You’re planning a trip to Colombia, so you’re wondering what to see? Where to go? What to visit? Here’s a list of places of interest classified according to your preferences: nature, culture, history, beaches, adventure, in short, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for! Click on the places to see the photos.
Colombia places of interest: nature
As we’ve already mentioned in several articles, Colombia is known for its variety of landscapes and ecosystems. So it’s very easy to go from the desert to the mountains, then from the exuberant forest to the dream beaches!
Amacayacu Park
Located in the Amazon, La Victoria Regia, the largest lotus in the world, is found in this magnificent natural park. See an idea for a holiday in the Amazon here.
Caño Cristales
Known as the most beautiful river in the world, its 5 colours – yellow, red, black, green and blue – are breathtaking! To find out more about this river, click here.
Ensenada de Utria
Come and watch the humpback whales on their annual passage through the Colombian Pacific. To find out more, click here.
Tatacoa Desert
Located right in the middle of the Andes mountain range, it is made up of 2 deserts: the red one called el Cusco and the grey one called los Hoyos. Watch a video about the desert here.
Chicamocha Canyon
It is the largest canyon in Latin America, deeper than El Colorado and located in the northeast of Colombia.
Tayrona Park
It’s a must-see in Colombia, renowned for its vast biodiversity, lush forest, and wild beaches. Watch a video about the park here.
Cocora Valley
Stroll among wax palms that rise to over 70 meters in altitude in a green, rolling landscape.
Lake Iguaque
El Páramo is a typical tropical ecosystem located between 3,000 and 4,000 meters above sea level. According to the indigenous people of the region, and due to its exceptional beauty, this is where the world began.
The Guatapé Dam
This artificial lake is made up of dozens of green islets that can be admired from the Peñol rock, 220 meters above sea level.
Cabo de la Vela
See our stay ideas here.
Places of interest: culture
Colombia is still home to indigenous native cultures that have managed to preserve their traditions…for now.
Silvia
The indigenous Guambianos go to the market every Tuesday to sell their products: vegetables, potatoes, clothes, etc.
La Guajira
The Wayuu indigenous people are particularly renowned for never having been conquered by the Spanish and for their remarkable textile weaving skills! They are particularly skilled at making handbags.
Puerto Nariño
The Ticuna indigenous people have a long history of working with traditional plants and connecting with nature. You can still find them around this town, the second largest in the region.
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
The Kogi are the descendants of the Tayrona, a now-extinct civilization that lived on the slopes of this mountain range, which rises to 5,770 meters, just 42 km from the sea.
San Agustin
A little-known civilization, they left us several hundred sculptures with abstract and anthropomorphic motifs of great artistic quality. Watch the video about this region here.
Tierradentro
Underground tombs located on the hilltops of the Andes offer a majestic landscape. Another mysterious civilization that left no traces.
Sanctuary of Las Lajas
A place of worship and pilgrimage since the 18th century, the neo-Gothic church is built on the mountain gorge. It is located on the spot where a mute girl regained her voice.
See an idea for a cultural stay.
Colombia places of interest: historical
Spanish colony, African slaves, indigenous goldsmiths, Colombia’s history is based on a mixture of cultures.
Cartagena de Indias
This city hardly needs an introduction; it’s the new trendy villa of Latin America. As soon as you set foot there, you’ll understand why! If you’d like more information, don’t miss our articles: What to do in Cartagena and 6 unique visits.
Mompox
A city of great importance during colonization, it was the main port on the Magdalena River, the country’s main river artery.
Gold Museum
There you will find the largest collection of pre-Columbian goldwork in the world with more than 30,000 gold objects.
Palenque
The first city of free slaves in the Americas. It was founded by an African named Benkos Biohó. He fled after impregnating his master’s wife.
Medellin
The city of eternal spring, once one of the most dangerous cities in the world, has become the one offering the best quality of life in all of Latin America. A story of transformation unlike any other.
Cali
The capital of Salsa will have you dancing from morning until night.
Looking for a stay in a specific region? See our stay ideas by region.
Colombia places of interest: beaches
With 2 oceans and 2,900 km of coastline, the more than 300 beaches in Colombia must be part of any list of places of interest.
Providencia Island
On this island you will find, without doubt, the best beaches in Colombia. A volcanic island, it is part of the archipelago of San Andres and Providencia.
Tayrona Park
Virgin, wild and majestic, the beaches are accessible after a walk in a lush forest.
Palomino
How about swimming in the sea while gazing at the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta? It’s this way!
Mucura Island
A 2-hour boat ride from Cartagena, this private island, part of the San Bernardo archipelago, is a paradise for relaxing in an idyllic setting.
Rosario Islands
This archipelago, located just a 1-hour boat ride from Cartagena, comprises 27 islands. White beaches, coconut palms, and a turquoise sea await you!
Nuqui and Bahia Solano
Mainly black sand beaches surrounded by dense and exuberant nature. It is an area also characterized by a vast biodiversity due to its humidity (it rains very often).
Punta Gallinas
Marking the northernmost point of Colombia and all of South America, its desert beaches of an intense orange color are breathtaking.
We have the perfect stay to visit paradisiacal beaches.
Colombia Places of Interest: Adventure
This list of Colombian places of interest is not exhaustive, but we still try to give you all the best tips! Here are our recommended places for adventurers.
San Gil
Considered the extreme sports capital of Colombia, you can go rafting, canyoning, caving, climbing, and more.
Los Nevados Park
Los Nevados National Natural Park (the snow-capped mountains) is the perfect destination for hiking enthusiasts. Stay with a local after walking through a unique tropical landscape: the páramo.
The Lost City
Archaeological site of an ancient city in the middle of the dense jungle of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It is believed to have been founded around 800 AD, 650 years earlier than Machu Picchu, and is considered to have been the political and economic center of the area.
Nevado del Cocuy
This off-the-beaten-track national park allows travelers to trek in the high mountains in a landscape that can reach up to 5,330 meters above sea level.
Leticia
Ziplining over the Amazon jungle is a unique and unforgettable experience.
Colombia places of interest: charming villages
Colorful villages, white villages, ochre villages, along rivers and in the heart of the Andes, they are all charming! Here is the latest list of Colombian places of interest.
Salento
Known as the village of 1000 colors, Salento is very picturesque with its colorful balcony houses.
Barichara
It is considered by some to be the most beautiful village in Colombia. Characterized by its white and ochre colors, it is particularly beautiful at sunset.
Salamina
Off the beaten track, this is a village that experienced great development during the golden age of Colombian coffee, today a cultural and architectural treasure.
Filandia
The architecture, the surrounding landscape, and the friendliness of the locals make Filandia one of the most authentic villages in the entire coffee region. The name of the village comes from “Fila” (daughter) and “Andia” (the Andes), that is, Filandia, the daughter of the Andes.
Villa de Leyva
A small mountain town known for its colonial architecture. Its vast central square with its large cobblestones and the surrounding buildings are listed as a Colombian World Heritage Site.
Jardin
Its central square is filled with, you guessed it, gardens of multicolored flowers. This village, located near Medellin, is in strong competition with Barichara for the title of the most beautiful village in Colombia.
Popayan
Known as the White City of Colombia, Popayan is so-called because of its many white buildings. The best architects and craftsmen of the colonial era worked in Popayan, making it, along with Cartagena de Indias, one of Colombia’s most architecturally significant cities. It is also the only city in Latin America to have been named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy.
There are many places of interest in Colombia, and this list is by no means exhaustive! Do you know of any other places of interest?
Want to create your own trip? Contact us here or check out our trip ideas here.
