Feel the rhythm of Colombia in these 12 vibrant locations
BARRANQUILLA: The City of Festivities
The spirit of carnival is alive throughout the year in this port city of charming people and rhythms. Glorious weather, Caribbean breezes, and a festive spirit keep Barranquilla buzzing, and its open arms welcome visitors with a sunny smile.
Whether you come for the actual Barranquilla Carnival, or any other time of year, you’ll feel the captivating atmosphere that made UNESCO declare the legendary celebration a Masterpiece of Humanity’s Oral and Intangible Heritage. Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Márquez once lived and wrote here, and you can see a replica of his office at the city’s Caribbean Museum, which outlines the region’s literature, music, and indigenous heritage.
Barranquilla’s culinary highlights include butifarra soledeña, ground beef and pork sausage flavored with spices and lemon. Or try an egg-stuffed arepa or cassava wrapped in a corn husk and dipped in sour cream. Restaurants range from small bistros to fancy-menu showpieces. Grab a fruity cocktail and enjoy a wild evening of cumbia or vallenato dancing and singing. Stroll the waterfront Malecón and soak up the city’s vibes and sounds, old and new.
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CALI: The Salsa Capital
The capital of Valle del Cauca department, Cali moves to the rhythm of salsa. Here in the thriving center of salsa music and dance, you can find a party any day of the week. Learn the saucy Caribbean dance formally in classes or informally in festive bars and nightclubs.
The joys of Cali extend well beyond the dance floor. Take a stroll along the Cali River, or visit the fascinating Tertulia museum. Explore city history in the quaint San Antonio neighborhood with its bohemian atmosphere. And sample such local dishes as marranitas (plantain balls stuffed with pork), aborrajado (battered plantain stuffed with cheese), or chuleta valluna (breaded pork). Throughout the city, the beat of Cali will call you.
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AMAZONAS: The Lungs of the Earth
Picture a canopy of giant trees, through which shafts of light penetrate to the jungle floor. Listen to this primeval rainforest comes alive with the sounds of monkeys and birds and all manner of rare creatures. Look around and discover a land blossoming with color and light. A place of beauty and soul, the Colombian Amazon breathes excitement and adventure.
Whether you take a boat ride in search of pink river dolphins and lazy sloths, or just admire the meter-wide water lilies (the world’s largest), you’ll come away with an appreciation for the region’s great biodiversity. Kayak a peaceful stretch of the Amazon or Tarapoto Lake. Feel the region’s beat on a hike through the world’s largest rainforest and listen to the soothing songs of the 869 bird species that call the Amazonas home. Visit the remote Cerros de Mavecure, three exposed hills that soar above the forest and are accessible only by river. Learn about indigenous culture by spending a day with a local community and sleeping in a tree house. Listen to stories of traditions and rituals and of the jungle plants’ healing properties. Savor local cuisine, especially the fresh fish roasted in banana leaves. Wherever you go you’ll feel the unforgettable rhythm of the Amazonas.
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MEDELLÍN: City of Eternal Spring
Here’s a city that will have you singing and dancing to its vernal rhythm the year round. The capital of Antioquia, Medellín enjoys such a temperate climate that it is widely known as a place of perfect spring days. Streets pulse with the youthful vibrancy of art and music, and public spaces delight the senses with their attractive landscaping and peaceful greens. A number of parks, libraries, and museums will keep you busy for days, and at night the club and restaurant scene rank among Colombia’s finest.
Medellín’s annual flower festival attests to the city’s love of the colorful. Whenever you visit, you’ll see and smell flowers in abundance nearly everywhere. The chromatic display continues on your plate with imaginative gastronomic offerings, including the famous bandeja paisa, a traditional dish of red beans, rice, pork, plantains, and a variety of accents. Flavors continue in the many markets, where you can meet friendly locals. Love springs eternal in Medellín, a hip, fun, attractive city that will embrace you in its urban rhythm.
