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An update from Evaneos

Best places to visit in Colombia

Feeling the excitement for your trip to Colombia? That's not surprising, as a trip to Columbia is a huge adventure, in a country which used to be infamous, but where security has vastly improved since focusing its efforts on promoting tourism. Travelling to Columbia isn't just a chance to take time away from your busy schedule, it's a chance to make rich discoveries and let yourself be guided by a people who really know how to live well.

As diversity is a central concern for any traveller, planning your stay with the help and advice from the Evaneos community will help simplify the process, as you take on board suggestions of various destinations from among the best of what that country has to offer. Once in the country, let yourself fall into the wild pattern of Colombian life.

Upon arrival in Bogotá, start with trying a delicious ajiaco. This speciality of the capital is also the national dish. In Colombia, colour is everywhere, in the food as well as the architecture. At the coast, don't forget to visit the incredible Cartagena de Indias, a historic city with colonial architecture, so beautiful they call it the Pearl of the Caribbean. If you like the archaic charm of paved streets and arcades, you'll love the tranquil town of Leyva, the favoured destination to Bogotanos. Another historic town, Medellín, has defied its turbulent past to transform itself into a vibrant cultural capital.

Colombia is rich both in history and nature. So head off to discover the national nature park of Tayrona and its beautiful coastline. The more adventurous traveller will choose to embark on an expedition in search of the pre-Colombian civilisations, heading towards the Lost City, located at the heart of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The romantics among you will opt for luxury on the island of Múcura, a tiny paradise reserved for the connoisseurs.

So put on your salsa shoes as you prepare yourself for a trip which will awaken your senses!

Rose Nicolini
Arrecifes is a stunning beach in the Tayrona National Park, in the department of Magdalena, by the Caribbean Sea.
Barichara is a small town located in Colombia's northeast.
The Tatacoa Desert is located in the northern part of Huila Province, around ten kilometres from Villavieja.
At 3hrs 30mins north of Bogota, the white town of Guatavita is a great place for a long weekend. It's also where you'll find the Guatavita Lagoon, the origin of the El Dorado legend and myths surrounding the Muiscas and Chibchas people.
The island of Múcura is a little piece of Heaven on Earth, situated in the San Bernado Archipelago in the Caribbean Sea.
La Guajira is Colombia's most northern point. Largely made up of desert, this region stretches as far as the Venezuelan border and is lined with stunning beaches that overlook the Caribbean.
Tayrona National Natural Park is 1 hour away from the city of Santa Marta, on Colombia's Caribbean coast. It's a true oasis of calm and the lush natural beauty is perfect for going exploring and lazing around on the beach.
Playón is a leatherback turtle sanctuary located by the Caribbean Sea in Santuario de Fauna Acandí, Chocó Province, northwest Colombia.
Salento is a small town located close to the Cocora Valley at the heart of Colombia's coffee-growing region.
The Columbian Amazon, a beautiful and isolated adventure in Columbia.
The Corcora valley lies in a national park in Colombia's coffee-growing region and is the perfect place to see the magnificent wax palms, which are famous throughout the whole region.
45 minutes away from Neiva, the town of Villavieja can be found in the very centre of the Tatacoa desert, a dry and arid forest and one of the two desert areas of Colombia along with La Guajira.
Colombia's vibrant, energetic capital city.
Situated at an altitude above 1,500m , it's the second largest town in Colombia.
Quindío is one of Columbia's 32 departments. It's found in the coffee producing region of Columbia's mid-west.
This lush, verdant region of Colombia is one of the essential places to see when visiting the country. Is there anyone who hasn't at some point thought how nice it would be to explore the place their delicious coffee comes from? 
San Agustín Archaeological Park is an archaeological site famous for its megalithic statues. It is located around 200 kilometres from Neiva in the department of Huila.
The island of San Andrés is a veritable little piece of paradise on earth and forms part of the Colombian archipelago of the same name.
Santa Cruz de Mompox, shortened to Mompox, is a former colonial town that is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Sierra Nevada mountain range reaches its highest point in the eastern part of Colombia. Lying 12 hours from Bogotà by bus, its glaciers provide some wonderful hiking for those who enjoy the high mountains.
Barranquilla is a port city located in Colombia's Atlántico department and lying just a stone's throw from the Caribbean Sea.
A rocky promontory located on the Guajira Peninsula in northeast Colombia.
Cartagena de Indias is a colonial city in Colombia originally founded in the 16th century and containing a walled city and fortress inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage.
The Chicamocha Canyon is in the heart of the Chicamocha National Park in the Santander Department.
The Lost City is an archaeological site located in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range and constructed between 700 and 800 AD. Jesus Christ by the Tairona Indians.
The Carrizal Desert is located in the Department of La Guajira, in extreme northern Colombia.
Just 15 km from the very touristy, but magnificent Villa de Leyva, the Iguaque Flora and Fauna Sanctuary covers seven lagoons, including the sacred lagoon of Iguaque, birthplace of humanity for the Muisca people and the unique paramo ecosytem.
The Los Nevados National Natural Park crosses four of Colombia's departments: Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío and Tolima.
Nuquí is a town in northern Colombia that lies on the Pacific coast in the department of Chocó and is famous for its humpback whales.
Palomino is a small Colombian town lying at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains on Colombia's Caribbean coast.