COLOMBIA: 14 Days
TRAVEL DATES: 01 JUL to 14 JUL 2023 // Bogota, Quindio, Salento, Medellín, Santa Marta & Cartagena, Colombia
I first got a taste of Colombia while working near Bogota (over ten years ago) and since then it has been on my list to go back and explore more. This time around, Travis couldn’t join me and I didn’t want to travel alone so I did some research and found a travel company that caters to creating trips for 30-40 year olds. I took a chance of traveling with strangers and joined Indico Travels Colorful Colombia trip. WOW! What a wonderful adventure I had exploring this beautiful country and becoming life-long friends with all the ladies I met on the trip. Below are the details of our two week adventure with some of my favorite photos. I am looking forward to using Indico Travels again someday soon! As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
14 DAYS COLORFUL COLOMBIA DAY BY DAY:
DAY ONE - Explore Bogotá, Colombia and welcome dinner
DAY TWO - Bike tour & explore Bogotá
DAY THREE - Arrive in “Coffee Triangle”, Quindío department
DAY FOUR - Horseback riding in the coffee triangle
DAY FIVE - Wax palms at Valle de Cocora + Salento
DAY SIX - Coffee tour + fly to Medellín
DAY SEVEN - Medellín city tour + Comuna 13
DAY EIGHT - Day trip to Guatapé
DAY NINE - Arrive in Santa Marta
DAY TEN - Explore Tayrona National Park
DAY ELEVEN - Arrive in Cartagena
DAY TWELVE - City tour of Cartagena
DAY THIRTEEN - Tropical Islands tour on a boat
DAY FOURTEEN - Last day to explore Cartagena and fly home
WHY VISIT COLOMBIA?: Colombia is an emerging destination, enjoying stability and economic prosperity after decades of turbulence and conflict. It’s ranked the second most biodiverse country in the world. It has a diversity of landscape from the Caribbean coast, Andes mountains, the coffee triangle, large cities, colonial towns and massive Amazon jungle. It is the only country in South America that has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Colombia truly is a colorful country that is relatively undiscovered by tourists (except Cartagena), has some of the most happiest and friendliest people and honestly, truly exceeded my travel expectations.
WHEN TO VISIT COLOMBIA?: The best time to visit Colombia is said to be between December and March. However, there are many different regions in Colombia, so it is best to do research on the region you plan to visit before booking your trip. Some parts of the country have the same weather year-round. This post has some great information listed by month as well as the best weather by regions. Traveling in July was perfect in my opinion, as the cities we visited the weather temperature doesn’t change much doing the year.
GETTING TO COLOMBIA + VISAS: I love using Skyscanner to research all flight options no matter where I am flying from, or what my destination is. If you are a USA citizen a visa is not required for stays 90 days or less. USA’s TRAVEL STATE GOV has all the needed information about entry, vaccines, safety and more. It is mandatory 72 hours before you enter and exit Colombia to fill out their Check-Mig form.
THE TRAVEL STATE GOV SITE SAYS TO AVOID TRAVEL: Yes, I am well aware that the travel advisory for Colombia (from the USA government) has been a level three, Reconsider Travel, for a long time now. Traveling to Colombia was a risk I was willing to take. I talked to many friends in South America who had already visited Colombia and I felt like it would be safe if I traveled with a group and was extra aware of my surroundings.
STAYING SAFE IN COLOMBIA: Although kidnappings and killings of tourists are more rare now, there is still a high risk of petty theft. I am not an expert on this, but here are some obvious rules to follow to avoid being a target:
Don’t carry a lot of cash with you and only bring out one credit card and a form of ID. If you do get robbed, give up the cash and cards you have, do not put up a fight!!
Don’t carry around your passport - keep this and other valuables in the safe in your hotel.
Don’t wear flashy jewelry or watches.
Keep your purse and backpack in front of you when walking around.
You are much safer walking with a group or more than one person, than by yourself.
Avoid walking around or traveling at night.
Don’t stand out by talking super loud in English.
