It’s crazy to say that Colombia once was my home. For ten months, I was living and teaching in Pereira, in the coffee region of Risaralda. Having spent almost a year in this beautiful country, I thought I should spill out my knowledge of the places I’ve been, all of which are worthy of visiting. Here is a list of places, from the touristy to the mostly unknown – how to get there and what to see. Colombia has so much to offer, and I hope you enjoy its passionate people, colorful cities, and luscious jungles.

Medellín

I loved this lively and growing city that sits in a wide valley. Once, while sipping on a cocktail on my friend’s rooftop party watching the blazing sunset, I thought about how it looked like the city was crawling up the valley walls, slowly spilling into a gold river as the city lights began to turn on. Medellín is unique in that it used to be one of the world’s most dangerous cities and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations. It is home to several expats, adding to its growth as a cosmopolitan city.

I found Medellín to be an easy city to get by in, due to its efficient metro system. I actually enjoyed riding the metro as it rose up high, giving you great views of the city. Hostels offer great tours, but I was easily able to give myself a tour of Medellín. I took myself to the Botanical Gardens, which is free and fun to roam around. The gardens have restaurants to sit at, shops to visit, and a butterfly sanctuary. They even hold concerts under its modernly designed canopies that look like trees from space.

You can take the metro to the very end where you can hop on the cable cars that take you up to Parque Arví, which lies high above the city. The cable cars ride over the city’s outskirts, where you’ll be pleased to discover colorful graffiti art decorating tin roofs. You then cross over wild jungle plants of different colors and textures before landing at the park. On Sunday’s, an artsy market is held near the cable car exit. You can also find a delicious vegetarian restaurant with cute benches to sit at to enjoy the fresh air. Pay attention to the time when you visit the park. At around 2pm the city typically experiences its daily rain so the cable cars will temporarily shut down, making you wait in a chaotically long line until it starts up again.

If you take the metro at the opposite end, you can visit the graffiti art neighborhood of the city. At La Communa 13, you can take seemingly misplaced escalators (due to the quiet, older neighborhood) up to the top, enjoying gorgeous graffiti walls along the way. This used to be one of Medellín’s most dangerous neighborhoods, so its suggested to go here by tour. I took a cab from the metro and went here by myself, and I did not feel like I was in any danger.

For the nightlife and western comforts, there is the beautiful neighborhood of El Poblado. This is also where you probably will book your hostel. The streets are dotted with hostels here and there. In fact, I didn’t even book a hostel – I just showed up at one.

I hope you fall in love with this city like I did!

Guatapé

Just about an hour and a half outside Medellín lies Guatapé. Many hostels in the city will offer day tours, but I spent a weekend there to enjoy the quiet. You can take a bus from the city, or if you’re avoiding Medellín, there is an airport up above the city from which you can take a shorter bus ride. I stayed at Galería Guatape Hostel (ask the bus driver to stop at La Mona Restaurant and then follow the road off to the right to the hostel). It had a lovely cabin feel to it and lays right outside of town. You can easily catch a jeep into town from the side of the road, or take a tuk tuk back from town to the hostel (the jeep is cheaper).

Guatapé is a pretty town to wonder around, with uniquely designed buildings, all decorated in various colored woodwork. There are lots of shopping in town, little cafes and along the lake boardwalk there will be guys offering boat tours around the lake. If you didn’t already know, Guatapé is different from other lakes, spotted with little islands of green from the purposeful flood that took out the town of El Peñol in the 1970s. From the boat you will be able to see one of Pablo Escobar’s mansions (which you can now paintball in!) and visit the museum about the history of Guatapé. And of course you can’t miss the 740 steps up the huge rock that overlooks the town. From the top, you can take in incredible views which make the trek up oh so worth it.

Salento

Salento is a beautiful little Colombian town 45 minutes away from Pereira (my city!) You can fly into Pereira and then catch an easy 45-minute bus ride. Salento is known for Valle de Corcora, which is dotted with towering palms that look like they came right out of a Dr. Suess book. And turns out these particular trees are almost extinct, so you won’t likely see them anywhere else in the world. You can easily catch a jeep to the valley from the center of town. Up in the green mountains, it tends to be chilly and misty so be sure to bring warm clothes and a rain jacket. Be ready for a long hike, but I promise you will enjoy the views and the endless green surrounding you the whole way. At the end you will even come across a little café at the very end of the loop. Get an alfajor for me! (It’s a yummy cookie with dulce de leche in the middle.)

