10 BEST TOURIST PLACES IN COLOMBIA
Cast all of your out-of-date ideas aside - like drug wars and gangsters - and you will realize that South American country could be a nation full confidently and dashing headfirst into a a lot of peaceful and prosperous future. during this land of contrasts, you may encounter cover range peaks, tropical Amazonian jungles, turquoise Caribbean coasts, and 2 sun-kissed deserts. you may conjointly realize a bunch of spectacular attractions at the places in between, from the active cities of Bogotá and metropolis to the quiet colonial villages of Salento and Mompox. in particular else, the famed Colombian cordial reception can without doubt realize you returning for a lot of.1 Medellin
Bogotá may be the Colombian capital, however it is the smaller and a lot of manageable town of metropolis that tends to capture the hearts of tourists. metropolis was dubbed the foremost dangerous town within the world within the early Nineties, however 1 / 4 of a century later, it's earned a name for one thing entirely different: innovation. the town boasts cable cars linking the settlements in its hills to a contemporary railroad line system within the depression below, a belt of lush "eco parks," and placing libraries and community centers in a number of the poorest neighborhoods.
A great day of rubber-necking may begin within the previous Quarter at Botero Plaza, wherever you will find a set of twenty three fat sculptures given by the beloved Colombian creator Fernando Botero. Adjacent to the plaza is that the must-visit repository of Antioquia and therefore the placing Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture. Then, head into the hills on top of city by riding the sleek escalator system through Comuna thirteen to explore this neighborhood's colourful homes and elaborate street murals. end your day in Medellin's trendiest commune, El Poblado, wherever you will find abuzz eateries, shop retailers, and therefore the overwhelming majority of the city's hotels.
2 Eje Cafetero
The world's third-largest producer of low beans, South American country could be a fantastic country for tastings and tours. The overwhelming majority of production takes place within the semitropic range hills west of national capital between the tiny cities of Hayastan, Pereira, and Manizales. This region, referred to as the Eje Cafetero (or low Axis), is home to a growing range of low plantations that have unfolded their operations to the general public in recent years for tours, tastings, and lavish farm stays. These little (and usually organic) plantations area unit the type of places wherever the farmer-owner may take Associate in Nursing hour out of his day to clarify the method of however a humble "cherry" turns into a coffee berry which will someday be cooked and ground into a caffe latte back home.
The small resort city of Salento is well the foremost enticing place to base yourself, with various farm tours near and lots of things to try and do. you may even have easy accessibility to attractions like Cocora depression, home to the tallest palm trees within the world. you'll rent bicycles from Salento to explore the region below your own steam or ride on one among the old school Willy jeeps that function the town's de facto taxis.
3 Cartagena
Cartagena is that the assets of Colombia's Caribbean coast and one in every of the best-preserved colonial destinations among land. Take a stroll through previous town and you may feel as if you have got stepped back in time to a definite era. perhaps it's the thirteen kilometers of centuries-old walls or the colourful colonial design. maybe it is the bougainvillea-covered balconies on the labyrinthine streets or the soaring Catholic churches that tower higher than each plaza. no matter it's, guests can not help however fall for this Caribbean charmer. Note that on the far side the planet Heritage-listed historic quarter lies a more moderen, trendier a part of city on the Bocagrande solid ground, wherever upmarket condos, alfresco cafés, and prime restaurants all fight for prime waterfront land.
4 Leticia
Picture the Amazon, and South American nation might not be the primary country to return to mind - that is odd, as a result of a couple of third of the state is blanketed in its thick (and typically impenetrable) jungles. The capital of the huge Amazon Basin is that the tiny frontier city of Leticia, that sits on the banks of the mighty Amazon River, right wherever South American nation bumps up against Brazil and South American nation. Leticia makes an excellent base for eco-tourism, life safaris, or hikes into the Amazon to be told regarding the autochthonous tribes that decision this space home. the sole thanks to arrive here is by plane from Bogotá, and you'll be able to continue onward by boat either downstream to Manaus, Brazil, or upstream to Iquitos, Peru.