Avoid taking your phone out or being a target by not paying attention to your surroundings. If you do need to check your phone, put your back against a wall or have your friend keep an eye on the people around you.
Pre-plan what you want to do and where you want to go before you adventure out to avoid getting lost in a bad area of town.
Don’t be afraid to ask your hotel where are the safe areas or best way to get from “A to B.”
Do not flag a cab down from the street, have your hotel or restaurant call one for you.
Negotiate the price from a cab before you travel with them. Confirm it is in the local currency and not USD.
When there is the option to Uber, this tends to be the safer form of travel.
For extra safety between cities it is often safer to hire a private driver than take public transportation.
The best advice anyone has ever given me for traveling is: “Don’t act like a local.” I take this into consideration anytime I am in a new place I am unfamiliar with. I like to explore, but I also don’t risk my safety by walking down some cool looking alley or adventuring into a neighborhood that is off the beaten path. This is the time to “stay on the beaten path.”
DID I FEEL SAFE IN COLOMBIA?: During and after my trip this was the number one question people asked me. The answer is: YES, I felt safe. I followed all the rules above and was extra aware of my surroundings. Bogotá was the city I felt the least safe, but we made sure to always be in a group and get back to the hotel before sunset for extra safety. I have been to many other countries in South America and felt just as safe in Colombia as I did in the other countries I have visited.
DON’T FORGET TO PACK: Make sure you add these to your luggage, if you don’t already travel with them:
Rain jacket or umbrella (it would randomly rain out of nowhere)
Sunscreen - the sun in South America is STRONG. Don’t mess with it. If you don’t want to pack it, you can easily buy some at any Farmacia.
Good walking shoes for city walks and exploring.
Medicine for the common cold and stomach issues
Electrolytes (these are super useful if traveling to higher altitudes)
USEFUL INFORMATION FOR COLOMBIA:
Transportation: Ubers are somehwat illegal in Colombia. However, you can still use the app and find Uber drivers. You just need to sit in the front seat, so it is not obvious you are in an Uber. We used Ubers many times instead of Taxi’s because we were told the Taxi’s will charge you a lot more as a foreigner.
Money: There are ATM’S at every airport and I never had trouble finding one in the larger cities. I always use ATM’S to withdraw cash in the local currency (except in Argentina - read my Argentina post on why). I also bring a few $100 USD as a backup in case I cannot get cash out I can go to a cambio and exchange it.
Drinking water: Some of the cities in Colombia claim they have safe water. I just played it safe and drank bottled water everywhere. Often even if the water is “safe” there are different minerals in the water that can upset sensitive stomachs. I also used bottled water to brush my teeth.
Eating at cafes + restaurants: A friendly reminder that restaurants in Colombia (and most of South America) are slow moving and they take their time. The food does not always come out together, you may even get your drinks after your meal. Just have patience and don’t expect anything to be fast. You can easily spend up to two hours at a table for dinner. You usually have to ask for your bill (la cuenta por favor) as they don’t bring it to you. If you are worried about getting sick - make sure to eat only cooked food and avoid anything that could be washed in the local water (like veggies).
Phones: We still have our American phone numbers with T-mobile. They offer free international usage in over 200 countries and it’s such a breeze to be able to land in a new country and instantly use our phones. I got service in most of the country.
If you live in South America, you already know this, but if you are coming from United States - Download WhatsApp. You use your own cell number. It is the most used form of communication in South America. You can text restaurants, taxis, guides etc.
E-SIM cards are another option some people use to have a local number. I don’t know much about this though.
APPS: WhatsApp is a must and if you are feeling adventurous download Rappi an app that delivers food, drinks, groceries and more to your location. Google translate or SpanishDict is also very helpful as not everyone speaks English and you often need to know some basic Spanish to communicate.
01 JUL 23 - EXPLORE BOGOTÁ
Located at over 8,000 feet, BOGOTÁ is the capital of and largest city in Colombia. Don’t forget to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated at the higher elevation. There is plenty you don’t want to miss out on while visiting Bogotá, here is a fantastic guide on things to do.
