Choose from 91 Fun Things to Do in Colombia
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La Merced Church Museum (Iglesia de la Merced)
As Cali’s oldest church, Iglesia de la Merced was established in the 16th century. Built in the typical whitewashed Spanish colonial style, it features wood and stucco construction and a long, narrow nave. Adjacent to the church is the La Merced Church Museum, housed in the oldest building in the city, the former La Merced convent. It features centuries old artifacts, including an impressive collection of pre-Columbian pottery left behind by different cultures from central and southern parts of Colombia. The church and museum can be visited as part of a Cali city sightseeing tour, which includes a visit to the city’s other major attractions, including Plaza Caicedo, San Antonio hill, and El Gato del Rio park.
Practical Info
Within the church itself is a heavily gilded baroque high altar, topped with the Virgen de las Mercedes, the patron saint of the city. La Merced Church Museum is located in Cali’s historic area. If not arriving as part of an organized tour, this can be easily reached by taxi or on foot.
Did You Know? Within the church itself is a heavily gilded baroque high altar, topped with the Virgen de las Mercedes, the patron saint of the city.
Address: Carrera 4, Calle 659, Cali, Colombia
Hours: Church: 6:30am-10am and 4pm-7pm / Museum: 9am-1pm and 2pm-6pm, Monday to Saturday
From $ 35
Medellin Botanical Garden
In the heart of Medellin, the Medellin Botanical Garden is the city’s green lung and a living museum with plants from around the country as well as birds, turtles, reptiles, insects and fish.
At the end of the 19th century, the area was a private farm used for recreation. In the late 1960s, the idea of a botanical garden began to take shape, and by 1972 the Botanical Garden was established as a place for investigation and education and to exhibit Colombian plants. Part of the Cultural Patrimony of Medellin since 1985, the botanical garden works with other worldwide organizations such as WWF and UNESCO to conserve and manage plants for a sustainable future.
About 40 acres (0.4 hectares) of outdoor park with 5,000 plants and 1,000 different species provides ample space for recreation. As part of a major renovation in 2005, the Orchideorama, a graceful wood structure that houses orchids, bromeliads, ferns and other species, was built.
There is a cactus garden, a pond, a large vertical garden and a butterfly garden with plants that attract butterflies. The palm garden shows off 120 different types of palm trees in this country, known for its varieties of palms that are used for food, medicine, construction, biofuel and crafts. There is also a medicinal garden with plants, spices and teas useful for curing ailments. There are also plenty of activities like biking, hiking, horseback riding and water sports on the pond.
Practical Info
The botanical garden is open Monday through Sunday, 9am to 5pm. The metro is perhaps the easiest way to get to the garden, since the Universidad station is close to its entrance. There are also buses that go by the garden, and taxis can drop you off near the walkway at Carrera 52 and Calle 73.
Address: Carrera 52 # 1-82, Medellin, Colombia
From $ 41
Quinta de Bolíva
Simon Bolivar is an absolute legend in much of Latin America. Considered “The Liberator” for much of the continent, he fought tirelessly for numerous nations to gain their independence—and lived here, in Quinta de Bolivar, between his political conquests. Set in Bogota’s eastern hills, Quinta de Bolivar is a humble home that’s rung by spectacular gardens, and riddled with history on South America’s most notorious and popular son. When visiting the small, but fascinating house, hear the tales of how Simon Bolivar would relax and rest between battles, and five flags now fly in the garden that mark the modern, Latin American countries where Bolivar brought independence. Aside from the history of Bolivar himself, the house is a look at Bogota life in the 18th and 19th century, with antique furniture, clothing, and weaponry displayed throughout the home. Though the building is nowhere as near grandiose as the story of Bolivar himself, it’s a laidback, calming, and fascinating look at Bolivar’s moments of peace. To maximize what you can learn at the site, visit as part of a guided historical tour of greater Bogota, or as part of a private Bogota tour that’s catered around its best sites.
Practical Info
Only a few of the displays are in English, and you can either hire an English speaking guide or rent an English headset.
Address: Calle 21 No. 4A30 Este, Bogota, Colombia
Hours: 9am-5pm Tuesday-Friday, 10am-4pm Saturday-Sunday.
