Travel advice for Colombia
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Colombia
Book your individual trip, stress-free with local travel experts
written by Olivia Rawes
updated 30.03.2020
Polluted, rainy and business-orientated. Let’s face it, a trip to Bogotá hardly sounds appealing. And many travellers don’t bother to probe much further than this bleak reputation, seeing Bogotá either as somewhere to be skipped out altogether, or as merely a logistical blot on a more exciting itinerary.
Other Latin American cities such as Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro are huge tourist draws, and within Colombia there are more great cities: Medellín’s gripping mix of hedonistic nightlife and cruel cartel-centre past, Cartagena’s heady blend of Caribbean buzz and colonial beauty, Cali’s famous salsa scene.
But Bogotá deserves to be seen as more than just a stop-over. Spend some time here and you’ll realise the city quietly works its humble magic; slowly revealing an irresistible pull of vibrant art-strewn streets, quirky cafés and one of the most interesting urban cycling innovations in the world. Here, we’ve whittled down the top six reasons to give Bogotá a chance.
7 days / from1284 USD
Unforgettable Colombia
Spend your first days in Colombia exploring its capital city Bogotá before heading further to the coast: Cartagena and Santa Marta will be next on the agenda. From wandering the historic city center to hiking the jungles to a virgin beach, Colombia will be an unforgettable trip!
view tour ⤍18 days / from3664 USD
Colombia: music & arts explored
If you are a lover of the arts than look no further. This trip will bring you culture, art, architecture, music and dance: visit local markets and workshops, admire the graffiti in Bogotá, discover historical city centers and “Fondas” – local bars with exotic decoration and typical Colombian music.
view tour ⤍10 days / from4650 USD
Colombia for nature & adventure lovers
Do you like adventure and nature? Then you're in luck, this trip combines the best of both. Go horse riding through the Risaralda valley and join a bike tour through Cartagena, visit the beautiful Cocora Valley and discover the Coffee Cultural Landscape. There's something for everyone!
view tour ⤍12 days / from2370 USD
Classic Colombia
Colombia's rich culture and traditions make it a fascinating holiday destination: from the streets of Bogotá move on to the stunning Valle de Cocora and Salento with its remarkable wax palms. From Medellín take a day tour to Guatapé before finalizing your trip in coastal Cartagena.
view tour ⤍9 days / from1085 USD
Exploring Colombia
Explore three of the most famous Colombian cities Bogota, Medellín and Cartagena during this 9-day trip. Get to know each city and its unique people by diving deep into the culture, history and traditions.
view tour ⤍9 days / from3100 USD
Colombia: Family Adventure
From city adventures to experiencing a pump in your adrenaline while river rafting and learning more about the different species of birds, monkeys, squirrels, peccary and other species that can be found during an exiting rainforest trail....this truly is a trip packed with family fun activities!
view tour ⤍11 days / from9192 USD
Best Machu Picchu and Galapagos Islands Tour Package
Explore a trio of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in this Machu Picchu and Galapagos tour package! Your journey begins in Quito, home to the Middle of the World. Afterward, fly on over to the Galapagos Islands the best biodiversity hotspot and following with the sublime Machu Picchu in Peru.
view tour ⤍11 days / from3395 USD
Magnificent Colombian Highlights
Discover the vibrant beauty of Colombia. From the bustling streets of Bogota to the colorful charm of Cartagena, this trip has it all. Visit the stunning natural wonders of Puerto Narino and explore the vibrant culture of Medellin.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1345 USD
Traditional Colombia
This 7-day trip lets you explore Bogotá and Cartagena. Be amazed by the Zipaquira's Cathedral of Salt, discover local flavours of the city and learn about Cartagena's culture. To top it off, you will be shown how to dance salsa, the dance of passion.
view tour ⤍11 days / from2930 USD
Fascination Colombia - Medellin & Cartagena
This beautiful trip has you stay in 2 different centers - Medellin and Cartagena. From there, you will explore Colombia's culture and traditions, including Guatape, an authentic cooking class, horseback riding in nature and much more.
view tour ⤍7 days / from1093 USD
Colombia - from the mountains to the beach
Start your trip in Bogotá, one of the highest capital cities in the world, high up in the Andes mountains range. Spend your days exploring the city and surroundings before heading to the coastal city of Cartagena, with its historic city center and fascinating islands to explore.
