10 Epic Places To Visit In Colombia
(1) Cartagena
Cartagena has many popular tourist destinations that visitors are likely to encounter. The historic Old Town, Boca Grande, features modern skyscrapers, working-class barracks, universities and a large harbor where cruise ships dock. In short, the historic hub resides on a small slice of this large South American city.
The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of well-preserved colonial buildings dating back to the 16th century. The region has two districts, El Centro in the west and San Diego in the northeast. A few years ago the neighborhood was a crime-ridden no-go zone, but today it is a revitalized area of quiet cafes, frescoed streets, street musicians and sultry dance halls.
The average temperature range throughout the year is between 77 ° F and 87 ° F. The weather is slightly better from January to March. Cartagena receives the lowest 40 inches of rain every year in October. The peak season for tourism is a period of summer vacation from December to mid-January, Holy Week and mid-June to August.
There are museums and old mansions to visit and Cobblestone streets to roam. In the evening you can climb the city walls encircling the old city and watching the sunset. A great place to do this is by the wall at Café del Mar, El Centro. However, if you want a romantic way to see the Old Town, consider traveling behind a horse drawn carriage.
(2) Tayrona National Natural Park
It is both a marine and coastal park, which runs within clearly marked jungle trails and wilderness of Colombia’s most important ecological reserve and country. The closest starting point for trips to park is the busy colonial market town of Santa Marta, the oldest surviving city in South America, dating back to 1525.
The National Park is located 34 kilometers from the city and covers a total area of 15,000 hectares. This mountain range reaches an altitude of 6,000 meters and includes unique pre-Columbian archaeological sites such as La Ciudad Perdida or ‘Lost City’. An area that still has an indigenous Kogui Indian community.
The region protects some 65 mammal species, 200 bird species and 50 reptile species, and the most important sightings are the bisexual Andean condor, Hitler monkey, eagle and elusive and legendary jaguar. A wide variety of marine parks, lobster, turtles, sponges, sea urchins and fish can also be seen through snorkeling or diving trips.
Today, your destination is the archaeological ruins of Pueblito Charama. Get ready for a challenging hike to this archaeological site reached by forest trails. These pre-Columbian ruins were home to the ancient Tayrona people who once inhabited the area. Continue to the beach of Cabo de San Juan for a well-deserved dip in the sea before enjoying lunch.
(3) Bogota
There is lots of destinations in this city such as museums, parks, activities, walking tours, nightlife options and an incredible food tours. Casa de Nariño is the president’s home. Beyond its attractive neoclassical façade, its interior is full of furniture, paintings and sculptures from the Roman and Renaissance times.
They offer free tours from Monday to Friday and they last about 45 minutes. Bogota has several food tours, including the free food tour Bogota, which meets outside the Museo de Oro at 2 pm daily. The tour will take you through some markets and give you an overview of local fruits and traditional cuisine. Although the tour itself is free, you will have to pay for your meal.
It was one of the few buildings that stood in the city center after the 1948 assassination of presidential candidate George Eliecer Gaitan. La Candelaria is the historical and cultural neighborhood of Bogota. The narrow streets are overflowing with artists selling their works, street art, hip cafes and museums. Plaza del Chorro de Quevedo often consists of street-going artists and artist markets.
The Zona Rosa area is where most of the city’s people live, and if you want to party with the international crowd, “Gringo Tuesday” at La Villa Night Club is a lot of fun. Other popular places are Mint, Colombian pub and El Campanario. The Catholic Cathedral was built by miners inside tunnels of an old salt mine and is 200 meters below ground.
(4) Medellin
Medellin has undergone a transformation in the last fifteen years that has made it one of the most modern locations in Colombia. The year-round temperate climate of Medellin is an ideal place to spend a lot of time outdoors, where people are always roaming around and vendors are carrying food and drink. Located in the mountains near the city, you can take the gondola from the park entrance to the metro.
