Location

If you ever visit the famous coffee-producing region of Antioquia, Colombia, take care not to wander beyond theboundaries of the towns or coffee plantations you visit, especially at night. According to La Patasola legend, you just might encounter a supernatural creature that will drink your blood for daring to disturb the peace of the jungle.

You will see to La Patasola in:

Antioquia

Antioquia, the land of beautiful women, is one of the prettiest and wealthiest regions in Colombia.

The department is located in central-west Colombia and bordered in the north by the Caribbean Sea and the departments of Córdoba, Sucre and Bolívar. It is bordered by the departments of Risaralda and Caldas in the south, by Chocó in the west and by Boyacá and Santander in the east.

The central and western cordilleras (mountain ranges) cross the department. This fertile area is ideal for raising livestock and for growing bananas and coffee beans, which are the two major agricultural productions in the country, as well as a wide variety of crops such as rice, yucca, sorghum, beans, sugar cane and cocoa. The area is also rich in bauxite and gold deposits.

Industry, commerce, mining and agriculture are the main sources of income.

During the pre-Colombian period, the territory was populated by the Quimbayas and other Caribbean family native tribes. The Spanish conquest of these beautiful lands began with the arrival on Quimbayan soil of Rodrigo of Bastidas and Juan de la Cosa in 1501 and Alonso of Ojeda in 1510. Years later, the region was delimited and given the name of State of Antioquia. It received the category of department in 1886.

The department has an area of 6,612 square kilometers. There are more than 5.5 million people living in this region. Two-thirds of the population live in urban areas.

The territory has several parks of national heritage: Paramillo National Natural Park, shared with the department of Córdoba, Las Orquídeas National Natural Park and a world heritage place: Los Katios National Park (between Antioquia and Chocó departments).

It is worth saying that the most beautiful orchids in the world come from Antioquia.

Capital: Medellín

Known as “the city of flowers and eternal spring”, Medellín is the second most important city in Colombia.

It is located in the center of the Aburrá Valley and is one of the main commercial and industrial centers of the country.

This beautiful place with around 3 million people, is full of splendid gardens, parks, museums, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Zea Museum, where you can admire the work of many great artist including the paintings and sculptures of the renowned Medellinense artist Fernando Botero, and the Museum of Anthropology.

There are many cultural, skyscrapers, beautiful mansions, commercial centers, amusement parks, nightclubs and educational centers such as the well-known University of Antioquia, the National University, the University of Medellín and the Pontifical Bolivariana University.

Medellín has the most modern transportation system in Colombia. There is a city train (The Metro of Medellín) and the amazing Cable Metro that transports thousands of citizens every day.

Nutibara Hill is known as the "breathing area" of the city and it is where the Pueblito Paisa (a replica of colonial-period Antioquian village) is found.

The city has been the birthplace of famous writers, intellectuals, politicians, artists, and successful businessmen.

Tolima Grande

Tolima Grande is a region of Colombia understood by the departments of Tolima and Huila. Also part of the Caqueta region, as most of its inhabitants are descendants of Huila and Tolima due to colonization that occurred between the nineteenth and twentieth century and has continued until now. Its main cities are Ibagué, Neiva, Espinal, Pitalito and Florencia. The adjective of its inhabitants is "opita".

This part of the country is among the central and eastern mountain ranges, separated both by the Magdalena river which rises in the department of Huila. In this department you can also find varied landscapes as the Nevado del Huila and the desert of Tatacoa.

Musically, this region is rooted bambuco. The capital of Tolima has been declared the musical city of Colombia, as their conservatory is one of the largest in the country.

La Patasola Today

While the cultural message of the legend of La Patasola legend may not have as much relevance today when all kinds of sexual behaviors seem permissible, it is still a core part of Colombian folklore.

If you want to meet La Patasola without risking your life, you can visit the Path of Myths and Legends at the National Coffee Park in Montenegro, Colombia, or attend the annual Myths and Legends parade in early December in Medellín, Colombia to get in touch with true Latin American legends.