Planning to visit us? First of all, get rid of all your prejudices. If something should be said about Colombians and Colombia, it is that everything here is done passionately: living, partying and arguing. "Intense" might be a word that describes not only 35'000.0000 warm hearted people but that also applies to the whole of experiencing Colombia: the lavish green of the amazon, the deep blue of both our oceans and one of the most exhuberant and diverse fauna and flora in the planet.
Colombia is a country for "travellers" more than tourists; if you are willing to spend some days babbling spanish, dealing with a diferent perception of time and marvelling yourself at a country full of contradictions, this is your place. In spite of being a tropical country Colombia's weather is not the same across the territory: don't be fooled by a flat map and be prepared to visit a cold capital city 2.600 mt above the sea level, or the extense warm valley of the Magdalena river 300 mts above the sea level (only 150 km away). Geographical variety also implies cultural richness, which added to our colonial history results in a society where, racial, ideological and cultural ends meet. "En Colombia hay de todo para todos."
Highlights
1. Walk the walled city of Cartagena
The centro histórico of Cartagena is one of the finest colonial old towns in the Americas — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of pastel-painted buildings, flower-draped balconies, and fortifications that held off pirates and the British Navy. Spend an evening on the walls at sunset, then get lost in the streets of Getsemaní, the neighbourhood just outside the walls that has become one of Colombia's best spots for street art and independent restaurants.
2. Trek to Ciudad Perdida
The Lost City, built by the Tayrona people around the 9th century, predates Machu Picchu by several hundred years. The five- or six-day return hike through the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is tough — river crossings, steep climbs, high humidity — but the site itself is remarkable, and relatively few tourists reach it compared to more famous ruins. Tours depart from Santa Marta.
3. Spend time in the Coffee Region
The Eje Cafetero — centred on the cities of Manizales, Armenia, and Pereira — is where most of Colombia's coffee is grown. Stay at a working finca, walk the fields at dawn, and hike through Cocora Valley, where the wax palm (Colombia's national tree) grows to 60 metres. The landscape is some of the most beautiful in the country.
4. Explore Medellín's neighbourhoods
Medellín has transformed dramatically from the violence of the 1980s and 90s. Take the Metrocable up to the hillside comunas, visit the outdoor escalators and murals of Comuna 13, and spend an evening in El Poblado or Laureles. The Museo de Antioquia, with its collection of Botero sculptures, is downtown. The city is genuinely good — energetic, affordable, and proud of how far it has come.
5. Swim at Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona
Tayrona is one of the best national parks in South America: tropical forest meeting the Caribbean Sea, with a handful of beaches — Cabo San Juan, La Piscina, Arrecifes — reachable only on foot or horseback. The swimming is excellent at some beaches, prohibited at others (the currents can be lethal — follow the signs). Combine a visit with time in Santa Marta and a stop at Aracataca, the birthplace of García Márquez.