It is a scenic ride through the hills and offers some incredible views of the valley and the city. At the entrance of the park, you will find a small market as well as trails to travel on foot. Medellin has two local teams: Atletico National and Independent Medellin. Supporters of each team occupy the bleakers at the end of the stadium as things become rowdy and violent.
Guatape is the most popular day-trip destination from Medellin. It is a colorful pueblo (village) located on the shores of the lake, about two hours from the city. It is possible to tour the surrounding area by speedboat. The main airport of Medellin, the Jose Maria Cordova International Airport (MDE), is located about 50 minutes outside of Medellin in Rionero.
Avianca and Spirit are both flight routes to / from the United States. Medellin has two major bus stations that serve different parts of the country. The terminal del Norte is to the north, with buses that go to northern and eastern destinations. The Terminal del Sur is located near the Ola Herrera Airport and serves the southern and western half of country.
(5) The Lost City
Lost City is located in northern Colombia, in the hills of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Ciudad Perdida was discovered in 1972 by a group of tourists who barely appeared on the moss-covered stairs on their way. Soon after, antique gold figures and various valuable artifacts began to appear on the local black market. When the officials came to know about the situation, they built a protected national park there.
Today, the Ciudad Perdida is one of the most popular monuments in South America since Colombian times. In the past, the city was called Teyuna and Taron was the capital of Indians. Teyuna was founded about 800 years before Machu Picchu in about 800 years AD. While Peru has had to limit the number of tourists to Machu Picchu to 2500 per day, Very few tourist groups visit the Ciudad Perdida still.
The Inca Trail leading to Lost City is not the easiest and requires the presence of a professional guide. Dense pieces of bushes, barely seen by the sun at times, numerous crosses of the Baraka River, muddy passages, dangerous reptiles and spiders. This unique place has the power of nature. Wildlife fans will definitely find their place there.
The ruins of the Lost City are inhabited by Kogi Indians, who consider themselves descendants of the Terrones and still cultivate old traditions, habits and rituals. They live a life away from civilization and do not use its benefits. The living conditions of these people are far above the standard of living of the rest of the Colombian. Kogi Indians wear simple clothes and often walk barefoot.
(6) Cali
The city has dozens of dance schools, catering for all skill levels, as well as some hostels providing group instruction. Cali is popular for its people, architecture, historical value, medical tourism and entertainment provided for all types of tourists. To uncover all places we can find “La Loma de la Cruz”, which has been preserved for over 500 years.
The establishments offer many options to enjoy such music at events such as the “Festival Mundial de Salsa”. In this event Cali and his visitors will have a 6-day exhibition with musicians from all over the world. Cali gastronomy is excellent and eccentric as Colombian cuisine combines specialty cuisine and international cuisine with Cali flavors.
Many estimates say that the city has about 2.4 million people. The weather in Cali is absolutely ideal. It is hot, but not too hot. The city makes a powerful claim to be Colombia’s party capital, and you’ll hear Cuban-style salsa music day and night. If you come here in September, do not miss the Festival Mundial de Salsa.
Cali’s Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia showcases changing exhibitions of contemporary photography, sculpture and painting. To get here, walk along the Rio Cali for fifteen minutes from the city center. The center of the city is the Plaza de Caycedo. At the southern end of the plaza is the nineteenth-century catedral San Pedro, with its elaborate stained glass windows.
(7) Popayan
Popayan is known as Ciudad de Blanca (The White City) because of the abundance of beautiful white colonial buildings throughout the city, in the streets. It is home to beautifully unique churches, friendly locals, quaint bars and interesting markets. Popayan is also a prestigious student city, where Kaka University attends the most, so it makes it feel energetic and is very cheap.
While the city is small and things to do may be limited, what most people do not realize is that Popayan is surrounded by the Purace National Natural Park which offers scenic views, interesting wildlife and beautiful hiking opportunities. The free walking tour is a very lovely way to see and understand Popayan and because it is run by local students.
Museo Guillermo Valencia is a beautiful and well-preserved 18th-century building, filled with paintings, artwork and authentic furniture. El Morro de Tulcan is a thirty-minute climb accessible from the shores of Popayan. This small hill offers beautiful views over the white washed buildings and the Cathedral of Popayan.