view tour ⤍10 days / from7018 USD
Galapagos Cruise and Scuba Diving Adventure
The Galapagos Islands rank as one of the world’s top dive sites, famous for its incredible underwater wonders, and huge quantities of marine life. This package offers a full-day SCUBA diving tour for guests that wish to experience the impressive diving in Galapagos, all in a safe and fun environment
view tour ⤍11 days / from4956 USD
Colombia: a community experience
Get to know the locals that give Colombia its charms, from entrepreneurs to chefs, to nature lovers and craftswomen. This itinerary will allow you to discover the real Colombia and the people that make it an exciting destination.
view tour ⤍14 days / from6663 USD
Adventures in Colombia
You won't be able to forget Colombia with this adventure-packed trip. Spend your days explore the natural surroundings of Bogotá and the rural landscapes of Villa de Leyva before you head to Pereira where you will bike and hike, only to end your trip chasing waterfalls and rivers in San Gill.
view tour ⤍13 days / from2650 USD
Unforgettable Colombia - cities, coffee and islands
Explore three main areas in Colombia - the capital Bogotá with a side trip to Villa de Leyva, a beautiful colonial town. Afterwards, proceed to the Coffee Region and learn more about this important product in the local economy. Your final days are spent by the coast - Cartagena & the islands await.
view tour ⤍12 days / from2693 USD
Nature of Colombia
Get out of the city and fill your days with strolls through small colonial towns, dips in natural pools and waterfalls, nature walks through the nature reserves and if you're lucky you may spot a humpback whale or experience the birth of sea turtles. This is a nature lovers paradise!
view tour ⤍10 days / from7795 USD
The Best of the Mashpi Rainforest and Galapagos
Begin this journey in one of the first cities to be given the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site – Quito, Ecuador! Afterward, just a few hours away, you’ll head down into the lush cloud forests that surround Quito to experience Mashpi Lodge. You’ll finish this journey with the the Galapagos Islands
view tour ⤍17 days / from4327 USD
A Colombian culinary experience
This trip allows you to discover the real taste of Colombia as it takes you through some of the country's most interesting and exciting cities. Eat like a local in Bogotá, try Colombia's high-quality wines, learn all about the famous coffee beans and try your hand at fishing in La Boquilla.
view tour ⤍6 days / from1388 USD
Colombia Express
Pack in the best of Colombia on this express trip to see some of the country's top highlights. Go boho in Bogotá as you explore its old La Candelaria district, see the Salt Cathedral and explore traditional Villa de Leyva. Then it's off to the Caribbean coast to spend time in lovely Cartagena.
view tour ⤍17 days / from4532 USD
Discover Colombia
Intensely beautiful and seductive, and beset with colourful colonial cities, Colombia's allure is strong. From Bogotá in the backdrop of the misty Andes and back up to Cartagena with its old-world charm, be ready for a warm welcome, surprising finds and a sense of discovery in a special country.
view tour ⤍12 days / from4414 USD
Colombia's Beaches
Take a break from the busy cities and make your way down to Colombia's tropical beaches and lush rainforests but not before you get to know some Colombian cultural and traditional food, music and dance in Cartegena.
view tour ⤍4 days / from1415 USD
Adventure Trip in and around Medellin
An exhilarating 4-day trip to Medellin and Rio Claro, filled with thrilling adventure activities. Day 1 explores the vibrant streets of Medellin on a city tour. Day 2 takes you to the breathtaking Rio Claro for zip-lining, rafting, and exploring the lush rainforests. Return to Medellin on Day 3.
view tour ⤍5 days / from1825 USD
Medellin & Cartagena Medley
Begin in Medellin, where you'll soar through the sky with a thrilling paragliding adventure, taking in panoramic views of the city and surrounding landscapes. Continue to Cartagena, where you'll indulge in a unique experience at the Mud Volcano, followed by exploring the city's colonial charm.
view tour ⤍São Paulo, London, Valparaíso, Montréal – some cities are well known for their street art. But amongst the artistic community Bogotá is up there with the best, with international artists flocking to its streets to contribute to its thriving scene.
Bogotá doesn’t just accept art, it actively encourages it with neighbourhood commissioned pieces, privately funded works and local schools hiring street artists to teach classes.
While there’s art all over the city, it’s La Candelaria, Bogotá’s oldest neighbourhood, where it’s most concentrated. Here the narrow, cobbled streets have become a canvas for artistic expression: buildings are cloaked in colourful works from strikingly lifelike faces to bizarrely endearing flying potatoes.