Admission: $1, free on Sundays
From $ 39
Lake Guatavita
The Legend of El Dorado, the “Golden Man,” once inspired the Spanish conquistadors to historic acts of bravery, blunder, and bloodshed. Those stories of outrageous wealth and waste almost certainly started here, with the glittering pre-Columbian ceremonies that once took place at this small crater lake. (Which is really the lake’s first mystery; though geologists speculate that a meteor made this scenic spot, no one knows for sure.)
The rumors that captivated the cold-hearted conquistadors told of Muisca shamans and chiefs completely covered in gold and draped with every sort of gem and precious metal. These gleaming and godlike figures would then be carried out on ceremonial rafts to the center of pretty little Lake Guatavita, where they would pour their riches into the water to appease some monster, perhaps a serpent god, hiding below its deceptively serene surface.
While there was apparently some truth to this story and new political figures were indeed painted with gold dust as some sort of initiation, thus far the truth hasn't justified so many fool’s errands into the feverish jungles.
The conquistadors were but the first to try draining and dredging Lake Guatavita for its bounty; but all they found were a few gold pieces. In 1580 enterprising businessman Antonio de Sepulveda cut a wedge deep into the lake rim, deepened in 1912 by British engineer Harley Knowles. They, like their forebears, found only a few glittering artifacts worth far less than their investments. As if to taunt future prospectors, the lake finally gave up its famed Muisca Raft in 1968, a tiny, beautiful, cast-gold depiction of Ceremony of El Dorado.
The tour of the tiny lake located 55km (34mi) northeast of Bogota, takes less than an hour and swimming is strictly off limits. Plan to spend some time in the pretty whitewashed town of Guatavita, a charming colonial gem worth a stroll for its souvenir shops and attractive little eateries.
Address: Guatavita, Cundinamarca, Colombia
From $ 50
Old Shoes Monument (Los Zapatos Viejos)
At the base of the imposing San Felipe Castle, Cartagena’s Old Shoes Monument (Los Zapatos Viejos) is, you guessed it, a giant sculpture of a pair of old boots. A popular spot for a selfie or ten, the monument was created by the sculptor Hector Lombana as a reference to the popular poem, “Mi Ciudad Nativa,” by local poet, and one of South America’s most respected writers, Luis Carlos López.
In the final line, López compares the love and sense of comfort he feels for his hometown of Cartagena to that which he feels for a pair of worn-in, but familiar and comfortable shoes. And on a plaque in front of the famous sculpture, you can read the whole poem in full.
Practical Info
To see the Old Shoes Monument, head to San Felipe Castle on the hill of San Lázaro along Avenida Arevalo. The castle itself is open from 8am to 6pm every day, and entry for adults costs COP $8,000.
Address: Calle 31, Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia, Colombia
Hours: Daily 8am-6pm
Admission: Adults: COP$8000
From $ 26
Restaurante La Rueca
In Medellin, the magic and sensuality of tango comes alive on the weekends at restaurants like La Rueca that combine a mixture of tango and Argentinean grill.
Located in El Poblado, one of the nicest neighborhoods of Medellin, every weekend La Rueca transports visitors to the streets of Argentina to enjoy the best tango show in the city. The live tango shows are performed by the best professional tango musicians, singers and dancers in the city.
Specializing in Argentine barbecue, some of the specialties are chinchulines (chitterlings) and churrasco. They also have grilled chicken and seafood and a wine cellar. In addition to the indoor dining area, the restaurant also has a lounge and balconies to enjoy the mild temperature of a Medellin evening.
Practical Info
La Rueca is located at Calle 10A # 36–54, El Poblado, Medellin. It is open Monday through Saturday starting at noon. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant stays open until 1am.
Address: Calle 10A # 36 – 54, El Poblado, Medellin, Colombia
From $ 59
Nemocón Salt Mines
Founded by Spanish settlers in 1537, the town of Nemocón in Colombia earned fame for its highly productive salt mine. Between 1816 and 1968, some 8 million tons of alt were extracted from the mine via a process of collecting water from the salt spring in clay vessels and allowing the liquid to evaporate.