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BOGOTÁ: The Energetic Capital
Where can you go to absorb the best of what Colombia has to offer? The capital city, Bogotá has it all—natural beauty, modern architecture, traditional and international cuisine, arts galore, and unique shopping. Starting with the beat of the city itself, you’ll find streets humming with markets, shops, cinemas, and theaters. The city’s infectious, forward-looking energy finds expression in music festivals, conventions, and spacious parks and gardens. Fine restaurants offer standards such as ajiaco, a potato and chicken soup with pre-Columbian origins and European innovations, and pastries like almojábana (a cheese and corn flour bread) and pan de yuca (bread from cassava starch). On Sunday mornings dozens of streets are closed so that walkers, joggers, and cyclists can move uninhibited. Don’t you wish every city did that?
Continue experiencing the quintessential vibe of Colombia in the great outdoors, lying within easy reach of a city tucked into the Andes. Take a hike in the mountains or the high moorlands, which are loaded with rare and exotic plants. Nearby wetlands and national parks hold a stunning variety of birds and other animals, including toucans, jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, and bears.
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CARTAGENA: The Beating Heart
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a city that has inspired generations of musicians, writers, and artists, Cartagena de Indias is awash with Caribbean sunshine, colonial-era buildings, brightly painted neighborhoods, cultural venues, and spectacular sunsets. No wonder it calls itself one of the world’s most romantic cities. Venture through the streets of this historic walled city and experience scents of tropical flowers hanging from wooden balconies. Be sure to listen to the sounds of champeta music as you wander – a spirited and sensual music born of African rhythms – which will entice you around the next corner and the next.
Cartagena’s cuisine is a must for any traveler. Try the posta negra cartagenera, a blackened beef dish served with coconut rice and plantains, and don’t forget the pastries, especially the empanadas and fried arepas. After dinner, get a local to teach you the basics of dancing to champeta. In the morning, hit the beach and work off last night’s binge by indulging in your favorite watersport.
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SANTA MARTA: The Natural Wonder
Colombia’s oldest city entices travelers with a mix of pristine beaches, alluring mountains, and dense rainforests filled with wildlife and the sounds of nature. While biologists keep finding new species in the nearby jungles, holidaymakers discover ever more delightful ways to relax and unwind in this colonial paradise.
For a backdrop, Santa Marta has the dramatic Sierra Nevada mountains, which were declared both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. Right on the city’s doorstep, the marvelous Tayrona National Park harbors monkeys, deer, wild cats, eagles, parrots, and hummingbirds. Fish from local waters leads the offerings at Santa Marta’s restaurants, served in creamy sauces with the region’s signature coconut rice and crispy fried plantains. Seafood cocktails feature a mouthwatering medley of shrimp, crayfish, octopus, and oysters. Desserts run from sweet tropical fruit to tempting tamarind balls and coconut candy.
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LA GUAJIRA: The Cultural Mecca
Surround yourself by the joyful rhythm and upbeat chords of La Guarjira. Situated at the northern tip of Colombia, the department of La Guajira stretches its peninsular neck into the Caribbean Sea. Desert landscapes, giant dunes, fishing villages, and indigenous settlements enrich this out-of-the-way region. Travelers can expect rewarding cultural experiences interacting with the Wayúu people, and get a feel for the area’s unique cultural rhythms.
Where the Ranchería River flows into the Caribbean, capital city Riohacha features a flamingo sanctuary, a 19th-century cathedral, and a palm-shaded beach. The colorful blankets and knapsacks of the Wayúu are among the many handcrafted items you’ll see in this low-key city. Stroll the pier at sunset for dreamy prismatic views. Not far north, the beaches of Cabo de la Vela are ideal for relaxation.
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COFFEE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE: The Land of Paisas
Sip your morning brew as you soak in the soothing melodies and aromas of the land of paisas. Though coffee is the star, the people of the Coffee Cultural Landscape (known as paisas) are the friendliness of the region’s people, and the charm of their community are one of the many elements that have contributed to its fame.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Coffee Cultural Landscape is composed of seventeen towns in and around the departments of Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío and Valle del Cauca. The variety of altitudes, climates, and ecosystems accounts for the fertile soil that nurtures the region’s beans. The result: coffee world-famous for its rich taste and aroma.
