Colombia is now one of the best places in the world for tourism. It has something for everyone; beaches, nature, nightlife, museums, restaurants, adventure travel and its people which make it one of the most welcoming places in the world. This along with the declining cost of the Colombian Peso makes Colombia one of the best values for travel you can find. Many still have the image of Colombia from the Narco-Farc wars 20 years ago, those days are long gone and now the once dangerous streets have turned into museums and chic coffee shops. I advise to you get there before everyone figures that out.
One thing I appreciate about the country is how different the areas are and how much there is to explore. Colombia is very mountainous. These mountains have separated the different regions so that each city/region has its own distinct flavor.
I have traveled extensively through Colombia and can say these are the best places to visit; the essential places to go are:
Cartagena
Medellin
Bogota
Santa Marta
Cali
Salento
San Andres
Cartagena
As an introduction to Colombia I recommend Cartagena. It has the old colonial walled city rich in history, beautiful beaches, interesting museums, great restaurants, nightlife and chic cafes and neighborhoods. It is the most tourist friendly city so it is the easiest to navigate and book tours around the city and to the islands. The highlights are boat trips to the islands, museums and touring the walled city and Getsemani for the cafes and street art.
For more details see: Cartagena
Medellin
Medellin is the city most foreigners fall in love with. It is a beautiful city in a valley surrounded by the mountains. As it is 80 degrees (27 degrees Celsius) all year, it is called the City of Eternal Spring so it is great to go anytime. It is cosmopolitan and has a vibe and energy which is hard to describe (it reminds me of Old New York City). Surprisely for a big city it is very green with trees all around and rivers running through it. It is known for its nightlife and there is a lot to see from parks to museums to Comuna 13 once the most dangerous neighborhood in the world which is now a cool artist and cafe tourist location. Also it is easy to getting a little outside the city for horseback riding, paragliding and seeing nature. Finally the charming town of Guatape about 2 1/2 hour away is must see.
For more details see: Medellin
Bogota
Bogota, Colombia’s capital was once considered a transfer place on your way to other Colombian cities but that has changed and Bogota has a number of great things to offer the traveler. This is the culinary capital of Colombia so it has the best and most varied restaurants. The old downtown is rich with history, choc full of interesting museums and is a cute place to wander the streets and see the street art. If you have time to get outside the city for a day, there is Lake Guatavita, Salt Mine Cathedral, La Chorrera waterfalls or thermal baths which are all really great experiences.
For more information see: Bogota
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is a hidden gem along the north coast. While Santa Marta is a pretty port city with a great restaurants, nightlife and beaches close by, it has become a gateway city to explore many of the wonderful surrounding areas. The most well known is beautiful National Park Tayrona with amazing beaches, hiking, nature and wildlife, 45 minutes away is the town of Minca, with waterfalls, bird watching, craft beer and coffee, its 2 hours to the town of Palomino with its tubing and for the adventurous the five day hike in the mountains to the ruins of the Lost City (“Cuidad Perdida”).
For more details see: Santa Marta
Cali
Cali is music and salsa, a cute smaller city to explore and the launching point to waterfalls and tubing in San Cipriano . This is where the Cali Festival (“Feria de Cali”), one of south America’s biggest carnivals is held during Christmas time. It is about 3 1/2 hours north to Salento in the coffee region and the same to the south for the traditional city of Popayan which makes for a great itinerary for those looking to explore different parts of the country and get a feel for the people and culture.
For more details see: Cali
Salento
Salento is the best town to explore in the beautiful coffee region of Colombia. Besides the great coffee plantations in the hills to visit, drink and learn about coffee, there are great horseback riding and hiking options. The town is a cute place to relax for a few days with good restaurants and shopping and the famous wax tree Coccoro Valley is only a 30 minute drive to see.
For more details see: Salento
San Andres Island
San Andres is where you go to get off the grid and relax on the beaches, snorkel or scuba dive. Its 450 miles off the Colombian coast (actually closer to Nicaragua than the Colombian mainland) so it has it has crystal clear waters. Its also a small island so you can rent a little golf cart/jeep to tour the island.
For more details see: San Andres
Conclusion
I have traveled most of the world but keep coming back to Colombia. It is beautiful , there is so much to do, this along with warm people and an incredible value makes it a must destination for any traveler. It is also fast becoming a top digital nomad hub as people love the laid back lifestyle.
Please let me know if you have any questions or leave comments below. Enjoy!
What a colorful and inspiring review ! Eager for my 1st visit to Columbia.
Thank you! appreciate it, you will love Colombia!