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Colombia✨ 10 best things to do in Colombia

Things to do in Colombia

1. Wander Cartagena's walled cityStroll past flower-draped balconies and pastel colonial houses, then watch the sunset from the old ramparts.
2. Trek to Ciudad PerdidaHike several days through jungle and rivers to the moss-covered stone terraces of the Tairona 'Lost City'.
3. Tour a coffee farmLearn bean-to-cup secrets on a finca in the Zona Cafetera, surrounded by green hills and banana trees.
4. Walk among wax palmsHike the Cocora Valley, where the world's tallest palms tower over misty pastures.
5. Visit Bogotá's Gold MuseumGaze at thousands of pre-Hispanic gold treasures, including the famous Muisca raft linked to El Dorado.
6. Ride Medellín's cable carsGlide over hillside neighbourhoods on the metrocable and explore the street art of Comuna 13 with a local guide.
7. Relax in Tayrona National ParkSwim at palm-fringed beaches where jungle-clad mountains meet the Caribbean Sea.
8. Dance salsa in CaliTake a class and then hit a salsoteca in Colombia's self-proclaimed salsa capital.
9. Explore the Amazon from LeticiaTake river trips to spot pink dolphins and stay in jungle lodges near the triple border.
10. See Caño CristalesVisit the 'river of five colours', where aquatic plants turn the water red, yellow and green in season.

Colombia🗺️ Where to visit in Colombia

Where to go in Colombia

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  CartagenaCaribbean coast · colonial cityA UNESCO-listed walled city with lively plazas, fortresses and nearby islands. It is the classic introduction to Colombia's Caribbean side.
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  BogotáAndes · capitalA sprawling high-altitude capital with superb museums, the historic La Candelaria district and Monserrate hill views.
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  MedellínAntioquia · city of eternal springA green, mild city known for its innovative transport, nightlife and day trips to Guatapé.
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  Salento & Cocora ValleyZona Cafetera · coffee & palmsA colourful village on the doorstep of wax-palm valleys and working coffee farms.
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  Tayrona National ParkCaribbean · beaches & jungleBeautiful coves, rainforest trails and Indigenous heritage near Santa Marta.
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  GuatapéAntioquia · lake townA town of brightly painted façades beside the huge granite rock of El Peñol, which you can climb for lake views.
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  San AgustínHuila · archaeologyA UNESCO site of ancient carved stone statues and tombs in rolling green hills.
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  Villa de LeyvaBoyacá · colonial townA whitewashed colonial town with one of South America's largest cobbled plazas, surrounded by desert-like landscapes.

Colombia🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Colombia

Best time to visit Colombia

Colombia's climate depends on altitude rather than season: the Caribbean coast is hot year-round, Medellín is spring-like and Bogotá is cool and often cloudy. The Pacific coast and Amazon are wet most of the year.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Bogotá (approximate averages).

Colombia🎉 Festivals & events in Colombia

• February–March
  Barranquilla CarnivalOne of the world's great carnivals bursts with costumed parades, cumbia music and dancing for four days before Lent.
• August
  Feria de las FloresMedellín celebrates with flower parades in which farmers carry enormous floral displays on their backs.
• December
  Feria de CaliCali closes the year with salsa marathons, concerts and parades.
• March–April
  Holy Week in PopayánThe white colonial city hosts solemn night-time processions recognised as intangible heritage.

Colombia🧭 Colombia itinerary ideas

How many days in Colombia?

Colombia🎒 Backpacking Colombia – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $30–45 a day

• Long-distance buses are cheap and comfortable, but domestic budget flights can save a full day of mountain roads for little extra.
• Popular backpacker bases include La Candelaria in Bogotá, Laureles and El Poblado in Medellín, Getsemaní in Cartagena, Salento and Minca.
• Eat the set lunch (menú del día or corrientazo) – soup, main and juice for very little.
• Bring layers: you can go from Caribbean heat to chilly highland evenings in a single day.
• Learn some Spanish; outside tourist hubs English is limited, and it makes buses and markets much easier.

Colombia🛡️ Safety & money in Colombia

Emergency: 123

Colombia🛬 Getting to Colombia

Bogotá's El Dorado International Airport is the main hub, with further international flights into Medellín, Cartagena and Cali; land borders connect with Ecuador and Brazil, and boats link to Panama via the San Blas Islands.

✈️ Cheap flights to Colombia: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Colombia💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Colombia

• Colombia has more recorded bird species than any other country.
• It is the only South American country with coastlines on both the Pacific and the Caribbean.
• Colombia is one of the world's leading producers of emeralds.
• Nobel laureate Gabriel García Márquez drew inspiration for his magical realism from the Caribbean region where he grew up.
• The Quindío wax palm, Colombia's national tree, can grow over 50 metres tall.

Colombia❓ Colombia travel FAQ

Colombia travel questions