WHERE WE STAYED IN BOGOTÁ: Our group stayed at BH BICENTENARIO located in the heart of Bogotá’s historical center. It was a nice hotel for the cost, had 24hr security, and was close walking distance to everything we had interest in exploring.
Nomadic Matt has a great blog on the different areas to stay in Bogotá.
My first day in Bogotá, I started the morning off by joining War & Peace Tour, a free walking tour, which was all about the history of Colombia. It was a lot of history (over 3 hours with a coffee break), but it was very informative! Beyond Colombia is one of the many tour companies that offers tours based on tips only. We picked this company because they had English tours.
The best (and most popular) place to enjoy unparalleled views of all of Bogotá is by visiting Cerro de Monserrate. You can get to the top of this mountain by paying for the cable car or funicular railway (one way or round trip). If you’re up for some exercise and have the time, you can get there for free by hiking up/down the mountainside. Check out this ultimate guide for more information.
On the walk back to the hotel I stopped to get a photo in front of the Bogotá sign! If you have been following my blog posts, you know I am all about these letter signs, because “Miranda was here!”
02 JUL 23 - EXPLORE BOGOTÁ
You can’t miss out on the opportunity of biking through Bogotá on a Sunday morning. Every Sunday morning and on holidays (from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm) they close over 75 miles of the city streets to cars and open it up for the public to be active by walking, biking, running etc. Known as Ciclovia, it is one of the favorite weekend plans for residents and there are hundreds of people out enjoying the open street.
We used BOGOTA BIKE TOURS and spent the morning biking over 9 miles through the city.
We saw some city highlights like: Plaza de Bolivar, where Colombian independence was proclaimed. We tried fruit at Mercado de Paloquemao food market, and saw plenty of colorful graffiti.
Bogotá, and much of the country, is covered in graffiti. There is a history as to why it has evolved into what it is today, starting with the outrage of the killing of Diego Felipe Becerra. We saw a lot of graffiti on our bike tour and if we had time I would have definitely done a graffiti walking tour to learn more about the purpose, meaning and artists behind the artwork throughout the city.
We stopped at CAFE DE LA FONDA to learn about the coffee making process in Colombia and sip on our own coffee. A nice break during the bike ride.
I can’t emphasize enough how cool it was to bike the main streets of Bogotá. After our tour we went back to the bike shop and learned how to play the local game, Tejo. You throw a metal disk at a board covered in clay with hopes of hitting the small triangle targets full of gunpowder!
We wrapped up our evening by visiting Museo del Oro (The Gold Museum). I recommend visiting this if you have interest in gold or history, but avoid going on a Sunday, because the tickets are free and it was way too packed with people to truly enjoy the museum.
We then did some shopping and walked over to Chorro de Quevedo. This lively part of town has plenty of bars and restaurants around a plaza and small alleyway. It’s a great place to walk around if you have some extra time and get a drink.
I highly recommend visiting BOTERO MUSEUM which is a free museum that features works by Fernando Botero and other global artists. We had a little bit of time to step inside this museum before flying out the same day.
Last time I was in Bogota we did The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá (2 hour trip from the city). It is an underground Roman Catholic church built within the tunnels of a salt mine. It’s a tourist destination and place of pilgrimage in the country and a very unique experience.
Two days in Bogotá was just the right amount of time to get a taste of the highlights. One could easily spend more time here diving into more museums and walking through the neighborhoods. Nomadic Matt has a great list of things to do and input on the city.
03 JUL 23 - ARRIVE IN “COFFEE TRIANGLE”
The Colombian coffee region, also known as the Coffee Triangle is a part of the Paisa region in the rural area of Colombia. It is famous for growing and producing the majority of Colombian coffee. There are four departments in the area: Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda and Tolima.
Uncover Colombia dives deeper into this region and has details on all the things you can do when visiting the coffee triangle. We focused on exploring the Quindío department.
TRANSPORTATION IN QUINDÍO: When landing in Armenia you can rent a car and drive on your own, or hire a personal driver since they know the roads best. There is also public transportation if you are feeling adventurous enough to figure out the bus system. The most popular form of transportation are WILLYS which are old jeeps that act as urban buses and fit up to 14 people.
