Things to Do in Colombia

1. Ciudad Amurallada

Cartagena

Wander through 500 years of living history inside 11 kilometers of colonial stone walls. Feel the tropical heat give way to ocean breezes as you explore cobblestone alleys, flower-draped balconies, and hidden plazas.

Quick facts: The 11 kilometers of colonial stone walls took nearly 200 years to complete and still encircle the old city today. Over 2 million visitors walk these cobblestone streets each year, passing buildings painted in electric Caribbean colors.

Highlights: At sunset, locals gather on the 400-year-old stone ramparts near the Santo Domingo bastion to watch the sky melt into the Caribbean Sea. Street vendors set up right there selling fresh coconut rice and corozo juice, and the sound of salsa music drifts up from the plazas below.

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2. Monserrate

Bogotá

Quick facts: Morning fog often curls around the summit, turning the small white chapel into a haloed silhouette that attracts both pilgrims and photographers. Visitors choose between a steep pilgrimage staircase, a winding trail and a vintage funicular, and the payoff is a sweeping panorama that makes the surrounding city feel astonishingly compact.

Highlights: At 3,152 meters above sea level the summit hits you with thin, cold air and a eucalyptus-scented breeze while the bright red funicular and glass-sided cable car climb the steep ridge, framing the city like a living map below. Every September 14 pilgrims still gather for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, tying weathered rosaries and old crutches to the chapel railings as votive offerings, the clinking metal and beads sounding like a private choir of gratitude.

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3. Museo del Oro

Bogotá

Quick facts: Dimly lit galleries showcase tiny, breath-stopping metal figures and elaborate pectorals, where hammered gold and intricate alloys reveal astonishing technical skill and layered symbolism. Visitors encounter a collection of more than 55,000 objects, with immersive displays and audio that bring ancient ceremonies and everyday life into sharp, luminous focus.

Highlights: You can stare for minutes at the tiny Muisca raft, a gold votive about 20 centimeters long that reenacts the El Dorado ritual with a boat of tiny figures covered in gold dust. More than 34,000 pieces in the collection were ceremonial offerings rather than currency, so many are crafted as hair-thin, flexible sheets and when conservators lift them you can almost hear a delicate metallic rattle.

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4. Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas

Cartagena

Climb the ramparts of the largest Spanish fortress ever built in the Americas for jaw-dropping views of Cartagena's skyline and Caribbean Sea. Wander through eerie underground passageways and explore cannon-lined terraces that repelled countless pirate attacks.

Quick facts: Perched on a 50-meter hill overlooking Cartagena's old city, this fortress spans 10,000 square meters with a network of underground tunnels stretching over 2 kilometers. Soldiers once used these tunnels to move supplies and spring surprise attacks, with clever acoustic designs that let them hear enemies approaching from any direction.

Highlights: The tunnels are the real showstopper: a cool, dark labyrinth where your footsteps echo and the temperature drops 10 degrees the moment you descend. Strategically built with angled walls and listening posts, a whisper at one end can be heard clearly 60 meters away, making it nearly impossible for invaders to sneak through undetected.

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5. Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona

Santa Marta

Jungle trails lead to deserted coves where the Sierra Nevada meets the Caribbean. Wade through rivers, spot toucans and monkeys, then collapse into a hammock between two palm trees.

Quick facts: Over 300 species of birds and 100 types of mammals call this 30-square-kilometer protected area home. Ancient stone pathways and terraces built by the Tayrona people over 500 years ago still weave through the jungle down to secluded Caribbean beaches.

Highlights: At Pueblito, you can walk through 200-plus pre-Columbian stone structures tucked beneath a jungle canopy, with howler monkeys roaring overhead. After exploring these ancient terraces, a 20-minute hike drops you onto a beach where the Sierra Nevada mountains plunge straight into turquoise Caribbean water.

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6. Valle del Cocora

Salento

Walk through a valley where palms soar 60 meters high, taller than any other palm species on Earth. You'll hike misty trails surrounded by giant wax palms, cross wooden bridges over rushing streams, and spot Colombia's national tree in its only natural habitat.

Quick facts: Those towering palm trees can reach up to 60 meters tall, making them the world's tallest palm species. Each tree can live for over a century, with its distinctive wax-coated trunk protecting it from the elements.

Highlights: The wax palms here are living relics from the Jurassic period, having remained virtually unchanged for 200 million years. Standing among them feels like stepping into prehistoric world, with mist rolling through the valley as the palms sway 20 stories above your head.

7. Parque Arví

Medellín

Quick facts: This park covers an area of over 16,000 hectares of natural forests and traditional villages. It is located at an altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level, giving it a unique microclimate for numerous plant and animal species.

Highlights: Within the park, there is a network of over 50 km of hiking trails leading to archaeological sites and waterfalls. A unique experience is the ride on an eco-friendly cable car from Medellín, offering panoramic views of the mountain valleys.

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8. Islas del Rosario

Cartagena

Swim through crystal-clear waters surrounded by coral reefs that hold three times more fish species than the Caribbean average. Float in turquoise lagoons, spot neon parrotfish among brain corals, and lunch on freshly caught snapper at a wooden dock restaurant.

Quick facts: A protected national park spanning 30 islands and coral reefs, this archipelago sits about 35 kilometers offshore from the mainland. Over 1,200 species of marine life thrive here, including three types of sea turtles that nest on the sandy shores between April and August.

Highlights: An underwater sculpture garden called the Coralario Project features over 100 concrete figures strategically placed to encourage coral regrowth, attracting schools of colorful fish around their barnacle-encrusted arms. Marine biologists have documented a 40% increase in coral coverage around these sculptures since their installation in 2018.

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