Nature lovers enjoy the cool, refreshing air of the Cocora Valley; trails meander among wax palms, Colombia’s national tree that can grow to an astounding 70 meters high. Hike or ride horseback through a cloud forest in Los Nevados National Park. This mysterious land of fog, forest, and plantation is home to country folk known as paisas, who welcome visitors to their hills and haunts. Culinary specialties include mazamorra, a sweet soup of white corn, milk, and a dash of cane sugar. Visit a hacienda on an agro-tour and you may soon find yourself wearing a traditional poncho and straw hat and, of course, sipping a cup.
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SAN ANDRÉS AND PROVIDENCIA: The Tropical Paradise
For restorative power there is nothing like the sea. Add a white sandy beach, gentle ocean breezes, lilting palm trees, and a coral reef attended by tropical fish and you can already feel yourself breathing to a stress-free rhythm. The Caribbean island of San Andrés is surrounded by protected waters that vary in hue with the coral beneath. Locals can point out all the distinct shades of blue, or they simply call it the Sea of Seven Colors.
Snorkelers and divers revel in the island’s clear waters, home to a palette of colorful fish, corals, and crustaceans, as well as dolphins and turtles. The one-meter-deep “aquarium” area is a natural swimming and snorkeling pool enclosed by coral; you can explore to your heart’s content. Abundant seafood tops the billing at island restaurants, often to the accompaniment of live music on the patio.
As the sun goes down, be sure to feel the rhythm and distinct tingle of San Andrés nightlife. The local music is an irresistible blend between reggae, African beats and the music of the day. The sounds will bring you to your feet and have you dancing in the streets.
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LLANOS ORIENTALES: The Adventurer’s Playground
What lies between the mountains and the jungle? Los llanos, the vast eastern plains, providing the stage and setting for a way of life little changed over the centuries. Colombian cowboys are the stars of the show in this gorgeous scenery, along with their horses and cattle, the region’s rare wildlife, and its striking sunsets. The orchestra would be the rhythms and melodies of joropo – the harp, maracas and a tiny cuatro guitar – which will transport to a long time gone.
Starting in the city of Villavicencio, the “Door to the Llanos,” you’ll learn what you need to get you going. Then open the door, and step out onto the grassy savannas. Your ecotour or outdoor adventure should include the Caño Cristales, a river flickering in swirls of red, pink, yellow, green, and blue, thanks to a rare aquatic plant. Regional cuisine centers on the renowned barbecued beef and the sudado criollo, a stew of chicken, potatoes, and vegetables served in a plantain leaf. Or try the chachama, a local fish that’s grilled or “sweated” over low heat.
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PACÍFICO: The Roots of Heritage
Where the tropical rainforest meets the wide Pacific Ocean, an ancient indigenous culture keeps African traditions alive in music, food, and lifestyle. Picture long empty stretches of gorgeous beach perfect for surfing, waterskiing, and just loafing. This delightful region centers on the department of Chacó, and among great beach spots are the town of Nuquí and Gorgona and Malpelo Islands. Besides watersports, the region offers prime whale-watching, as hundreds of the giant mammals arrive off the coast every year from August to October.
The spirit of Pacífico comes to full fruition during its many festivals, including San Pacho and the Petronio Alvarez festival. At these events and at other times of year you’re sure to hear the regional rhythms of curralao and taborito, played on the marimba, the tambora, and cununo drums. Relax after a delicious dinner fresh from the sea, let your feet find the beat, and feel suffused with the harmonious blend of African and Colombian rhythms.
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Interested in more? Read the report "Music is the New Gastronomy", a guide to connect the music and tourism of Colombia. Then discover a melodic journey through northern Colombia here in THE BIRDERS.