Colombia
The reputation is thirty years out of date. Check advice, then go
Population
53m people
Currency
Colombian Peso
Main Language
Spanish
best time to visit
December – March and July – August
Climate
Tropical on the coasts, temperate in the Andean cities, no real seasons
Visa
Visa free for up to 90 days for UK, EU, US and most Western visitors
Country overview
Colombia spent decades as a byword for danger and has spent the last fifteen years becoming one of the most popular destinations in South America. That transformation is real, though it is not uniform: some border and rural regions still carry serious advisories, so check current government guidance and stick to the well-travelled areas.
Medellin is the emblem of the change, a city in a valley that went from the most dangerous in the world to a case study in urban planning, with cable cars connecting hillside barrios and a genuinely excellent climate that has earned it the nickname city of eternal spring. Bogota is higher, cooler and greyer, with the best museums.
Cartagena on the Caribbean coast is the postcard: a walled colonial city of bougainvillea and balconies, hot and heavily visited. Beyond it, the Lost City trek goes to a pre-Columbian site older than Machu Picchu, the coffee region is green and hilly, and Cano Cristales is a river that turns red, yellow and green for a few months a year.
Annual events and festivals
- Carnaval de Barranquilla (Feb-Mar) — the second largest carnival in the world after Rio. UNESCO listed.
- Feria de las Flores, Medellin (Aug) — the silleteros parade, where farmers carry enormous flower arrangements on their backs.
- Feria de Cali (Dec) — salsa capital of the world doing what it does best for a week.
- Carnaval de Negros y Blancos, Pasto (Jan) — UNESCO listed, with talc and paint thrown over three days.
- Festival Vallenato, Valledupar (Apr) — the accordion-driven music of the Caribbean coast, competitively played.
- Semana Santa, Popayan (Mar-Apr) — night processions running since the 16th century. UNESCO listed.
- Rock al Parque, Bogota (Jun-Jul) — one of the largest free rock festivals in Latin America.
- Independence Day (20 Jul) — marks the 1810 declaration.
- Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro (Mar-Apr, biennial) — one of the biggest theatre festivals in the world.
- Hay Festival Cartagena (Jan) — a well-regarded literary festival in the walled city.