Colombia is one of the most visited countries in South America with more than 2 million tourists a year. It’s easy to see why: the colourful streets of its colonial cities and towns, natural landscapes with breathtaking views and friendly people make this country a very appealing destination. If you want to discover all the essential things to do in Colombia, keep reading.
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What are the best places to see in Colombia?
1. Ciudad Perdida
At 1,200 metres above the Caribbean Sea stands Colombia’s Lost City of the Tayrona people. An indigenous site in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Beyond the secrets of this ancient settlement, what makes it a real experience for the visitor is getting there. Crossing the jungle, sleeping in the camps of indigenous communities, crossing rivers and spotting exotic birds are some of the adventures that lead to our goal.
The way to get to Ciudad Perdida is in itself the joy of this trip. It is a trek of 4 to 6 days. To do the trek you should have some experience in hiking and mountain climbing. On many occasions the terrain is uneven and even crosses rivers. The prices of the tourist plans that organise the visit to Ciudad Perdida are usually around 1.200.000 COP per person.
2. Guatapé
Guatupé is one of the most beautiful villages to visit in Colombia because it perfectly combines urban living and nature. It is not only one of the most colourful and picturesque villages in the country with its low houses decorated with colourful reliefs, it also boasts the imposing 220-metre, 700-step Peñol de Guatapé, which rises above a magnificent reservoir. The views are worth the effort, we promise.
3. Tayrona Park
The Tayrona Park is one of the great natural sites that Colombia has to offer. To get to know it in depth, you can hire a guide who will take you through this huge park revealing its secrets. The entrance fee is 3000$ COP (<1€). The tour lasts approximately two and a half hours, depending on your pace and how many times you want to stop and take pictures of what’s around you. The end of the trail leads to Cabo San Juan, the park’s most famous beach where you can swim and dip your feet in the salt water as a reward for the steep hike.
4. Tatacoa Desert
The Tatacoa Desert is a tropical dry forest that during the Miocene period (approximately 15 million years ago) was home to a biodiversity similar to that of the Amazon. It is located 45km from Neiva and a stone’s throw from the municipality of Villavieja and is the second largest arid zone in Colombia after La Guajira.
It is famous for its 20-metre formations in the reddish terrain that clash spectacularly with the almost lunar grey desert landscape. The Tatacoa Desert is also known for being one of the best places on the planet for stargazing. For this reason, it has up to 3 astronomical observatories that offer talks every day.
5. The Cocora Valley and Salento
The Cocora Valley is a wonderful natural landscape located in the central mountain range of the Colombian Andes. More precisely, in the town of Salento, 30km from Armenia, one of the key points of the Eje Cafetero.
The Cocora Valley has a great diversity of flora and fauna. In fact, one of the main attractions of this park are its enormous Quindío Wax Palms, the tallest in the world and also Colombia’s national tree. If you are a nature lover, a trip to the Cocora Valley is one of the essential things to do in Colombia.
As for Salento, we recommend losing yourself in its colourful streets and discovering its most symbolic places. A good example is the Plaza de Simón Bolívar, where all the life of the city takes place. You can also find Calle Real, with shops selling authentic Colombian coffee, as well as all kinds of other shops.
6. San Andrés, an island paradise in Colombia
The island of San Andres is located in the archipelago of San Andres and Providencia on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. This island is a paradise of blue waters and white sand that you cannot miss on your trip to Colombia.
San Andres has all kinds of activities for its visitors, from excursions to the Jonnhy Cay Natural Park to snorkelling and diving sessions. On this island you can enjoy everything from busy natural pools such as La Piscinita to quiet beaches such as Cocoplum Bay.
Don’t miss our post Things to do in San Andrés, Colombia if you are planning your trip to the island.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
What are the best beaches in Colombia?
With the Caribbean and Pacific Seas off its coast, Colombia has no shortage of islands and beaches with crystal-clear water and fine sand on which to swim and stroll. Therefore it is difficult to pick a favourite. The Caribbean’s San Andrés, or Nuquí in the Pacific? La Barra or the Corales del Rosario Islands? The beauty of the blue sea that stands out against the white of the sand and the lush vegetation of its jungles and mangroves make it difficult to choose. We couldn’t choose just one, so we invite you to judge for yourself by reading our post of Best beaches in Colombia where we talk about:
The best beaches in the Colombian Caribbean:
- Corales del Rosario Islands, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
- Playa Blanca, one of the best beaches in Cartagena, Colombia.
- Cabo de la Vela, one of the best beaches in La Guajira, Colombia
- Palomino, La Guajira, Colombia
- San Andres and Providencia Islands
- Tayrona National Natural Park, Santa Marta, Santa Marta, Colombia
- Capurganá, Chocó, one of the best beaches in Colombia
Best beaches of the Colombian Pacific:
- Nuquí, Chocó
- La Barra, Chocó, Valle del Cauca
Itinerary and travel map to Colombia
Here we leave you our map with the places we recommend to visit in Colombia, activities, restaurants and hotels for you to organize your trip easily and quickly. You can also add important documents such as travel tickets, hotel reservations and even invite your friends to be part of the itinerary organization. Using Passporter is free of charge and will help you travel in a more organized way. You have the option to organize your trip on the web by registering or downloading the app to carry everything in your pocket 🙂
What are the main cities to visit in Colombia?