MONEY IN QUINDÍO: Cash is still the preferred method of payment in most of the little mountain towns throughout the coffee triangle, so make sure you have cash on you in case they don’t take credit cards. We made sure to withdraw a good amount at the ATM at the airport.
We flew from Bogotá to Armenia to start exploring the Quindío department in Western Colombia. After driving through the windy mountain roads, our first stop was to visit the “slow city” of Pijao, which appears to still be untouched by an overload of tourists.
We walked around the streets, enjoyed the colorful pueblos and tried the local food, arepa.
We then made our way to SAN ALBERTO BUENAVISTA Terrace Cafe which is a little cafe nestled on the hillside. It has some of the most incredible views of the lush green mountains and valleys. Although pricey for locals, it’s a great stopping point for sunset and you must try their signature drink: Sparkling Honey with Gin.
WHERE WE STAYED IN QUINDÍO: We spent the first two nights in the coffee triangle staying at a a traditional countryside Finca. We had to drive down a dirt road through banana trees to access the property! La Finca San Diego is one of the many fincas you can find in the area to stay at. Yolanda was a lovely host, who with the help of William (the grounds keeper) made us home-cooked meals for breakfast and dinner. We had the luxury of a nice pool and outside area to relax. I truly loved this experience and I always tell everyone traveling to South America to not miss out on staying at an estancia/finca.
04 JUL 23 - HORSEBACK RIDING
After eating a hearty breakfast, cooked by William and Yolanda, we drove to EL CARMELO CABALGATAS for a horseback riding adventure. The vistas were straight out of a magazine. I still can’t get over how green and lush everything was.
After our morning horseback riding, we returned to our finca to relax for the evening and take advantage of the nice pool. It was our last night at the finca before heading to our next city in Quindío department, Salento.
05 JUL 23 - VALLE DEL COCORA & SALENTO
We arrived at Valle del Cocora and spent two hours hiking around the tallest palm trees in the world, the wax palm trees.
These quirky-looking palm trees can grow up to 200 feet tall and are pretty incredible to see in person. Learn more about hiking Cocora Valley here.
Don’t miss out on all the mirador viewpoints along the path. They are easily marked and give you some great views of the total valley and tall palm trees. Here is more information on your hiking options and exploring Valle del Cocora.
After our nice morning workout amongst these giants (hiking at any major elevation above 5,000 feet definitely gets my heart pumping) we jumped in a Willy and made our way to Salento.
Salento is such a cute and COLORFUL town! It is a tourist highlight and busy with people, but it is still very easy to enjoy this town even with the crowds. We spent the afternoon walking the rainbow colored streets and jumping in and out of all the little stores along the way. You can find some really great artisanal handcrafts and souvenirs here. On one of the side streets we found a local designer, Jerfo, and bought one of his fun shirts.
There are plenty of coffee shops to sit and enjoy a drink as well as bars and restaurants. We ate a local dish at this lunch spot: DONDE LAURITA EN SALENTO. The restaurant is very unique with tons of decorations and the food was delicious.
The Coffee Triangle is definitely a place to visit if you appreciate quaint, colorful pueblos bursting with tradition and culture.
If you are feeling up for it, there is a fantastic viewpoint you can access at the end of the calle real main street and by walking up 200+ stairs. We were too exhausted from our morning hike to partake.
We wrapped up our evening by sipping on local Colombia beer and playing some more Tejo at CANCHA DE TEJO LOS AMIGOS.
We only had half an afternoon in Salento, and I could have spent more time there just people watching from a bar. I think if you could spend the night in Salento you truly would get a 24 hr experience of this colorful town. For more ideas on things to do, I love this blog post on 10 best things to do in Salento and this blog post by Zoe Goes Places.
WHERE WE STAYED IN SALENTO: We spent our third night in Quindío at HOTEL MIRADOR DE BOQUIA SALENTO. It was such a charming hotel, located just outside the city and along a river.
