Now one of the trendiest tourist destinations in all of South America, Colombia is home to everything from beautiful beaches and soaring mountains, to lively cities and charming colonial towns. With a rich and varied history, culture, and heritage to explore and thriving food and music scenes to delve into; it really does have something for everyone to enjoy.
Located in the northwest corner of the continent, it boasts two long and lovely coastlines along both the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean. An incredibly diverse country, Colombia is bordered by Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador with mountainous regions, dense Amazon rainforest, and low-lying plains coating its interior. In addition, plenty of pristine beaches and idyllic tropical islands lie along its scenic shores.
Set on a prominent plateau high up amidst the Andes, the nation’s cosmopolitan capital Bogota has a wealth of things for visitors to see and do. Besides exploring the atmospheric old churches, colonial buildings, and cobbled streets of its historic center La Candelaria, the ‘Athens of South America’ also has some great museums, restaurants, and nightclubs to try out.
Many people also head to Medellin and Cali which are respectively Colombia’s second and third largest cities. While the former was once known for its violent cartels and Pablo Escobar, it is now instead known for its cool climate and vibrant culture scene that attracts tourists with the latter’s pounding salsa clubs being the stuff of legend. Cartagena along the glittering Caribbean coast is also a must for its marvelous Old City and happening nightlife, as is Barranquilla for its fun and festival carnival.
Away from its cities, Colombia has the amazing archaeological sites of San Augustin and Ciudad Perdida de Teyuni for visitors to explore, while some scenic treks can be enjoyed amidst the forests and volcanoes of both Amacayacu and Los Nevados national parks. After all the adventure, make sure to take some time to relax and unwind on its brilliant beaches or on gorgeous islands such as Providencia, Isla Gorgona, and Corales del Rosario.
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