Manizales

 If you’re still in the Riseralda region – as in Salento and Pereira – and have some extra time, Manizales is a nice neighboring city to visit. If you want to see a city that is still very much Colombian, Manizales is a good place. From the bus station, you take a cable car into town, which is a nice introduction to this cliff-side place.

Along the edge of the city you can find beautiful views of green mountains, and several restaurants with local Colombian dishes. You will also find a beautiful cathedral and a Plaza de Bolivar in the center. Outside of Manizales, you can take a bus to Recinto de Pensamientos, which is a nice stroll in a park. For some good hikes and even camping, there is Nevado de Ruiz. You have to plan ahead of time for this trip due to a necessary pass to the park, so, unfortunately, I didn’t get to see it. If you’re a hiking fan, I heard Los Nevados are beautiful so definitely take the time!

Cartagena

Cartagena is perhaps the most touristy place in Colombia, a popular spot for both Colombians and travelers. And there’s a reason for it. This city has the most gorgeous colonial neighborhoods, flashing with different creamy yellows, lavenders and white trimmed balconies. Not to mention vine-y flowers crawling along the colorful walls. Honestly, all you need to do is wander. You will find everything this way: the cathedral, clock tower, street performers, street vendors and the many restaurants to choose from. My friend and I wandered at night and felt perfectly safe. Policeman frequently guard several corners, keeping this city traveler-friendly.

For a night out, you have two options: there are several rooftop bars dotted near the clock tower, which will keep going all night; for a more laid back night with friends, many people hang out on the historic fortress walls and buy bottles of aguardiente from the street vendors posted in the area (this is a classic Colombian liquor that will sneakily make you drunk due to its sweetness, so watch out).

I have to be honest, the beach here isn’t so nice. It’s visibly polluted, so I didn’t opt for a swim. But from the end of the land strip near El Laguito, you can take a boat across to the island Tierra Bomba. Here, you can bargain a price for a canopy and several vendors will come by with huge plates of fish. It’s a good way to relax, especially if you’re hungover from the night before.

As for a place to stay, I suggest staying close to Old Town. We made the mistake of staying near El Laguito, which meant taking a taxi into Old Town constantly. Stay close to the clock tower so you can easily walk.

Tayrona National Park

If you’re bummed about Cartagena’s beaches, take a 5-6 hour bus ride down the coast to Tayrona National Park. This means camping on a beautiful beach, far from the city. This also means you have to hike in, but the hike will include walking through forests of palms and climbing up to stunning views of the coastline. Make sure to bring snacks and water because there is only one restaurant available on each beach with closing hours.

There are two entrances into the park. One end goes directly towards the campsites and takes less than 2 hours. We took the less popular entrance that would pass through the archeological site, El Pueblito. We heard that this entrance was less strict with bag checking (you can’t bring in any of your own alcohol). Turns out we took the very, very long way – it took us about 4 hours of hiking. Mind you, we were lugging a huge load with 5 liters of water and food stuffed into our packs. What a trek. Unless you have a light bag, I suggest taking the main entrance at El Zaino for a 2 hour trek at most (depending on where you decide to camp). Although, El Pueblito was definitely a cool spot to see, with natives still residing in the area. You can still take a hike here from your campsite. Make sure to bring your passport to get through the entrance! The entrance fee costs about 42,000 COP (but less if you have your student ID!)

There are a few beaches and campsites but we stayed at El Cabo San Juan, where you can rent a hammock or tent and have a restaurant close by (restaurants are available at Arrecife and La Piscina as well). Hammocks are around $5 dollars whereas tents can be $10-15. There’s even a little hut up on a rock for hammocks, so if you want a beautiful view of the sunset and sunrise, be quick to snag this popular spot. There are also some nice ecolodges available on other beaches in the park if you want to be fancy.

Feel free to wander through little trails to other beaches to get away from the crowds. It’s said that the currents are strong and that swimming is highly precautionary, but you can find spots with shallow water to wade in. Enjoy paradise!

El Chocó

So what about the Pacific side of the Colombian coastline? El Chocó was by far my favorite because it was virtually untouched – no one was there! Apparently all the Colombians on holiday visit the popular destinations, such as Cartagena, leaving this part of Colombia quiet and beautiful. To get here, you can take a tiny airplane from Medellín to Nuquí, from where you’ll take a speedboat towards Guachalito. There are a number of little hotels and homestays right on the beach. In Guachalito, they have termales, or a natural thermal bath to enjoy. There’s even a little stream right next to it if you decide you want to cool down.