06 JUL 23 - COFFEE TOUR & FLY TO MEDELLÍN
You can’t visit the coffee triangle without visiting a coffee plantation and learning all about COFFEE! We did a two hour english tour at FINCA EL OCASO SALENTO.
This tour explained the step by step process of growing coffee and the fruit selection (red or yellow fruits). We were given a basket and some time to pick the perfect ripe coffee fruit!
I had no idea how much work and time goes into growing coffee. Each fruit yields two coffee beans and I got lucky to pick a peabody which had one coffee bean - and is of course more caffeinated.
We learned about the drying process and how to make a perfect cup of coffee! Then finished the tour with a cup of delicious coffee.
After our coffee plantation tour we jumped on a plane to fly to Medellín. Get a window seat, if you can, landing at the local airport between the tall buildings, surrounded by large green mountains was quite a sight to see.
Upon arrival to Medellín we checked into our hotel and headed over to SON HAVANA BAR where every Thursday they have free salsa lessons!
WHERE WE STAYED IN MEDELLÍN: HOTEL GOLDEN PALERMO is located in the Laureles part of the city, which is a great area to stay with tons of food and drink options within walking distance. The staff was very nice at this hotel, but I wasn’t crazy about the room or layout of the hotel. So personally, I would aim to find another, nicer hotel in this area while visiting Medellín. Another nice area to stay in is El Poblado.
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK IN MEDELLÍN: There are a lot of great options for food in this city and they make some great cocktails. You are always better off making reservations in advance. This is the list of recommendations from our guide:
Alambique***
OCI
Carmen***
El Cielo
El Botanico
Crepes & Waffles
La Matriarca
La Tanguería (Tango show)
Envy Rooftop***
Panorama Rooftop
07 JUL 23 - EXPLORE MEDELLÍN + COMUNA 13
Medellín was by far my favorite city we visited in Colombia. It’s a known fact that it use to be one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The sad, brutal history is there and they don’t avoid talking about it, but they have turned a corner and I was quite surprised by this forward-thinking city and all their innovation to help the people of their city (see our cablecar ride below). We only had two days here, but I could have easily spent a lot more time exploring Medellín.
We started our morning learning more about the history of Colombia at MUSEO CASA DE LA MEMORIA. This museum is free and really dives into the timeline of conflict throughout Colombia and should be on the top of your list to visit. It gives insight into Medellín's violent past and reflects on forgiveness and steps towards a more peaceful future for the city. It also has a memory space that stays on 24/7, even when the museum is closed. This memory room is tough to see, but is a very important memorial to the victims.
We then walked around PLAZA BOTERO which is an outdoor plaza that showcases 23 sculptures by artist, Fernando Botero (who was born in Medellín). I of course had to get a photo in front of the MEDELLÍN Letters!
One of the most interesting and educational parts of our city tour was exploring Comuna 13. There are plenty of tour companies out there to choose from, and I would hands down choose one where you take the cable cars too.
We started our tour by riding the metro cable cars to the top of the mountainside, while listening to our guide talk about the history and violence. These cable cars were built so that the local people can have access to the main city for work, healthcare and education. It also gives you the opportunity to see how massive in size Medellín is.
Comuna 13 was one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the world and now it’s become an area that has daily tours to teach people about the history, art, and life. We walked through the small alley’s and down the escalators that connect the neighborhoods (another fabulous innovation so locals can easily get from one neighborhood to another).
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to slide down the famous slide which was constructed to commemorate Sergio Cespedes, a young boy killed by a stray bullet in the violence that englufed Comuna 13. A reminder to enjoy your youth.
We stopped to get some delicious and fresh mango ice-cream and watched breakdancers. Our tour was quick, and if I had more time I would have shopped the neon art and gifts everywhere and also stop to have a drink and people watch (one of my favorite activities). If you can find the time, spend at least half a day here. Want to learn more? - I really like this blog by LIFE BEYOND HOME which has more in-depth information on Comuna 13.
