Colombia

Key facts

• Region: South America — Sovereign states
• Capital: Bogotá
• Currency: Colombian peso (COP)
• Languages: Spanish (plus indigenous languages in the Amazon, Orinoquía and Pacific regions)
• Main airport: BOG — El Dorado International Airport, serving Bogotá
• Best time to visit: December to March and July to August, the driest windows; the Caribbean coast is best December to April

Overview

Colombia has become one of South America's most rewarding destinations, with Caribbean and Pacific coasts, three Andean ranges and Amazon lowlands within its borders. It is the only South American country with both a Caribbean and a Pacific coastline, and its coffee region is a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape. Improved security over the past two decades has opened large parts of the country to independent travellers.

Airports

El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Bogotá is the country's main international hub. José María Córdova International Airport (MDE), about 30 km from Medellín, serves the Antioquia region. Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG) serves Cartagena, and Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) serves Barranquilla. Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport (CLO) serves Cali, and Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport (ADZ) serves San Andrés island.

Main cities

Bogotá is the high-altitude capital, with the Gold Museum, the colonial quarter of La Candelaria and the Monserrate sanctuary. Medellín is known for its cable cars, mild climate and transformed hillside neighbourhoods. Cartagena's walled old town is the country's most visited historic city. Cali is the centre of Colombian salsa, and Barranquilla hosts the country's biggest carnival. Santa Marta is the coastal base for Tayrona National Park and the Sierra Nevada.

Places to go

Cartagena's walled city and the nearby Rosario Islands are the classic Caribbean combination. Tayrona National Park east of Santa Marta mixes jungle and beaches, and the Ciudad Perdida (Lost City) is a multi-day trek inland. The Coffee Cultural Landscape around Salento and the Valle de Cocora in Quindío is the heart of the coffee region. Caño Cristales, known as the river of five colours, is reachable in season from La Macarena. The Amazon town of Leticia on the southern border gives access to the rainforest.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Colombia, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked