Now that we have safety out of the way, let’s dive into what makes a visit to Colombia great! We’ll start with its incredible cities.
Bogota
The capital of Colombia, Bogota is a modern, bustling city perched high in the Andes Mountains. Sitting at 8,660ft (or 2,640m), it’s a place that can quite literally take your breath away.
Most visitors to Bogota give it a day or two at most. It’s a huge city but the highlights can be seen in just a few days if you don’t have a lot of time. Some of those highlights include the Botero Museum, the Gold Museum, and the sweeping views from Monserrate.
Bogota also has some of the country’s best nightlife and restaurants. If you are considering taking Spanish classes, Bogota also has a wider selection of schools and programs than other cities.
Medellin
Capital of the coffee region, Medellin is by far most traveler’s favorite Colombian city. Nicknamed the “City of Eternal Spring,” Medellin has near-perfect weather year-round. It’s also home to arguably some of the friendliest people in Colombia.
Medellin sits in a narrow valley with a number of barrios/neighborhoods that are popular with tourists, including El Poblado, Envigado, and Laureles. These neighborhoods are packed with busy restaurants, bars, coworking spaces, parks, and coffee shops.
If you do spend some time in Medellin, it’s also worth checking out a few of the more local neighborhoods. A visit to the Comuna 13 neighborhood is a great way to see a bit of the scarred past of the city but also how it has been reborn through art, culture, and community.
Cartagena
Sitting on Colombia’s Caribbean coastline, Cartagena is a city for lovers of architecture and history. Surrounded by the old city wall, you’ll find many of Cartagena’s colonial homes restored to their original beauty.
Here you can explore quiet plazas, take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, or step inside a colorful church. At night, Cartagena comes alive with the sounds of salsa and cumbia, especially in the neighborhood of Getsemani.
For a more modern take on Cartagena, head out to the Bocagrande and Castillogrande neighborhoods. These neighborhoods both have decent beaches, lots of restaurant options, and a nice stretch where you can shop for local souvenirs.
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is the urban core of the Caribbean coast. Known mostly as a port city, it’s often overlooked by travelers (other than international shipping businessmen). That being said, Barranquilla has a lot to offer all kinds of travelers, from museums to great art and music festivals year-round.
The highlight of Barranquilla though, hands down, is Carnival. The city is home to the second-largest carnival in the world and if you happen to be in Colombia just before Ash Wednesday, it shouldn’t be missed! The Carnaval de Barranquilla was even honored as a “masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity” by UNESCO in 2003.
Santa Marta
Santa Marta, further down the coast, is the gateway to some of Colombia’s most beautiful natural parks. The city itself is another colonial gem—smaller than Cartagena, but equally as charming. It is also home to some of the best urban beaches in Colombia.
The beach in the center of town is quite crowded and not the best. But just outside the city center, you will find two suburbs with great beaches: El Rodadero and Taganga. El Rodadero attracts a largely Colombian crowd and is mainly filled with fancy hotels and resorts. Taganga, on the other hand, is very popular with backpackers and travelers, with many hostel options.
Cali
Although Cali is the capital of sala, it’s another place that is often overlooked by travelers. If you have any interest at all in learning to dance, this is where you come.
The city is unsurprisingly filled with incredible salsa schools and clubs. If you show up at a club, a local is 100% likely to pull you into a dance. It’s also a great place to check out a longer salsa course (if you have time) as it is a bit more affordable to live here than Colombia’s other major cities.
Even if you’re not a dance lover, you’ll appreciate the salsa vibes all over the city. Check out Tin Tin Deo—they sometimes offer free lessons!