But the creativity doesn’t stop at eye level, the tiled rooftops are littered with strange statues: a juggler on a unicycle wobbling along the edge of a roof, a figure sitting with a banana dangling from a fishing rod. Bogota Graffiti Tour is the best introduction to this dynamic culture, led by guides who are all closely involved in the street art community.
The free tour (donations welcome) explains the historical and socio-political contexts behind each piece and the collective culture, and introduces the styles of the city’s most compelling artists, from Guache’s multi-coloured, often-dreamlike focus on indigenous issues, to Toxicómano’s hard-hitting anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist driven pieces.
One word: Ciclovía. This is the stuff urban cyclists dream of, a day when you can ride through car-free city streets. In Bogotá this happens every week when Ciclovía clears the traffic from 76 miles of roads right through the city centre.
Every Sunday, more than two million people come out to reclaim the tarmac: cycling, jogging, roller blading, dog-walking and strolling with pushchairs, while Recrovía fills the parks and paths with free yoga and aerobic classes.
The programme has been running since 1974, with such success that other Colombian and international cities are now following suit. For Bogotá this is about more than just exercise and a break from the mind-numbing traffic-clogged streets: in a society where the gap between rich and poor is so great, and so much emphasis lies on the status of owning a car, this is the perfect leveller and social integration at its best.
There’s been an explosion of culinary creativity in Bogotá. From quirky hybrid ventures to smarter joints where nuevo Colombiano chefs are experimenting with traditional ingredients and international techniques, Colombia’s capital is a great place for a feed, with each neighbourhood harbouring its own foodie vibe.
La Candelaria has a number of small, creative places tucked away down its winding, graffiti-splashed streets. A small space with an exposed brick bar, Sant Just has an innovative, daily-changing menu that blends French cuisine with Colombian ingredients, served up in enormous portions. A few streets away, La Peluqueria is an exciting blend of edgy café, hairdresser and creative space for emerging artists.
In La Macarena, a village-absorbed-by-the-big-city neighbourhood, there’s a clutch of international restaurants, one of the best being Tapas Macarena – a tiny, charming spot for authentic Spanish cuisine.
To the north, Zona Rosa and Parque 93 hold Bogotá’s smarter dining. Amongst the competition, Central Cevicheria is up there with the best, serving zingy ceviche in a cool space decked out with bare wood and industrial lighting.
Colombian coffee is world famous, but as new arrivals quickly learn the best produce is exported. Hold your disappointment: a number of cafés in Bogotá are working hard to address this.
Leading the way is Azahar, a café founded by travellers who wanted to re-establish the connection between coffee, local farmers and Colombian people. A shipping container houses the café: repurposing the very vessel that is so often associated with taking the best beans away from the country, and here using it to serve great coffee back to Colombians.
This care and passion trickles down to the product: each single origin coffee served is traceable back to an individual farmer, with the bag detailing information about the farmer and the plantation – there’s even a QR code that links to a video of the farmer explaining what makes their own coffee so special.
Looming over Bogotá’s city centre, is Cerro de Monserrate, one of the city’s most loved landmarks. Cable cars and a funicular railway run up and down the mountain, while athletic locals and those tourists who’ve adjusted to the altitude tackle the steep, one-hour-thirty-minute walk up to the top.
Whichever way you ascend, the panoramic sweep of the cityscape below is stunning. Often framed by a dramatic sky, the city spreads out from forested mountains into a sprawl of low-rise tiled roofs. The scattering of taller buildings announce that Bogotá is on the cusp of the skyscraper age.
Add an extra day to your Bogotá stay and explore the surrounding area. An easy, and unmissable day-trip is to Zipaquirá, home to the only underground cathedral in the world. Carved out of an old salt mine hidden in the depths of a mountain, the site is an astounding maze of winding passages, carved crosses, and small chapels.
The most impressive part is undoubtedly the vast main cathedral: an eerily-beautiful, purple-lit space delineated by huge pillars and a lofty ceiling, and filled with a rock-hewn altar and the biggest subterranean cross in the world.
Explore more of Bogotá with The Rough Guide to Colombia. Compare flights, find tours, book hostels and hotels for your trip, and don’t forget to purchase travel insurance before you go. Top image: Colourful house in Bogotá © Jorge Enrique Villada S/Shutterstock.
written by Olivia Rawes
updated 30.03.2020
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From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Colombia