Colombia is the country people are most nervous about and most enthusiastic about afterwards. Both come from the same place: a reputation that is twenty years old and a country that has changed.
The short verdict#
| You want | Where | Worth it? |
|---|---|---|
| A city to live in for a few days, perfect weather | Medellín | Yes (is Medellín worth it) |
| Colonial streets, the Caribbean, islands | Cartagena | Yes, two or three days (is Cartagena worth it) |
| Museums, food, the capital | Bogotá | Yes, two or three days (is Bogotá worth it) |
| Coffee farms, wax palms, a painted town | Salento, Jardín | Yes (is Salento worth it) |
| Jungle beaches, the mountains, a trek | Santa Marta, Tayrona, Minca | Yes (is Santa Marta worth it) |
| Salsa | Cali | Yes, if you dance (is Cali worth it) |
| A Caribbean island | San Andrés | Yes, for a beach week |
What makes it worth it#
The variety: no other country on the continent puts a Caribbean coast, Andean cities, a coffee region and the Amazon within a cheap flight of each other. The people, who are the warmest in South America and will tell you so. The prices: how much a trip costs. The food that nobody expects: ajiaco, bandeja paisa, arepas, ceviche on the coast, fruit you have never heard of. The festivals: the Feria de las Flores, the Barranquilla Carnival, the Feria de Cali. The Colombia itinerary, the best time to visit.
The honest caveats#
Safety is a real question with a practical answer: city rules, apps for taxis at night, no drinks from strangers, phone away on the street, and this month's information from people who are there. The rural conflict that drives the headline advisories is far from the tourist routes. Is Colombia safe for Americans?, Americans travelling to Colombia. Distance: the roads are slow and mountainous; fly between regions. Climate: Cartagena is 32°C and Bogotá is 14°C in the same week; pack for both. Spanish: outside hotels and tours, you will need some, or a Colombian (a travel buddy in Colombia).
How long and when#
Two weeks for three or four places. December to March and July to August are driest in most of the country; Medellín, Cartagena and Bogotá each have a month-by-month guide. Solo travel in Colombia for going alone.
With a Colombian#
Roavi's Colombian Local Friends are in Cali, Medellín and Bogotá, with a couple in Barranquilla and almost none yet in Cartagena. How rent a friend works in Colombia, and the Colombia travel forum for a question first.
A Colombia question? Ask someone who lives there.
Post on Roavi CommunityFrequently Asked Questions
Is Colombia worth visiting?
Yes. It has a spring-weather city, a Caribbean colonial city, a capital with the best museums on the continent, a coffee region, a jungle coast and the salsa capital of the world, at low prices, with cheap flights between them. Safety needs city rules and current information, not fear.Which cities in Colombia are worth visiting?
Medellín for the city and the weather; Cartagena for the walled city and the islands; Bogotá for two or three days of museums and food; Salento or Jardín for coffee; Santa Marta as the base for Tayrona and Minca; Cali if you dance; San Andrés for a Caribbean island. Skip the cities that are only transit.Is Colombia safe to visit right now?
In the visited cities and routes, yes, with city rules: phone away on the street, apps or licensed taxis at night, no drinks from strangers, dating-app meetings in public. Rural conflict areas are far from the tourist routes. Is Colombia safe for Americans has the current detail.How long do you need in Colombia?
Two weeks for three or four places, flying between them: for example Bogotá two days, the coffee region three, Medellín four, Cartagena three. Ten days for two or three places. A month if you work from Medellín.