1. Bogotá
Bogotá, besides being the capital of Colombia, is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. This immense city with more than 7 million inhabitants enthralls everyone who visits it with its eclectic charm. On your visit to Bogotá you can’t miss Plaza de Bolívar, one of the liveliest places in the city and home to the iconic Catedral Primada. The Capitolio Nacional is another must-see, an impressive neoclassical building full of Ionic columns. If you’re interested in street art, we recommend the La Candelaria neighbourhood. El Embudo alley is a beautiful walk where you can admire the best street art murals in the city.
Another must-see in Colombia’s capital is the Cerro de Montserrate, the best place to watch the sunset. It can be reached by funicular. As for museums, the most outstanding are the Gold Museum and the Botero Museum. Entry to the latter is free and you can enjoy a hundred paintings by the Colombian artist, as well as a room dedicated to European artists such as Picasso, Dalí and Monet.
Find out more about the capital of Colombia in Things to do in Bogota, Colombia.
2. Medellín
Medellín, known as the city of eternal spring for its lovely climate all year round, is another of Colombia’s gems.
Among the highlights of the city is the Plaza Botero, with more than 23 sculptures of the artist, which make this square a truly unique place. Also in this square is one of the city’s most iconic palaces, the Palace of Culture Rafael Uribe Uribe. It is a Gothic building declared a National Monument for the beauty of its façade and its halls and corridors. In this square there is also the Museum of Antioquia, located inside the beautiful old art-deco Municipal Palace. Without leaving this area, which is the heart of Medellín, we find Berrío Park. The park has one of the most beautiful monuments in the city, the Candelaria Church, an immaculate white colonial church.
Nor can we forget Medellín’s Comuna 13 and the colours of its houses and street murals. To get to know it in depth, we recommend hiring a tour guide. They will not only tell you about the art but also about its people and the social transformation of the area.
If you still want to know more about Medellín, we recommend reading our post Things to do in Medellín, Colombia
3. Cartagena, one of Colombia’s most charming cities
This beautiful colonial city on the shores of the Caribbean Sea is one of Colombia’s greatest charms. Cartagena radiates light and colour wherever you look, whether in the beautiful streets of its historic centre or in the paradisiacal islands just a few kilometres away.
On your visit to Cartagena you cannot miss a beautiful walk through the Walled City, its historic centre. As you might have guessed, it is surrounded by a wall that includes the Centro and San Diego neighbourhoods. Here you can feast your eyes on the Cathedral of Santa Catalina de Alejandría, one of the oldest and most beautiful cathedrals in America, with its yellow and salmon colours. Also in the Walled City you can see the Clock Tower, a vivid yellow tower that crowns the old main entrance to the city and now leads to the Plaza de los Coches. On the other side of this entrance is the Barrio de Getsemaní, where low white houses with coloured shutters mingle with beautiful street art murals and craft shops.
In addition, in this Caribbean city you can’t miss its beaches. They look like the typical postcard images of Caribbean beaches. Playa Blanca, Castillogrande, Boquilla or the Rosario Islands are just a few examples.
Find more information about this wonderful city in our post Things to do in Cartagena Colombia.
4. Cali
Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca and one of Colombia’s main economic centres is known as ‘the branch of heaven’, as it enjoys an incredible climate, great gastronomy and exquisite culture. There are plenty of places worth seeing in this Colombian city, here are the must-sees.
The Museo de la Tertulia is celebrated not only for having over 1500 works of inestimable value, but also for being a stage for the recognition of cultural values. Another of the city’s important museums is the Calima Gold Museum and its collection of gold, ceramic, stone, bone and shell pieces belonging to pre-Hispanic cultures. As for the most outstanding monuments, the Cristo Rey (Christ the King) towers imposingly over the city of Cali and the Gothic Church of La Ermita. Other essential things to do are the Barrio de San Antonio and the Cerro de las Tres Cruces.
See all the places to see in “the branch of heaven” in Things to do in Cali, Colombia
5. Barranquilla, home of the best Carnival in Colombia
The capital of the region of Atlántico is one of the main cities to visit in Colombia and especially if you are interested in music and partying. It is home to Colombia’s most important carnival, whose energy lasts all year round. Among the most important places to visit in Barraquilla is its historic centre which was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1999. A stroll through this beautiful area of the city will take you to must-see places such as the Plaza de San Roque and the Church of San Nicolás. Other architectural landmarks of the city are the Metropolitan Cathedral María Reina and the Salgar Castle. If you are interested in culture, don’t miss the Museum of Modern Art of Barranquilla and the Museum of the Caribbean.
But above all, the most iconic phenomenon of the city is the Carnival, the most important event in Colombia. It is a folkloric expression in the form of performances, music and dance of the Colombian people and their culture.
6. Manizales
Manizales is one of the main cities of the Eje Cafetero of Colombia. Here it is especially interesting to visit the 113 metre tall Cathedral Basilica Nuestra Señora del Rosario, built in Gothic and Byzantine style. Another emblematic place is the Barrio de Chipre where you will find two mandatory things to do in Colombia: the Monumento a los Colonizadores which evokes the foundation of the city after the colonization of Antioquia, and the Mirador de Chipre where you can appreciate the views of the whole city. We recommend visiting during the first days of January to enjoy the Manizales Fair, a Cultural Heritage of the Nation.
Continue discovering the city of Manizales in our post Things to do in Manizales, Colombia
7. Armenia
Armenia is the capital of the region of Quindío and one of the most important cities to visit in the Eje Cafetero in Colombia. The main economic and tourist activity there is coffee, so we recommend taking advantage of your visit to tour the coffee farms and soak up its tradition and culture. Being one of the world’s main coffee exporters, you can imagine that Armenia is a city immersed in nature and vegetation and, therefore, the ideal destination for a rural getaway to reconnect with yourself. Some important places to see in this Colombian city are the Botanical Gardens, the Plaza de Bolivar, the Gold Museum and the Parque de la Vida.
8. Pereira
Like Armenia, Pereira is one of the most important stops on the Eje Cafetero. Its green landscape, friendly people and coffee are reason enough to pay a visit to the capital of the region of Risaralda. Here you can enjoy visits to coffee farms, visit the Nevados National Park and unwind in the Santa Rosa de Cabal thermal baths, 15km from Pereira.
9. Neiva
This tropical city is the capital of the region of Huila and one of Colombia’s main tourist destinations. One of the city’s attractions is the La Gaitana Monument, a sculpture dedicated to an indigenous heroine who fought against the Spanish colonists, as well as the Torre del Mohán viewpoint and the Central Santander Park. As for the architectural landmarks of the city, it is important to highlight the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Neiva and the Colonial Temple.
Another reason that will convince you to visit Neiva is that its strategic location near wonderful natural sites. From here you can reach the Tatacoa Desert, the Rivera Hot Springs and the Bordones de Huila waterfall by bus, among others.
10. Santa Marta
This Caribbean city, the oldest in the subcontinent, perfectly combines cultural tradition and nature. Here we can enjoy impressive architectural monuments such as the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Marta and the Casa de la Aduana, home to the Tayrona Gold Museum and the first building erected in America by the Spaniards. We also find impressive natural sites such as the Rodadero beach and the Tayrona Park.
Check out our post Things to do in Santa Marta, Colombia for more recommendations.
11. Valledupar
Declared “Creative City of Music” by Unesco, this city is the mother of Vallenato and an essential stop on your route through Colombia. The best time to visit Valledupar is the last days of April, when the Vallenato Festival is held, with concerts, dance contests and other activities that honour this Colombian musical genre.
If you can’t schedule your visit around the Vallenato Festival, don’t worry, Valledupar is a city worth visiting all year round. In the capital of the region of Cesar you can see the colonial architecture of its historic centre, as well as its streets lined with flowering trees all year round. Other places of interest include the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Church of the Immaculate Conception and the Accordion House Museum of ‘Beto’ Murgas.
Frequently asked questions about traveling to Colombia
Although some parts of the country can be unsafe, you shouldn’t panic as long as you take small precautions. In city centres you should be careful with your personal belongings, but no more so than in any European city – pickpockets are everywhere. If you need to get around by car, we suggest using Uber or other apps such as Libre Taxi. Find out which areas and neighbourhoods of cities are most dangerous, especially at night. If you decide to travel through mountainous areas, check which areas are high-risk before you decide to go, such as the regions of Meta, Guaviare, Casanare and Caquetá.
Travel to Colombia can be considered relatively inexpensive. The most expensive part is the airfare – the average round-trip is over €700, but it all depends on the dates you decide to go. Once you’re there, the price of accommodation is inexpensive by European standards. The average price of a hotel room in Colombia is no more than €30. As always, though, it all depends on how much money you’re willing to spend.
The best time of year to travel to Colombia is the dry season, i.e. July to August and December to March. The rest of the months rainfall is frequent and abundant, so we recommend avoiding it, especially if you want to make plans in nature.
How to plan what to see in Colombia?
Sign up to Passporter and organise your travel itinerary according to the days and places you want to see in Colombia. You can also draw inspiration from other travellers’ experiences and create the perfect travel route to make the most of your stay in Colombia.
With Passporter you can:
- Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat.
- Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location.
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
- Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited to the app so you can inspire other users.
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