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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
The Utría National Park, AKA 'Ensenada de Utría' is a natural reserve that stretches across 54,300 hectares of Colombia's Pacific coast, in the Choco department.
Nicknamed the 'White City', Popayan is a great stopover in the south of the country, particularly for visitors who love colonial architecture.
This is an archipelago of quite heavenly islands located off the coast of Nicaragua.
Lying at the extreme northern tip of Colombia, Punta Gallinas is famous for being the most northerly point in Latin America.
Santa Fe de Antioquia is a charming town lying 90 minutes by road from Medellín and famous for its colonial style architecture.
Cali is Colombia's third largest city and lies in the west of the country.
Serranía de la Macarena is a small chain of mountains that reach a height of 1,600 metres at their highest point. The range stands at the heart of Serranía de la Macarena National Park.
Silvia is a little village in the Cauca Department around 60km from Popayán.
Tierradentro or 'the land within' merits its name - a superb walk in the heart of Colombia combined with visits to subterranean tombs...
A few hours south of Bogota, Villavicencio, nicknamed Villavo (pronounced Biyaho), serves as "gateway to the plains", this unique cowboy region in Colombia.
Santa Marta is a charming, laid back, coastal town from where you can organise nature/activity excursions to the Tayrona National Park or the Lost City. ​
The capital of the Colombian department of Risaralda, Pereira is one of the three cities that make up the country's Coffee Triangle (Triángulo del Café), the other two being Armenia and Manizales.
Armenia is the capital of Quindío in Colombia's coffee region. This city experienced a very significant earthquake in 1999.
Chicamocha National Park is located in the Colombian department of Santander and is famous for its spectacular scenery and its outdoor sports.
Situated on the border with Brazil and Peru, Leticia is the departure point for trips into the Colombian Amazon. If you love an adventure, the jungle awaits!
Manizales is a town in central Colombia, at the foot of the the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano, in the Coffee Triangle.
Montenegro is a town in the Quindío province, part of the Coffee Triangle. It's here you'll find the National Coffee Park.
The Coffee National Park is an amusement park in Montenegro, in the heart of the province of Quindio, part of the Coffee Triangle.
The Rosario Archipelago is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea about an hour off the coast of Cartagena.
Taganga is a little village on the edge of a creek. An erstwhile fishing village, it's now a tourist hub of dive clubs, bars and nightclubs.
The Cocora Valley's exotic and lush scenery is perfect for walks and enjoying some superb views. Its giant palm trees make it a must during a visit to the Coffee Triangle.
Villa de Leyva, a charming village to spend a lovely daystrolling through the streets in the centre.
Zipaquira is a colonial city located in the Bogotá metropolitan area, known for its Salt Cathedral.
Neiva is a town in northern Columbia situated in the Huila Department, at around 300km from Bogota.
Bucaramanga, an industrial city in Colombia and capital of the department of Santander, is a place you are sometimes obliged to stop at when travelling between Bogotá and the north of the country by bus.
A slave port of the Spanish Empire, Cartagena de las Indias' fortress and its walled city, with its colonial architecture, are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Riohacha is a stopover town where you can spend the night before going off to explore the La Guajira Desert.