10 ESSENTIAL PLACES TO SEE IN COLOMBIA

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This list of places to see in Colombia It will help you organize your trip to one of the countries in which we are safe, you will feel at home thanks to the warmth of its people.
In addition to feeling the joy and passion of Colombians, there are many others things to do in Colombia how to enjoy its impressive natural wonders, visit its colonial towns and cities, discover archaeological sites, get lost in the historic centers of big cities such as Bogotá and Medellín or relax in its paradise islands, among many other things.

The best time to travel to Colombia It is between December and February, when there is good weather in most of the country although if you want to find cheaper prices on accommodation, you can travel from March to September, although always taking into account that at this time you are more likely to rain, about All in April and May.

A route through Colombia, which includes the main points of interest, can take you between 3 and 4 weeks, starting with Bogotá and ending on an island such as San Andrés or Providencia, although logically if you have less time you can make the trip, focusing on only the points that you think are more interesting and discarding some others.
Being a fairly extensive territory we advise you to combine transfers by bus, rental car and taxi with the plane, to lose the minimum time in travel.

In terms of security we have to say that we do not feel insecure at any time, although we must have certain precautions and common sense in large cities like Bogotá or Medellín, where we recommend using Uber to move around and only go out at night in safe neighborhoods .

Based on the experience during our trip to Colombia in 46 days, we have made a selection of what we believe are the 10 essential places to visit in Colombia. We start!

1. Bogotá

Located at more than 2600 meters above sea level, this huge city of more than 7 million inhabitants, is one of the places to see in Colombia More surprising and interesting.
We advise you to dedicate between one or two days to complete this list of places to visit in Bogotá, which include the Candelaria neighborhood, the Gold and Botero Museum, the views from the Cerro de Monserrate and the emblematic Plaza de Bolívar .
All these points of interest are in the center and can be visited with absolute tranquility during the day although at night this neighborhood is not the most recommended in the city for what the locals told us.

If you have more time you can complete your stay in Bogotá with a visit to one of the jewels of the country that are in the surroundings such as the legendary Laguna de Guatavita, the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá or the beautiful colonial town of Villa de Leyva .
To get to all these places you can take a bus in the North Portal of Transmilenio, a taxi or book one of these comfortable excursions with a guide in Spanish:

Bogota

2. Barichara

Barichara is considered for many Colombians and tourists the prettiest town to visit in Colombia and after visiting it, we can only confirm it.
Surrounded by a natural environment of mountains and forests, this town of narrow cobblestone streets and colonial architecture, is the perfect place to disconnect from the world and relax.
Going up and down its steep slopes you will enjoy the relaxed and warm atmosphere of the premises, in addition to making hundreds of photographs of their beautiful white houses with reddish roofs and old churches.
It is also a good place to try the best Colombian food (including culona ants) mixed with vegetarian options and more international food.
If you have half a day we advise you to make the royal road to Guane, another beautiful town to see in Colombia and that seems frozen in time.
For more information you can consult this post about what to see and do in Barichara.

Barichara, one of the towns to see in Colombia

3. Cartagena de Indias

One of the best things to do in Colombia It is to lose yourself in the streets of the walled city of Cartagena de Indias, declared a World Heritage Site.
In this city founded by Pedro de Heredia in 1533 you will move to the colonial era by preserving in great condition a large part of its houses and churches in which after touring the entire old town and completing this list of places to visit in Cartagena de Indias In about two days, we recommend you enjoy the local food and the good atmosphere that is formed in squares and areas such as Getsemaní, one of the most beautiful neighborhoods to see in Colombia.

If you have more time you can book this excursion to Playa Blanca located on the Caribbean island of Barú or this tour to Pirate Island, a small paradise located in the beautiful National Park of the Coral Islands of the Rosario.

Cartagena de Indias

4. Tayrona Park, one of the places to see in Colombia

Located an hour by bus or car from the beautiful town of Santa Marta, Tayrona National Park is one of the largest natural wonders to visit in Colombia.
Once you arrive at the park entrance and have paid the entrance fee, a small bus (3000 pesos) will take you to the beginning of an impressive route to Cabo de San Juan, one of the most beautiful beaches to see in Colombia. This perfectly marked and accessible path will take you to Cabo San Juan in about 2-3 hours, passing through other beaches such as Cañaveral, Arrecifes, Arenilla and La Piscina, which is the best to bathe by having the calmest waters thanks to a breakwater .
In addition to beaches and idyllic landscapes of palm trees, you will pass through a large area of forest where all kinds of wildlife like birds and monkeys live.
Remember that for this trekking it is very advisable to carry two bottles of water because of the high humidity and comfortable shoes and clothes.
In addition to eating you have two restaurants located at the end of the route, although we especially recommend the one in Cabo San Juan, which serves delicious food.

