Things to Do in Colombia

About Colombia

The first scent of Colombia is usually the sweet, burnt-sugar aroma of coffee beans roasting in the backstreets of Salento's Calle Real, followed immediately by the diesel-and-jasmine assault of Bogotá's Carrera Séptima during rush hour. This is a country of staggering verticality, where your morning might start in Cartagena's sweltering, salt-crusted colonial streets and end that same evening in Medellín's eternal-spring coolness 1,500 meters up in the Andes, the city lights twinkling below like a spilled galaxy. The rhythm is inescapable: the thump of champeta music from a chiva bus in Barranquilla, the gentle clack of tejo disks hitting clay in a Boyacá backyard, the pre-dawn whisper of pilgrims climbing the 1,200 steps to the top of Monserrate. You’ll eat better for COP 15,000 (about $3.50) from a Buñuelos Caleños street cart in Cali — a cheese-stuffed dough ball that’s crispy outside, molten within — than many cities manage for fifty. The catch is the pace: nothing happens fast outside the major cities, and a four-hour bus ride on the winding mountain roads from Salento to Medellín is a test of both patience and stomach. But that’s the trade for vistas where the green never ends and cloud forests cling to slopes so steep you wonder how the trees hold on. Colombia rewards the traveler who moves slow enough to notice the orchid growing from a telephone wire in Jardín, and who understands that the best part of the day is the 4 PM onces, when work stops for coffee and a sliver of guava paste-filled cheese.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Colombia's geography is its main transport challenge. Domestic flights on Viva Air or LATAM between major hubs like Bogotá, Medellín, and Cartagena can be surprisingly affordable, sometimes under COP 150,000 ($35) if booked a few weeks out, and save you a full day on winding roads. For ground travel, the Busbud app is essential for comparing and booking intercity coaches; companies like Expreso Brasilia or Copetran are reliable. In cities, ride-hailing apps (Didi tends to be cheaper than Uber) are safer and more transparent than hailing taxis on the street, where meters are often 'broken'. The one pitfall to avoid: never take an unmetered taxi from the arrivals hall at El Dorado Airport in Bogotá — walk to the departures level and hail one dropping off, or better yet, pre-book a transfer.

Money: The Colombian Peso (COP) runs weak against the USD, which makes your money go far. Cash is still king for markets, taxis, and small eateries. Your best bet for a good rate is to withdraw local currency from ATMs (Banco Bogotá, Bancolombia) using a debit card with no foreign transaction fees; avoid currency exchange counters at airports. For card payments, Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in shops and restaurants, but you'll be asked '¿Débito o crédito?' even with a credit card — always say 'crédito' to avoid issues. A solid insider move: keep a stash of COP 50,000 and COP 20,000 notes for daily spending, as breaking COP 100,000 notes at a small stall for a COP 5,000 empanada is a hassle.

Cultural Respect: Formality matters more than you might expect. A warm 'Buenos días' (before noon), 'Buenas tardes' (until dark), or 'Buenas noches' goes an incredibly long way when entering any shop, cafe, or even an elevator. When meeting someone, a handshake is standard, but with women, a single light cheek kiss (starting on the right) is common among acquaintances. Avoid discussing politics or the country's complicated past unless your local friend brings it up first. If invited to a home, which is a great honor, bring a small gift like pastries, wine, or flowers (avoid marigolds or lilies, which are for funerals). The biggest faux pas? Rushing. Colombians value conversation and presence; treat every interaction as its own event, not a transaction.

Food Safety: You can eat adventurously and safely by following one rule: look for the queue. The busiest street stall, where the turnover is high, is almost always the safest bet. In Bogotá, the arepa con chorizo from a vendor outside the Museo del Oro at lunchtime is a rite of passage. For fruit, stick to things you can peel yourself (mango, banana) or that have been freshly cut in front of you. Agua de panela (unrefined sugarcane water) from a street thermos is generally safe, as the water is boiled. The one thing to be wary of is pre-cut fruit salads or juices with ice from dubious sources. When in doubt, the chain Juan Valdez Café is everywhere and serves excellent, safe coffee and pastries—a reliable reset button for a sensitive stomach.

When to Visit

Colombia's weather is less about four seasons and more about altitude and which way the mountain faces. The dry seasons, roughly December-March and June-September, are predictably the most popular (and expensive). Flight prices from the US and Europe can jump 30-40% in December and July. For near-perfect weather, aim for December to February: Bogotá hovers around a crisp 18°C (64°F), the Caribbean coast around Cartagena is a sunny 30°C (86°F) with low humidity, and the Coffee Region is lush. This is also festival season: the Carnaval de Negros y Blancos in Pasto (early Jan) and the Feria de Cali (late Dec) are spectacular, but book accommodations months ahead. The shoulder months of April-May and October-November see more afternoon showers, especially in the Andes, but the landscapes are an emerald green, hotel prices drop by about 25%, and you'll have places like the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá mostly to yourself. The challenging months are the wetter parts of the shoulder seasons; travel on rural roads can be slow due to landslides, and some trekking paths in Parque Tayrona or the Cocora Valley get muddy. For budget travelers, October is likely your best bet—the rains are tapering off, crowds are thin, and the post-peak price drop is real. If you're solely after Caribbean beach time, the period from late January through March is hard to beat, though you'll be sharing Palomino or Tayrona with half of Europe.