arrived late at night to the city who didn’t book in advance and couldn’t find a place to stay as there are only a handful of hostels. In the end, they asked if they could sleep on a sofa in a hostel lobby.

We’d recommend booking a place in advance, especially if you arrive late to the city, as you don’t want to find yourself wandering around at night. We stayed in an Airbnb as there are limited options available in Pasto. If you’re staying in an Airbnb for the first time, get $48 off your booking.

Casa Hospedaje La Bohemia — A simple and clean hostel in Pasto. It’s a good place to meet other backpackers as it’s one of the few backpacker hostels in Pasto. Many travellers commented on how helpful the hosts were.

Modern Airbnb Apartment in Unicentro — This well-decorated apartment is near Unicentro, Pasto’s largest shopping mall and is a good option for a couple spending a night or two in the city. Nice views over the city from the living room.

Central Airbnb Apartment — We stayed in this very reasonably priced Airbnb just a few blocks from the Plaza de Nariño and very close to the wonderful cafes mentioned above. The wifi is fast and there’s hot water. The space is small but functional, if a little outdated. The bedroom is very comfortable.

Is Pasto Safe?

The city of Pasto is relatively safe and during daylight hours we didn’t have any concerns. However, I wouldn’t recommend walking around the city late at night, as there are pockets of poverty and the city is busy, traffic-ridden and not the easiest to navigate. If you’re arriving late to Pasto, take a taxi directly to your accommodation.

We’d recommend staying in central location in walking distance to the main square as this area is safer and has a smattering of nice cafes. It’s also more common to see other tourists in this area, though there are relatively few around as most travellers only stop for the night. If you are going out at night, take a taxi. Taxis are inexpensive and rarely cost more than COP $5000.

Getting In and Out of Pasto

Popayán to Pasto — The “direct” bus from Popayán to Pasto costs COP $35,000 per ticket and is advertised as taking five and a half hours (it took seven on our trip). Buses leave all day from the Popayán transport terminal and will drop you off at the Pasto bus terminal.

Pasto to Ipiales — To cross the border into Ecuador, you’ll need to take a bus from Pasto to Ipiales from the Pasto bus terminal. Buses leave regularly and takes just over two hours. From here you can cross the border and go to Ecuador’s market town of Otavalo.

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