We then drove to CASA KOLACHO to learn about the community of art, dance and graffiti that is evident throughout Medellín and to have a try at our own graffiti art. Our tour had so much information I could write paragraphs about it!
I have traveled all over the world and nothing compares to this part of the city in it’s history, growth and the profound affect it had on me to learn about this neighborhood while walking through it. A MUST!
08 JUL 23 - EXPLORE GUATAPÉ
We did a day trip to Guatapé and climbed the popular Piedra del Peñol with a total of 708 steps to the top. This rock is approximately 65 million years old, the tallest in the area and offers amazing views of the reservoir and city below.
We then explored the vibrantly painted city - which by far was the most colorful city we visited this whole trip! So of course I was obsessed with this town.
They decorate the bottom of the houses and businesses with fresco-like panels called “zocalos.” It was fun to discover all the different artistic designs on the buildings.
09 JUL 23 - GOODBYE MEDELLÍN, HELLO SANTA MARTA
Before leaving Medellín we did a quick morning e-bike tour, which offered city views and we stopped to taste a Salpicón de frutas.
Then we jumped on a plane to land at Simón Bolivar International Airport in Santa Marta. Located in the Magdalena department of Colombia, and along the Caribbean Sea. We arrived to our eco lodge just in time to walk down to the beach and see the sunset.
WHERE WE STAYED IN SANTA MARTA: Located about 1.5 hrs from the airport is an eco hotel with Costa Rica Vibes: FINCA LA JORARA ECO HOTEL. My favorite part, besides all the hammocks, they have four ridgeback dogs that hang around the lodge!
10 JUL 23 - TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK
TAYRONA NATIONAL PARK is one of the major highlights of Santa Marta because of it’s incredible beaches. You can stay at a hotel near the entrance or even camp inside the park. We did a full day trip where we hiked in for about an hour to the second major beach Playa la Piscina.
Here we had lunch at this little hut - where you get to pick out which fish you want. It was a great place to hang out for the day since there was plenty of shade. That South American sun is legit hot!
Santa Marta is definitely hot so we spent a lot of time relaxing in the water and enjoying the pretty beach before we made our way back to our eco lodge for the night.
We were feeling more of a relaxing day in the water, but if you want to keep walking there are more beaches along the trail, like this beautiful one: CABO SAN JUAN BEACH.
We decided to pay for horses on the way back to go on a different trail and not hike in the heat, but I would not recommend doing this. They don’t provide helmets and the horses seemed like they were very hot (just like us!). We all were very unhappy with this decision.
Tayrona National Park does get very busy, so it is best to get there early. There are also fees to enter the park. This is the official website for Tayrona. This blog has a lot more details on the park which can help you plan your adventure. AND as always, I often book tours through VIATOR as they have a lot of options and often take care of all the details for you.
On our drive back to our lodge we stopped to purchase some purses from the local indigenous people. You’ll see tons of little huts along the road and these are the best priced mochillas if you are interested in purchasing one.
11 JUL 23 - LA BOQUILLA + CARTAGENA
We said goodbye to Santa Marta and drove seven hours to arrive just outside Cartagena. On the outskirts of the touristy parts of Cartagena is a fishing village, La Boquilla, where you can support the local population by booking an eco tour. We started the tour by jumping in a canoe and learning about the local fisherman’s life while paddling through the mangroves.
Then we canoed up to a local house where we sipped on some local beer and took a cooking class. We made fish, plantains, salad and coconut rice which we had for a late lunch before jumping back in our van and heading to our hotel in Cartagena.
It was very eye-opening to see how a lot of the local population lives. So often we travel to these tourist destinations and don’t have any idea what life is really like for the people that live there.
We then arrived to our hotel in CARTAGENA and went out for a few drinks before tucking in for the night.
WHERE WE STAYED: Located in the trendy Getsemaní district, HOTEL CASA MARA is a three star hotel with a small rooftop pool. Half of us liked the hotel and half of us didn’t. I loved the location as it was super easy to walk everywhere and the staff was very friendly.