For pedestrians and adventurers, Purace National Park is a paradise on Earth and one of Colombia’s best-kept secrets. This unique national park dominates Paramo, one of the most important ecosystems in the world and presents a beautiful blend of fauna, flora and culture. About 25 km from Popayan you can visit Agua Hirviendo Thermal Springs.
(8) San Gil
San Gill is the adventure capital of Colombia and is an excellent location for paragliding, rafting or biking. It is famous for its amazing landscape as San Gill is surrounded by deep valleys, strong water, waterfalls and mountains. The city is popular with most adventure travelers and those seeking adrenaline activities,
The city also has many museums. El Gallineral Park is truly the pride of San Gill, and is one of the city’s must-see destinations. There are many trails within the park. It can be busy as it is a popular getaway for the locals. It is a peaceful place, unlike the rest of the city, where we can walk around and observe colorful birds, hear unknown sounds.
A magnificent 180 m high Juan Curie waterfall beneath the natural pool was really all that was needed to escape the heat of the city. San Gill has two official bus terminals. One is on the outer border for long distance buses, but to get to the waterfall, you have to find the central one from where local buses depart.
Barichara is a colonial city about 45 minutes drive from San Gill. Barichara has a tranquil environment, beautiful cobblestone streets equipped with photogenic whitewashed houses with colorful doors and window doors. San Gil is a fairly large city, and that’s why it offers a wide variety of housing options. Prices are also quite low for mid-range hotels.
(9) San Agustin
The largest collection of ancient megalithic sculptures in South America is located in the mountainous southwest of Colombia. In this fertile volcanic region, emerald pasture and rain-clad hills meet in steep river valleys. One of these was inhabited by continuous cultural waves, especially near the headwaters of Rio Magdalena.
The Archaeological Park located west of the city of San Agustin has more than 100 such monuments. For some of its highlights, park visitors can explore the “forest” of zoomorphic monoliths carved from white volcanic stone. Near the entrance to the park, a small archeological museum displays other sculptures, as well as a collection of porcelain, jewelry and other funerary artifacts.
Fuente de Lavpatas, located nearby, is a ritual bathing site, painstakingly scattered across the river rock. The carved channels feature geometric fonts marking rock faces with lizards, snakes and turtles. From the river, an uproar leads to Alto de Lavapatas, the region’s oldest archaeological site.
First occupied around 3300 BCE, Alto de Lavpatas is a burial and ceremonial center overlooking some of the region’s most photogenic landscapes. A half-day equestrian voyage of El Tabelone in San Agustin, famous for its stone sculptures. La Pelota and El Purutal are compact sites about a mile to the west. The best time to visit the San Agustin region is during the sunny months of January, February, August, and September.
(10) Providencia and San Andrés Islands
Of the two main islands, Providencia is the most traditional, lacking easy access to the island’s food and more remodeling. San Andrés is flamboyant, more clearly oriented to families and more at ease and more comfortable at hand. The city center of San Andrés is aimed at a particularly awesome type of holiday, originally made up of a giant mall by the sea.
Transportation on both islands is a major issue. There are many buses on San Andres, which run mostly on the outer ring road but sometimes pass through the middle to cut a corner. It is somewhere around $ 2,200 – which may surprise some of the main people. Providencia only has moto taxis, but they are also not reliable, especially late at night.
Getting between the two islands is also expensive, with COP running at $ 300,000 return for Catamaran and more for one flight. While it is easier to get Ajayoko than any type of island food in the city of San Andreas, it is largely a good meal to eat outside of that shitpit. Conch shells are another local favorite, as are crab patties, which typically receive excellent value for a crab quantity.
There are essentially three types of accommodation: all inclusive, mid range hotel, or poor location hotel. Mid Range hotels seem to be better located and most of the time include a pool. Scuba is a big draw on the islands, and is by far the best in Colombia except Malpelo. You will not be disappointed here, although if the sea is bumpy, there will be limited visibility.
