The Republic of Columbia is located in the northwest of South America. This hospitable country is ready to receive tourists throughout the year, here every tourist will find entertainment to their liking.
For a leisurely family vacation, the beaches of the islands of Rosario, San Andres or Cartagena are perfect. Fans of active eco-tourism should definitely visit the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Los Nevados parks, the Canbo Cristales River and the ancient Lost City.
Colombia's many different themed museums are ready to tell you about the history and nature of this amazing country. Fans of noisy entertainment will surely enjoy the Cali Fair, Cartagena Film Festival, Medellin Flower Fair or El Joselito Carnival.
Most of the world's emeralds are mined in Colombia, and gold and silver are relatively inexpensive here. So many tourists buy jewelry to commemorate their visit to this country. Sombreros and colorful hammocks are also brought from here.
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What to see in Colombia?
The most interesting and beautiful places, photos and a short description.
City of Cartagena
The large port city of Cartagena is a popular tourist destination in Colombia. People come here to look at the medieval Old Town, where many attractions are located - the castle of San Felipe, Plaza de la Aduana, the Palace of the Inquisition, as well as one of the oldest churches in the city of Iglesia de Santo Domingo.
Medellin city
Founded in 1616, the city of Medellin is considered the second most important settlement in the country. The city has a botanical park, several museums and a zoo. The former estate of Pablo Escobar, a famous local drug lord, is also popular with tourists. And in the summer, Medellin hosts the annual Flower Fair.
City of Bogota
The capital of the state, the city of Bogota, is the largest economic, political and cultural center of Colombia. Many buildings erected in the 17th-19th centuries have survived here - the Church of San Ignacio, the Palace of Justice, the National Capitol. In the botanical garden of Bogota, you can visit the greenhouse and admire the man-made waterfall.
Tayrona National Park
One of the most popular sites in Colombia is Tayrona National Park. Here you can not only admire the amazing nature, but also stay for a few days in comfortable campgrounds, bungalows or eco-villages. To move around Tayrona Park it was more convenient, you can rent bicycles right on the spot or rent peaceful excursion horses.
Fortress of San Felipe de Barajas
Among other attractions of Cartagena, the fortress of San Felipe de Barajas occupies a special place. Construction of the fort began in 1536, and it performed its defensive function with splendor until the fall of 1815 after the attack of the Spaniard Pablo Morillo. Despite its impressive age, today the fortress is used for various cultural and social events.
Church of Las Lajas
One of the most beautiful and most visited temples in Colombia is the Las Lajas Church, located on a bridge in the Guaitara River canyon. According to legend, in 1754, a miracle of the appearance of the Virgin, who healed a deaf and dumb girl, took place in these places. At the end of the 18th century, the first chapel was built here, which in 1948 became a neo-Gothic fortress. The miraculous altarpiece of the Virgin Mary not made by hands attracts believers from all over the world.
Cliff El Peñon de Guatapé
In the northwest of the country, there is the El Peñon de Guatapé rock, which is approximately 70 million years old. Since the 1940s, this landmark has been protected by the state. To get to the top of the 220-meter cliff, tourists will have to climb about 650 steps.
Caño Cristales River
The amazing Colombian river Caño Cristales is famous for its unusual color. The crystal clear water accurately conveys the yellow, green, blue, black and scarlet shades of underwater moss and algae, for which the locals call it "the river of five colors." Swimming in Caño Cristales is considered by many tourists to be one of the must-do activities in Colombia.
Lost city of Ciudad Perdida
To travel to Ciudad Perdida, tourists should be in good physical shape - the entrance to the famous Lost City of Colombia is preceded by a jungle-overgrown mountain staircase of more than 1000 steps. This amazing place was discovered completely by accident in the 1970s and has not yet been fully explored.
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
In the mountain range in the north of the country, there is the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park of Colombia, the territory of which is divided into several climatic zones. It is home to the jaguar, puma, tapir, sloth, otter, several types of monkeys and a wide variety of birds.
Museo del Oro Gold Museum
Since 1932, the National Bank began to buy pre-Columbian jewelry from treasure seekers who plundered ancient Indian settlements. In 1968, all purchased exhibits were decorated in the Museo del Oro Gold Museum. One of the most famous exhibits of the Museum is the Golden Raft, made approximately in the II millennium BC.
Tequendama waterfall
The famous Tequendama waterfall is located 32 km from the capital on the Bogota River. In 1927, a French-style villa was opened here, which was later rebuilt into an extremely popular 8-storey hotel. But since the 1970s, the waters of the waterfall began to get polluted by industrial and sewage waste, and the popularity of the hotel gradually declined. Currently, work is underway to cleanse the river and concurrently rebuild the hotel into the Biodiversity and Culture Museum of Tequendama Falls.
City of Leticia
One of the best eco-tourism destinations in Colombia is the southernmost point of the country, the city of Leticia. From here there are many hiking trails to the Amazon River and Lake Tarapoto, home to the unique pink freshwater dolphins. Also not far from Leticia are the reservations of several Indian tribes.
San Agustin Stone Sculpture Park
One of the most famous archaeological sites in Colombia is the San Agustin Stone Sculpture Park. Among archaeologists there is no consensus about who exactly created these unique sculptures, called Chinas, from volcanic rocks. The sizes of the statues range from a couple of tens of centimeters to seven meters high.
San Andres and Providencia Islands
The extraordinarily beautiful islands of San Andres and Providencia are located in the southwestern part of the Caribbean. Once this area was a haven of sea pirates, and today tourists from all over the world come here to relax on the beaches or go diving, windsurfing and yachting.
Rosario archipelago
Not far from Cartagena lies the Rosario archipelago, which consists mainly of coral islands. It is a popular tourist destination for snorkelling, yachting, fishing or just swimming in the unusually clear water. On one of the islands of the archipelago, there is a natural aquarium, where sharks and dolphins show performances for visitors.
Los Nevados National Natural Park
Los Nevados National Park, a popular tourist destination, was established in 1973. It is home to many birds, animals and about 20 species of bats.In Los Nevados, you can take an excursion to the volcanoes of the Andes, visit the glacial lake Santa Isabel, ride along the mountain peaks of the park in jeeps or spend the night in equipped guest houses.
Mount Montserrat
One of the peaks located near the capital of Colombia is Mount Montserrat. A cathedral and a monastery were founded in these places in the 17th century. Today, the Basilica of the Crucified Christ is a popular tourist attraction on Montserrat Mountain. You can get here on foot along a specially paved path, by cable car or using a funicular.
House-Museum of Simon Bolivar (Quinta de Bolivar)
In the 1820s and 1830s, the famous Colombian activist Simon Bolivar lived in Bogotá, where he established his residence in a late 17th century house. In 1919, the collected funds were used to buy the house of the former residence and turn it into a museum. Now diplomatic and cultural events are held here, and the museum's exposition includes things and objects of the famous liberator of Colombia.
Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira
The salt mine near the town of Zipaquira is very popular with tourists. And all thanks to the fact that at a depth of about 200 meters in the tunnels of this mine there is an amazing Catholic Church, which is considered one of the most famous achievements of Colombian architecture. The Zipaquira Salt Cathedral is part of the famous Salt Park complex.
Lake Guatavita
In the northeast of the capital, in the Cudinamarca mountains, there is a sacred lake of one of the ancient civilizations of South America. The first conquistadors were very impressed by the stories of local residents about the tradition of dropping gold items in the middle of the lake at the coronation of a new ruler. Attempts to get these treasures from the bottom of Guatavita were made up to 1912. Today the lake is a popular tourist attraction.
Cathedral of bogota
On the central square of the capital is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, which was first built in the 16th century. After the 18th century earthquake that destroyed the building, the cathedral began to be rebuilt only almost 100 years later. The opening of the modern version of the Cathedral of Bogota took place in 1823.
National Capitol Building
The National Capitol building is located in Bolivar Square in the capital. It is the seat of the Colombian Congress. From the inside, the premises are decorated with beautiful frescoes by Santiago Martinez, which depict famous political figures of the country.
José Celestino Botanico Garden
In 1781, a botanical garden was opened in Bogota, which was named after the famous Spanish botanist, naturalist and physician Jose Celestino Mutis. On the territory of the garden there is a man-made waterfall, as well as a lush greenhouse. In the botanical garden of Jose Celestino, there is a scientific library, where some of the scientist's notes and sketches are kept.
Tierradentro
In the city of Popayan, which attracts many tourists from all over the world, the famous Tierradentro National Archaeological Park is located. People come here to see the unique underground crypts of the pre-Columbian era, decorated with drawings using paints of black, white and red.
Malpelo Island
To visit Malpelo Island, located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, you must obtain permission from the Colombian Ministry of the Environment. However, all the difficulties with a visit are compensated by the beauty of the underwater rocks and caves. It is home to sand sharks, grouper and hammerhead sharks, making Malpelo one of the most popular diving spots.
Convent de la Popa Convent
At the beginning of the 17th century, the Convento de la Popa convent was founded on a hill above Cartagena. Two centuries later, a small wooden chapel was rebuilt into a beautiful building, which many tourists come to admire. The pedestrian road to the monastery is rather difficult, so it is easier to take a taxi.
Colombia's coffee cultural landscape
Most of the coffee produced in Colombia is grown in the coffee cultural landscape that includes the departments of Caldas, Quindio and Risaralda. It houses the Columbia Coffee National Park, the Coffee Culture Museum and the Agricultural Culture National Park.
El Joselito Carnival in Barranquilla
An unusually colorful, cheerful and fiery carnival takes place in Barranquilla every year before Lent. The carnival lasts 4 days, during which there are mass celebrations in the city. Carnival in Barranquilla is popular with tourists from all over the world, so hotels and inns should be booked in advance.
Flower Fair in Medellin (Feria de las Flores)
The famous Flower Fair is held in Medellin every summer. For the first time this event was held on May 1, 1957. Since then, the main event of the Fair has been the parade of sieteros porters, on whose backs there are large platforms with figures of fresh flowers.