For the absolute best way to experience paradise, you can do a yoga retreat here. I was lucky enough to spend five days in paradise with Prana Pacifico Retreats, started up by one of my good friends, Linsey Rankin. The lodging is a boat-like home right on top of a rock island, with a large deck opening up to incredible views of the coastline – this is where you practice yoga everyday. Imagine. Plus you will be fed well here, with everything cooked with so much love and flavor (Linsey loves good food so you will not be disappointed). Besides jungle hikes to a waterfall, the termales, whale watching, and surfing, you will have a bonding experience with the retreat members like no other. If you want to be a kid again, this is the place for you.

For more information on what kind of experience you will have on this magical retreat in Chocó, check out my post here.

Bogotá

Welcome to Colombia’s buzzing capital. When it comes to the two big cities of Colombia, people usually prefer one over another. Some say they prefer Medellín, because there is less traffic and it is warmer than Bogotá. I found that Bogotá had its own charms and absolutely loved it. Yes, it is surprisingly chilly considering the rest of Colombia always has a warm blanket of air, but it added to its character. It’s not too cold, you just need to have a nice jacket (and of course your rain jacket as rain is integral part of Colombia’s culture).

First of all, much of Colombia’s history lies here. You’ll find that the architecture is much more European due to the Spanish colonization. The brick-walled housing were a pleasant surprise, and the ornate designs of Plaza de Bolivar are reminiscent of Spain. There are of course several tours offered in the city, but I took myself on a tour, visiting the historic portion in La Candelaría. There are bus lines you can take (called Transmilenio), which are an experience in itself due to its over-crowdedness. Make sure you know when and where to get off because most likely you’ll need to push through the crowd of people to reach your exit. When you get off the bus, walk in the direction of the mountain, Monserrate. The other direction will take you through the chaos of street vendors – you don’t want that.

Once you’re in La Candelaria, you can wander and enjoy the pretty streets. You will find graffiti decorated walls and historical museums. The Museo de Oro has a free hour tour available Tuesday’s through Saturday’s at 11am and 4pm. My new Israeli friend and I shimmied our way to an alleyway of hippie shops, with colored walls and artistic souvenirs. It was here that we took a break at a local restaurant to try Bogota’s infamous chicha. Chicha is a native drink that was banned when the Spaniards arrived (they wanted natives to be drinking their imported alcohol). Chicha is like fermented corn, and has a sweet but sour taste to it. It’s not to everyone’s liking but you should definitely try it while you’re in Bogotá.

Something you can’t miss is the hike up to Cerro Monserrate. At the edge of the city, past La Candelaria, are steps that steeply reach up to 3,152 metres (10,341 ft). Make sure to drink water because it will be a trek. Be sure to take it easy because the sudden climb in altitude may affect you. After about an hour incline, you will reach a church and a gorgeous view of the city. Food and souvenirs will be available and there will definitely be spots for you to relax after that bit of a workout. If you’re not keen for some heart-thumping exercise, cable cars (or telefericos) are available to take you to the top.

For places to stay, many tourists tend to end up in La Candelaria, due to its vicinity to popular tourist sites. I stayed in the newer part of the city, Chapinero. I think it’s a good idea to have the opportunity to explore different parts of the city, and Chapinero had its charms, near a beautiful cathedral, brick-walled architecture and the nightlife hub of Bogotá (Candelaria is not the best or safest when it comes to nightlife, so I’ve heard). Fulano Backpackers was a fun hostel to stay at because of its mix of travelers and locals. The hostel has a bar downstairs with different music shows depending on the night, attracting locals from the area to interact with (and not to mention there are drink specials, a barbeque and Jenga to play).

San Gil and Barichara

San Gil and Barichara are a part of the beautiful region of Santander. San Gil is known for its extreme sport tours. Hostels in the area will offer deals involving caving, bouldering, rappelling down waterfalls, river rafting, bike riding and even paragliding. The surrounding area is beautiful and lush, but with a drier climate. It was different from the jungles I was used to seeing in other parts of Colombia. Plus, I found myself surrounded by high canyon walls that shot straight up, rather than the rolling hills I’d often seen.

San Gil is the main city while Barichara is a charming little colonial town full of white-walled houses with red-tiled roofs. I only spent time in Barichara but I heard San Gil is nice too. You can easily take a bus from San Gil to Barichara (it takes 25 to 30 minutes).  The last bus leaves at around 6pm, so before then you can walk around and enjoy the restaurants, the church, the architecture and the incredible views from the canyon edge. For some delicious vegetarian options and a cute ambiance, go to Shanti, which is down the street to the right of the church. Starting from the edge of town, there’s a nice hike called “Camino Real de Guane” where you make your way to the bottom of the canyon walls and walk through fields of butterflies and across little streams. The trail will lead you to the little town of Guane, from which you can take a bus back to Barichara. It should take you no more than 2 hours, but be careful – I followed the wrong path and hiked for 3 hours until reaching a tiny town called Cabrera, whose last bus had already left for San Gil (that was quite the adventure). Despite my mishap, the hike was absolutely gorgeous. You get away from the noise of cars or people – although you’ll walk past a few little farms – and you’re surrounded by beautiful landscapes. Don’t miss it, just make sure to check for directions.