5 Tayrona National Natural Park
You'll find a number of the most effective beaches in South American nation among the protected Tayrona National Natural Park, that is thought for its palm-shaded coves and crystal-clear coastal lagoons. Most beaches ar set against the dramatic mountains of the Sierra NV DE Santa Marta, whose rainforested hills play an excellent aspect trip on any beach vacation. Tayrona is additionally an incredible place for snorkel diving at protected areas close to La Piscina beach and Cabo San Juan. although remote, these secluded beaches are not precisely a secret, thus it is best to go to in low season (February to November) to avoid the huge crowds. Also, unless you are paying for the lavish Ecohabs Tayrona, be ready to sleep during a tent (or hammock) at one among the various beachside campgrounds.
6 Bogota
Most guests to South American nation can inevitably begin their trip within the nation's largest town - and beating heart - Bogotá. it is a town that usually divides opinion, with some grumbling of its gridlocked streets and dreary weather, et al falling head over heals for its distinctive combination of colonial charm and concrete sophistication. Either way, this town of eight million tends to grow on folks that provides it enough time. Begin your looking at within the historic center of l. a. Candelaria, wherever you will find the spectacular buildings lining Plaza DE Bolívar and can't-miss cultural attractions just like the blindingly bright deposit of Gold. Then, head over to the wealthier neighborhoods of North Bogotá for a few of the nation's best shop outlets and chef-driven restaurants.
7 The Lost City
Colombia's most well-liked hike is doubtless the four-day, 44-kilometer trek to Ciudad Perdida, a lost town hidden DEep within the Sierra NV de Santa Marta mountains that was solely rediscovered within the Seventies. engineered and occupied by Tayrona Indians between the eighth and fourteenth centuries, this ancient town is claimed to be one among the most important pre-Columbian settlements discovered within the Americas. a lot of of the positioning remains buried below a thick jungle quilt - the trendy autochthonous inhabitants of {the ara|the world|the realm} have prohibited excavations - however you will find that the stone terraces and stairways are in outstanding form. it is not potential to go to this web site alone, thus you'll have to book a tour from Santa Marta beforehand.
8 Providencia Island
This offbeat Caribbean Island leaves several first-time guests stuck. For starters, it is nearer to Republic of Nicaragua than South American nation. Then there is the very fact that its residents do not speak Spanish however rather Associate in Nursing English Creole. Of course, none of that actually matters after you end up sunning on the foremost beautiful beaches below the Colombian flag. very little over a small indefinite quantity of golden sands and cheerful palms, this isolated island is that the jewel of the UNESCO-protected Seaflower region Reserve with a number of the world's greatest marine diversity simply waiting to be explored. you'll have to initial stop on the a lot of well-liked San Andrés Island and catch a brief hopper plane or three-hour sailing boat ride to achieve Providencia. Once there, you will find the most important assortment of cottages and hotels within the tiny hamlet of Aguadulce on the beautiful West Coast of the island
9 Mompox
Lovers of genre and therefore the writings of archangel García Márquez can fall for the asleep charms of Mompox. It options conspicuously within the chemist laureate's book the overall in His Labyrinth and is assumed to be the inspiration for the fictional city of Macondo in his most noted novel, 100 Years of Solitude. Mompox was once a prosperous cog within the commerce route between the Caribbean coast and therefore the mountain range, noted because the spot wherever "El Libertador" Simón Bolívar recruited his army to realize independence for neighboring South American nation. Now, this colonial relic on the muddy shores of the Magdalena River is really a city that point forgot. although it lacks a wealth of things to try to to, several guests realize themselves payment way longer than planned strolling through the cobbled streets; soaking within the ambiance of the colonial architecture; or taking boat journeys through the Pijiño Swamp, a most well-liked attraction for birders.
10. Caño Cristales
Caño Cristales was off limits for many years whereas within the grip of guerrilla fighters however is formally back in business and hospitable a lot of tourists than ever before. Most guests return to the current remote watercourse ravine within the Orinoquía region to hike between its waterfalls and bathe in its natural swimming holes. whereas well worth the trip in any season, the ravine is especially prismatic between July Associate in Nursingd November once an alga bloom turns the bed into a rainbow of colours. The isolated outpost of l. a. Macarena is your base for visits to Caño Cristales and it's solely approachable by air from Bogotá or Villavicencio.