The best places to stay in Cartagena, based on your budget, would be Historic City Center or Walled City (Centro Historico) and Getsemaní. Everything is super walkable so you can’t go wrong choosing these areas. Here’s a blog from a local about where to stay.
WHERE TO DRINK IN CARTAGENA: There are a lot of cocktail bars to choose from. These were the recommendations from our guides. Make sure to reserve a table online or through WhatsApp so you’re guaranteed a table:
Townhouse
Movich Hotel
Mirador
Alquímico
WHERE TO EAT IN CARTAGENA: We quickly discovered you need to make a reservation for the places that have good food or great views. We weren’t able to get into every restaurant because we did not make reservations far enough in advance. This is the list of recommendations from our guide:
La cevicheria
1621
Celelé
Candé
La Mulata
Ana
Pezetarian
La Picua
El Arsenal: The Rum Box** We ate here - highly recommend!
12 JUL 23 - EXPLORE CARTAGENA
Today we had a free day with our tour company so we hired a local guide to give us a tour of all the highlights of Cartagena. We wanted to see as much as possible in one day. You can find tours on VIATOR or message Alvarito (our guide) on WhatsApp to set up your own tour.
First stop was CONVENTO DE SANTA CRUZ DE LA POPA. Located at the highest point in Cartagena you can see panoramic views of the city and it’s a beautiful covenant with tons of history.
From there we took the van to CASTILLO DE SAN FELIPE DE BARAJAS. This fortress offers great views and has a complex tunnel system that was fun to explore. If you forget to pack water they have a little store at the top where you can buy water or gatorade to re-hydrate.
We drove to a great viewpoint of the Cartagena skyline and then made our way inside the walled city to walk the old historic town full of colorful buildings and plenty of shops. We exited by the well-known MONUMENTO TORRE RELOJ (The clocktower) and made our way back to the Getsemaní district where our hotel was.
We drank some cocktails at MIRADOR GASTRO BAR and watched the sunset with great views of the clocktower.
13 JUL 23 - BOAT TO ISLA DEL ROSARIO
You can’t travel to Cartagena without taking a speedboat to the islands located in the Caribbean Sea. We stopped to swim and cool off in the water. Then we docked at Isabela where we had lunch and relaxed at the beach. It was so hot, we spent most of the time in the water and in the shade of our reserved seats.
14 JUL 23 - ADIOS CARTAGENA
We spent the morning doing some last minute shopping and then I headed to the airport to make my way back to Montevideo, Uruguay.
I have to say out of all of the cities we visited, Cartagena was probably my least favorite. I know, it’s wild to say that, but it was so hot - and we were told it is always humid and hot and I know after living in Key West, FL that humidity is not my favorite. It also was super touristy! I found all the other towns in Colombia to be super charming, and everyone to be very welcoming. I quickly got over all the street vendors trying to sell things and pushing them in my face constantly. The prices for food and drinks were the highest here too!
Our trip throughout COLOMBIA truly was beautiful. I loved the people and all the cities we visited. Two weeks was not enough to see everything, and I hope one day I can return to explore more. Super thankful for an amazing guide, Jose Murillo. I highly recommend contacting him if you would like a private tour guide via above WhatsApp or instagram @maoketravel.
And for all you visual lovers, like me - here is a map of all the cities we visited. As you can see we really got to see a lot of Colombia in two weeks!
Useful websites & blogs I found on Colombia:
Colombia Travel is the official tourism website of the Republic of Colombia
Be Sabine advice from a “local” who has been living in Colombia since 2014
Uncover Colombia has a lot of great information and you can book tours here
Wheatless Wanderlust on how to plan your Colombia Itinerary.
Nomadic Matt has fun tips and ideas for Colombia.
THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED BASED ON MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I AM NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OF THE LINKS, HOTELS OR TOURS. THESE ARE MY PERSONAL OPINIONS AND ALL FACTS, DETAILS, INFORMATION ABOVE COULD CHANGE WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF COPYING THIS ITINERARY DOES NOT GO EXACTLY AS PLANNED OUT ABOVE.