Things to Do in Colombia

Enormous and austere, Bogota’s broad, bricked central plaza was designed in 1553 to be the gathering place for tens of thousands at the hub of the federal government. Once known simply as the Plaza Mayor (Main Plaza) and serving as home to the city market, the plaza is a classic example of monumental Spanish civil engineering. Some of Bogota's most important edifices sit in the area: the soaring neoclassical national cathedral; the appropriately federalist capitol building; French neoclassical Edificio Liévano, seat of city government; and the ultra-modern stylized arches of the imposing Palace of Justice, most recently rebuilt after a 1985 terrorist attack.

This fun little museum on Plaza Bolivar, in an impressive 18th-century mansion, already attracts the morbidly inclined. Your tour begins with two entire rooms full of horrifying torture devices, used right here by the Cartagena chapter of the Spanish Inquisition. Between 1776 and 1821, when Independence heroes banned the practice, hundreds of people were tortured, and some killed, on suspicion of heresy or dabbling in witchcraft.

Head upstairs, however, for several excellent (and air-conditioned) exhibits illuminating less tragic period’s in the city’s history. You’ll find everything from paintings of Cartagena through the ages, to detailed dioramas (with cool cut-away interiors showing construction details of the cities finest buildings), as well as maps, ceramics, Independence-era cannons, pre-Columbian statues, and much more. Signage is in both Spanish and English, and offers often poignant commentary on the city’s history.

Medellin, now sprawling with more than three million people as Colombia’s second city, is fast becoming an ultra-modern conurbation of rapid transit, experimental architecture, and rising seas of skyscrapers. So it’s comforting to know that you can take the city train to a well-preserved (well, mostly fabricated) monument to Medellin’s quaint colonial past.

The absolutely adorable Spanish pueblito (“little town”) of Paisa, founded in 1978, crowns 80m (262ft) Cerro Nutibara, a natural landmark named for legendary Cacique (Chief) Nuibara. It would worth climbing just for the views. Today it is home to a perfect central plaza, surrounded by colonial adobes rescued from an actual Spanish outpost since flooded by the Penol-Guatape Hydroelectric Project. The beautifully restored buildings, complete with flower-draped wooden balconies and ceramic tejas tiles, is centered on the single cutest Catholic chapel you’ve ever seen.

While originally designed to depict businesses you’d find in a typical rural community—pharmacy, tobacconist, barber—as well as a school and city hall, have been largely replaced with souvenir shops, and the place is populated by a surprising number of mimes and living statues, especially on weekends.

Be sure to visit the Parque de Esculturas, next door, displaying the artistic inclinations of modern Medellin and Latin America, an interesting contrast to the idealized vision of the city’s colonial past.

Medellin is certainly marvelous, but there may be times when you just want to hop into a gondola and float above the urban jungle and into the untamed mountains. Happily, this is one city where that’s not only possible, but also easy and inexpensive.

The Medellin metrorail system connects directly to the Arvi Cable Cars, which soar right from the train station above some of the city’s rougher neighborhoods, stopping briefly close to the ultra-modern Spanish Library. The final leg of the photogenic journey crests a misty ridge high above town, then delivers you quietly to a new brand-new conservation area.

This expansive park of beautiful wildflowers and lush premontane forest is crisscrossed with several kilometers of hiking trails. Hire guides or pick up a free map at the stand next to the cable cars. An adjacent private reserve, operated by architecturally striking Piedras Blancas Ecological Hotel (also accessible by car) is part of the project to return this region to the wild. On weekends, when the place gets packed with picnicking families, booths are filled with organic farmers and local craftspeople maintain selling their wares. Just don’t miss the last cable car back to the bottom!

This shady park, centered on a trickling fountain and statue of Simon Bolivar, is a more local hangout spot than the upmarket cafes taking over Plaza Santo Domingo. The benches are full of pensive-looking old men, and wandering baristas make their rounds, selling sweet sips of “tinto,” black coffee, for a few pesos. The afternoon entertainment might well be an itinerant preacher saving souls for centavos.

Of course, it’s a fine place for travelers just looking for a shady spot to relax. The square is surrounded by some of the city’s prettiest buildings, and you’ll be able to buy the same shell jewelry, woven hats, beautiful watercolors, and Botero knockoffs from Plaza Bolivar’s vendors as you would anywhere else within the city walls.

Simón Bolivar is viewed as the Liberator of much of northern South America and is considered one of the most important Latin American political figures who ever lived. He was born in Caracas, the son of wealthy landowners, and led the independence movement, eventually achieving independence from Spain for what was then called Gran Colombia, covering most of northern South America.

Simón Bolivar spent his last days at La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino near Santa Marta, a quinta (large house) and hacienda (farm) built in the 17th century. At that time the estate produced rum, honey and panela, a sugar cane product. Bolivar died of tuberculosis in one of the rooms there on December 17, 1830.

Now the Quinta is a tourist site, museum and historical landmark. The main house, painted a deep yellow color, is where Simon Bolivar breathed his last breath. Here you can find the bed he used, important documents and other objects that help recreate the Liberator’s life, and paintings depicting Bolivar and the area at the time he visited.

The house and grounds are open for exploring. Cool down in the extensive gardens under trees that are hundreds of years old. A statute of Simon Bolivar (without his ever-present horse) is one of the centerpieces of the garden. A monument called the Patrimony Altar (Altar de la Patria) was built on the site for the100th anniversary of Bolivar’s death.  The museum also contains art donated by many of the countries he helped liberate.