To sleep inside the park you have several accommodations such as Hotel Jasayma Parque Tayrona, a beautiful hotel with a lovely staff, in which we spend two incredible days.
Another less comfortable option is to sleep in Cabo San Juan which has a camping area, rental of tents and hammocks, and two great rooms with private bathrooms on top of a viewpoint. The disadvantage in addition to having to carry the backpack throughout the journey is that it cannot be booked in advance and if it is full it will surely be your turn to spend the night in a hammock.

Tayrona Park

5. Medellin

Another of the best things to do in Colombia is to spend a day or two in Medellin, a city that has managed to transform itself and leave behind its violent past and the label of dangerous.
Surrounded by several hills, in the city of eternal spring you will find different activities to make the most of time such as observing the chaos of houses from the metrocable, surprise yourself with the sculptures and paintings of Master Botero, observe graffiti and learn about the interesting history of Commune 13 or try typical Colombian dishes such as the Paisa tray.
Although in recent years the security has improved a lot, if it is advisable not to go out at night through the center, stay in a safe neighborhood like El Poblado and as the Colombians would say "don't give papaya" (Do not facilitate the work to thieves showing valuables or being careless).
After completing the list of places to visit in Medellín, we recommend you book an excursion to one of the wonders that you can see in Colombia located closer as:

Medellin, one of the cities to visit in Colombia

Recommended travel cards
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.

6. Guatape

Guatapé, surrounded by an emerald green artificial reservoir, is one of the more colorful and beautiful villages to visit in Colombia.
This small town, which still retains the peasant tradition, is famous for the hand-made baseboards that decorate the façade base and that are related to the craft or history of each house.
We recommend spending a day to get lost in its streets full of life and find magical places such as the Plazoleta de los Zócalos and Calle de los Recuerdos, after crossing the streets of Guatapé, climb the 650 steps of the viewpoint of La Piedra, located at 4 kilometers from the city, and hallucinate with the views of all its surroundings of water and vegetation.
To get to Guatapé from Medellín you can take a bus at the North station (Caribe metro stop) which takes about two hours and costs about 15,000 pesos.
Another more comfortable and interesting option with which you will know the history of the town is to book this excursion with a guide in Spanish that includes a boat trip or is without a ride.

Guatape

7. Coffee Axis

One of the main Attractions to see in Colombia is the Coffee Axis, land of one of the best coffees in the world.
This area was recognized as Cultural Heritage of Humanity thanks to its beautiful landscapes full of coffee crops located on slopes of gentle slopes, native forests and biological corridors.
Its most famous natural landscape is the Cocora Valley, where the Quindío wax palm is located, the national tree of the country, as well as a great diversity of flora and fauna.
In addition to an impressive trekking of about 5-6 hours through this valley, we recommend you visit the beautiful towns of Filandia, Salento and get to know the whole coffee process in a farm like Don Leo and his family in Buenavista.
In addition, in the triangle that forms this town next to Pijao and Córdoba, there are the best coffee landscapes in the area. To finish the route along the Coffee Axis, there is nothing better than relaxing in the natural thermal pools of Santa Rosa de Cabal.

To get to the Coffee Axis we advise you to fly to Pereira, Armenia or Manizales from Medellín or Bogotá or any other Colombian city and there rent a car to explore all the towns and landscapes at your leisure.
To stay we recommend the Mythos Hostel in Filandia and the Hotel El Mirador del Cocora in Salento.

For more information you can consult this post about the best things to do in the Coffee Axis.