To get to San Gil I flew into Bucaramanga, then took a colectivo (a taxi you share with others for a cheaper price) to the bus station. There are a number of buses that go to San Gil, you just need to find one that leaves at the time you prefer. From there, it was about 3 hours to San Gil. The roads were windy which was unsettling to my stomach, but at least the surroundings were pretty. We sometimes cut through the canyon walls, which were smooth and reddish in tone. I decided to stay outside of San Gil at an ecohostel called La Pacha Hostel. It was in the middle of San Gil and Barichara and I could easily hop on a bus from the main road to go either direction. The hostel sat up above San Gil so you could enjoy the views, and it was quiet being away from the city. There’s a cool bus on the grounds that has been turned into a play room with board games, books, and movie nights. There are also cool tipee rooms to sleep in. You’re also sure to make many new animal friends here. If you miss cheese, you can even purchase some fresh goat cheese, straight from the hostel’s goat.

Chicamocha Canyon

 I ended up visiting Chicamocha Canyon on a separate occasion, but you pass it on the way to San Gil from Bucaramanga. You can also take a bus to Chicamocha Canyon from Bogota in 7 to 10 hours depending on which bus you take (you may need to take a bus to Bucaramanga and ask the bus driver to stop at the Chicamocha Canyon park entrance). Chicamocha Canyon is the Grand Canyon of Colombia. There is an actual park entrance and cable cars that take you across the canyon towards Los Santos.

There are a few hostels that don’t show up online that exist on the other side of the cable cars, but the place I stayed at which is absolutely amazing is Refugio La Roca. This place is a dream for rock climbers – and for non-climbers too! It sits right on the edge of the canyon, so every day you wake up to stunning views. You can hire one of the hostel workers to be your rock climbing guide for the day (or go yourself if you’re experienced), and from the hostel you can follow a winding dirt trail to some epic climbing spots along the canyon walls. The hostel has a full food menu and lots of baked goods from their wood oven. If you want to be lazy, there are a couple of hammocks along the trail that hang over the canyon. Let me tell you, you’ll feel so cool hanging up there. My favorite part is the yoga room that has an amazing view of the canyon from its turquoise-colored window panes. There are multiple accommodations available, such as a private little hut really sitting on the edge (imagine that), a multi-bed dorm, and camping options. If you’re not too keen on climbing, there are plenty of hikes to take along the canyon, and even one to a waterfall that starts in the town of Los Santos.

To get to Refugio La Roca is a little tricky. After getting off of the cable car, find the tourist office for some updated info on bus times. I had to use my Spanish here so if your Spanish isn’t up to par, get google translate out. Basically you’ll have to catch a bus down the road to Los Santos and tell the driver that you’re going to Refugio La Roca. You can even try hitchhiking (I ended up getting picked up by a family on vacation). Or you can cab it. It’s a bit of a trek getting to your destination but it’s so worth it.

Guadalupe

 I can’t express enough how much I loved this tiny little town. There is so much beauty in this quiet, local community where you can go on amazing hikes with the only local tour guide in town, Jose, who is the nicest man. Here, you can see the raw jungle of Colombia, wide valleys, mystic waterfalls, and these crazy holes in a river stone ground that turn out to be deep enough to fit an entire person. Not convinced? Check out my post here about why I think Guadalupe is the best place in Colombia and how you can get there.

If you’re looking for an authentic Colombian experience and want to stay clear of the typical tourist destinations, an epic journey would be starting in the classic capital of Bogota, then taking a bus to Guadalupe, San Gil, Chicamocha Canyon, and then ending up in Bucaramanga, another larger city from which you can reach other destinations in Colombia easily. The buses run straight through all of these towns on the way to Bucaramanga so it would be an easy way to see some authentic Colombian beauties and go on some adventures.

Colombia still has a place in my heart and, in my opinion, is one of the best places to visit in South America (so make sure to fit it in!!) There’s so much versatility in its landscapes and the people are so welcoming. I hope you enjoy this lovely country and feel free to ask questions in the comments.

If you’re looking for an epic way to make your way from Colombia to Peru, check out my post on how to ride a ferry boat down the Amazon starting in Colombia.