15 Epic Places In Colombia That’ll Make You Want To Book A Flight Now

What if the most surprising adventure is one you haven’t even considered yet? Colombia is full of places that speak in textures and moods, inviting you to see the world differently. It’s an experience. Here’s what makes this country worth your curiosity.

Cartagena’s Walled City

Cobbled streets echo with stories in Cartagena’s walled city, where every turn feels like a scene from a novel. Built in the 16th century to defend against pirates, the stone walls still encircle a town where colonial balconies overflow with bougainvillea. UNESCO designated the place a World Heritage Site in 1984. 

Tayrona National Park

Tayrona is a treasure chest of wild contrasts. Located along the Caribbean coast, it blends white-sand beaches with dense jungle trails. Wildlife lovers might spot capuchin monkeys or blue lizards darting through the foliage, while beachgoers find hidden coves like La Piscina and Cabo San Juan. 

The Lost City Trek

Carved centuries before Machu Picchu, the Lost City is a sprawling archaeological wonder cloaked in jungle mist. Reaching it is no small feat: the four-to-six-day trek stretches nearly 30 miles through rivers, steep climbs, and humidity that soaks your bones. Yet, the reward is otherworldly

Guatape And El Penol

Guatape is what happens when a box of crayons explodes in a village. Every building is painted with intricate zocalos. Just a few miles away, El Penol rock dominates the area, rising 650 feet above an artificial reservoir created in the 1970s. 

Cano Cristales River

For a few magical months between May and November, Cano Cristales becomes one of Earth’s rarest sights. Combined with green moss, golden sand, and dark rock, the river appears striped like a watercolor painting. Interestingly, no fish live here. Nevertheless, it’s considered one of the world’s most beautiful rivers.

Cocora Valley Hike

If Dr. Seuss designed a forest, it might look like Cocora Valley. Here, the wax palm grows up to 200 feet tall, swaying in thin mountain air. The valley sits within Los Nevados National Natural Park, just outside the coffee town of Salento.

San Andres Island

Drifting 470 miles off Colombia’s mainland, San Andres feels like a Caribbean secret Colombia never brags about. The island’s waters display seven visible shades of blue thanks to its sandy seabed and coral depth variations. Surprisingly, San Andres is a duty-free zone.

Villa De Leyva

Time slows to a hush in Villa de Leyva. Founded in 1572 and barely touched by modern construction, the town is one of Colombia’s best-preserved colonial settlements. Its central plaza sprawls wide in sunbaked stone. However, it’s the surrounding attractions that improve the experience. 

Bogota’s Historic District

Bogota’s soul breathes through Candelaria, the city’s oldest neighborhood. Colonial buildings sit shoulder-to-shoulder with street murals, turning every wall into a chapter of the capital’s story. In between, cafes, museums, and theaters dot the area, including the famed Gold Museum, which houses 55,000 pre-Columbian artifacts. 

The Amazon Rainforest

Few things prepare you for the lush, breathing enormity of Colombia’s Amazon. The town of Leticia serves as the gateway to a region teeming with life: pink river dolphins, anacondas, and hundreds of bird species. Additionally, the nearby Amacayacu National Park provides guided canoe trips through flooded forests and indigenous villages.

Tatacoa Desert Views

Tatacoa is a dry tropical forest, but its eerie sceneries say otherwise. Just outside Neiva, this arid expanse is divided into red and gray zones, each resembling a sculpture garden carved by wind and time. The region’s fossil deposits tell tales of prehistoric creatures while observatories take advantage of the crystal-clear skies.

Providencia’s Coral Reefs

Closer to Nicaragua than mainland Colombia, this remote Caribbean gem shines under the Colombian flag. Its turquoise waters protect the world’s third-largest reef, part of the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve. Bursting with vibrant coral gardens and marine life, it offers an unspoiled and unforgettable escape beneath and beyond the waves.

Barichara’s Cobblestone Charm

Barichara is often called the most beautiful town in Colombia, and it earns that title quietly. Situated into the Santander hills, it feels like stepping into a sepia-toned photo. Clay-roofed houses glow under the sun, and flowers peek over every wall.

Medellin’s Comuna 13

Once one of Medellin’s most dangerous neighborhoods, it’s now a canvas of murals and hope. Outdoor escalators climb steep hills where few dared to walk before. Guided tours explain the stories behind the art, many told by residents who lived their darkest days. Moreover, breakdancers and painters animate every corner.

Salt Cathedral Of Zipaquira

Beneath the surface of Zipaquira, miners carved faith into stone. The Salt Cathedral sits nearly 600 feet underground, built within tunnels of a working salt mine. Completed in 1995 after an earlier chapel collapsed, it features glowing crosses and a nave that holds 8,400 worshippers.