Cocora Valley in Colombia

8. Tatacoa Desert

One of the most spectacular natural landscapes to see in Colombia It is the Tatacoa Desert.
This arid land of red and ocher colors in the area of Cusco and gray in the area of Los Hoyas, is dotted with huge green cacti that give it a film-like appearance of the ancient west.
In addition to observing from different viewpoints the curious formations produced by erosion for thousands of years, we recommend you to do some hiking route through the Red Desert, much more impressive than the gray one.
Another of the best things to do in Colombia and in this desert it is to observe the stars from one of the three astronomical observatories, always keeping in mind that its clean sky is located among the best in the world.
The best way to get to Tatacao, if you do not want to spend many hours on a bus, is to take a direct flight to Neiva and from there rent a car or take a bus to the town of Villavieja, gateway to the desert.
In our case, we rented a car at the Neiva Airport and stayed at the Payande Tatacoa, located between the Red and Gray Desert, which was a true haven of peace and the perfect place to enjoy this wonder of nature.

Tatacoa Desert

How to have internet in Colombia?
If you want to have internet in Colombia a good option is to buy one Holafly SIM card, with which you will have internet from the moment you land, several GB of data, keeping your WhatsApp number and support service in Spanish.
You can buy your Holafly prepaid SIM card here with a 5% discount for being our reader.

9. Saint Augustine

If you want to include archaeological ruins in your trip through the best places to visit in Colombia and you don't want to do the hard 5-day trekking to get to the Lost City from Santa Marta or Tayrona, your best option is San Agustín.
This Archaeological Park, located 4 kilometers from the tourist town of San Agustín, has been inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites for being the largest necropolis in the world and having the largest set of carved stone statues in South America.
These statues and tombs made by indigenous sculptors range from 3000 a. C. until shortly before the Spanish colonization, they are one of the most impressive places in Colombia and for us, without a doubt, one of the great essentials of the country.
The best way to know its mysterious origin and understand its strange ways is to hire a guide at the entrance, since in addition to the scientific data it is very interesting to know the spiritual transcendence that this place represented for the natives, something that we believe is essential to know and really understand what Saint Augustine is.
After completing the visit that can last up to 5 hours and that includes a tour of the beautiful Forest of Statues, you can hire a campero (4 × 4) the next day to see other ruins distributed around the city such as El Alto of the Idols, the Alto de las Piedras, La Chaquira, the Strait of Magdalena or the Cascade of Salto de Bordones, 400 meters high.
To stay we recommend the Hotel Asgard, an oasis of peace located 300 meters from the archaeological park.

San Agustin

10. San Andres or Providencia

To end a route through the best places to see in Colombia, nothing better than spending a relaxing day in the paradisiacal islands of San Andres and Providencia.
In these islands of the Caribbean Sea, located off the coast of Nicaragua, you can enjoy incredible white sand beaches and palm trees, sunsets, good seafood and water activities such as snorkeling or diving through one of the most impressive coral reefs of the world.
One of the most famous features of this small archipelago formed by islands and cays, are the shades of water that go from blue to green and is known as the "sea of the seven colors".

The difference between the two islands is in the level of exploitation and management. While San Andrés has a great hotel and commercial infrastructure, which in our opinion it detracts from charm, Providencia still maintains its authenticity and although you will enjoy less comfort it will compensate for the tranquility and the good atmosphere of the island, which make it a true paradise and For us, the best place to rest and enjoy relaxation at the end of your trip.
In addition, in San Andrés, responsible tourism is not currently promoted and unfortunately we find many details that made us leave the island with a feeling of disappointment, since we believe that they have a great paradise and a treasure, that they are not knowing how to manage and that at some point, will end up collapsing.

We were staying at Casa del Mar in San Andres and at the Cabins and Restaurant Miss Elma in Providencia, two hotels that we recommend for their situation and comfort.

To move around the islands the best option is to rent a golf cart or a mule (small car) and thus be able to stop at the different beaches and viewpoints that surround the island.
On the excursions in San Andres, the most famous are going by boat to the Aquarium and Rocky Cay, which was what we did and that although it is one of the most fascinating landscapes we have seen, the massification of the places, as we said before They made us rethink the decision.

Another option is to do some of these excursions in Providencia.

To get to San Andrés you can take a direct flight from Bogotá or Medellín, among others, while to go to Providencia you can only do it from San Andrés with one of the following options:

Satena flight: it is the only company that operates this flight of about 20 minutes in a plane of 17 people. Remember that the maximum luggage is 10 kilos in the hold and 5 on the plane.
Boat: from what we have read the outward journey is against the currents and is a horror. The journey takes between 3: 30h and 4h and the price is between 120000 and 230000COP.
In low season the departures are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday or in high season they leave every day.