The mine’s tunnels and chambers have been preserved, allowing visitors to learn about the history of Colombia’s salt mining industry while take in the spectacular saline formations. Attractions inside the mines include a 3,527-pound (1,600-kilogram) salt crystal carved into a heart shape and a cascade of salt. A small church within the salt mines hosts Catholic mass each Sunday.
Visitors wishing to learn more about the history and importance of salt in Colombia can visit the Salt Museum, located in one of Nemocón's oldest buildings.
Practical Info
The Nemocón Salt Mines are located 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of Bogota.
Address: Cundinamarca, Columbia, Colombia
Admission: Varies
From $ 32
Palace of Inquisition (Palacio de la Inquisicion)
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.
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.
Address: Calle 32, Cartagena, Bolivar, Colombia
Hours: Tue-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun, Holidays 10am-4pm
Admission: Adults 11,000 pesos (<$7 USD), Children and seniors 8,000 pesos (<$5 USD)
From $ 41
Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino
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.
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.
Practical Info
Av. del Libertador - Sector San Pedro Alejandrino. The museum is normally open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 or 5:30 p.m. depending on the season, although it’s always good to call before you go to make sure. To get there take a taxi or a bus from the Santa Marta waterfront.
Address: Av. del Libertador, Santa Marta, Colombia
Hours: Daily 9am-4pm
From $ 7
Plaza Caicedo
A charming mix of old and new, Plaza Caicedo is a fitting showcase of modern Cali and as the central hub and main navigational landmark, most visitors will start their tour of the city from here.
Once the epicenter of the colonial city, Plaza Caicedo’s stately architecture lends the square an air of grandeur, with the snow-white facades of the National Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral looming over the south and east corners. But the square is also full of life, teeming with street artists, food carts and shoeshine boys, and making a popular picnic spot for locals, with its central gardens shaded by towering palm trees and linked by star-shaped walkways.
Practical Info
Plaza Caicedo is located at the center of downtown Cali, between Calle 11 and Calle 12.
Address: Carrera 4 # 11-1, Cali, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia
From $ 35
Old Town Cartagena
A leisurely walk through the narrow streets of Old Town Cartagena, with bougainvillea spilling off second-floor balconies and brightly painted Colonial houses, invites visitors to escape into the past. The bustle of daily life mixes with the historical architecture of this walled city by the ocean. In addition to the beautiful boutique stores, numerous restaurants, and colorful street vendors, there are many treasures to see around town and just outside the city walls.
The leafy Plaza de Bolivar serves as a good place to start a tour in Cartagena and to see some of the local culture and buy fruit from the colorfully dressed women known as palanqueras. Next to the plaza, the free Gold Museum (Museo de Oro) displays pieces that tell the history of the Zenú indigenous tribe. The nearby Palace of the Inquisition (Palacio de la Inquisición) provides a rather gruesome look at Colombia’s past and the Spanish Inquisition -- some of the torture devices used on the accused are on display.
The San Pedro Claver church and monastery tells the life story of a priest in Cartagena who fought for human rights, and Cartagena’s Museum of Modern Art takes a look at art in Latin America. A short walk away is the Clock Tower (Torre del Reloj), the main entrance to Cartagena and a symbol of the city. Las Bovedas, a long series of vaults built under the city, have been alternately used as jails, munitions storage and in modern times, souvenir shops. Crafts made by indigenous tribes and bags of 100 percent Colombian coffee can be purchased here.
On a hill just outside the city is the San Felipe de Barajas Castle, which was built to defend Cartagena in the 1700s, and its tunnels are a cool place to avoid the tropical heat and find good views for photos.
Practical Info
To avoid the heat of the day, try getting to the Old Town earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon. Another option is to hide out during the hot hours in the shade of the Plaza de Bolivar, in an air-conditioned museum or at one of the numerous restaurants. The wide walls surrounding the city are ideal for a walk in the evening just before sunset.
Address: Cartagena, Colombia
From $ 12
Plaza Botero
You’ll see his art everywhere around Colombia: large women, round-faced children and wide-eyed animals. It’s the life work of Fernando Botero, the beloved Colombian artist famous in his home country and around the world.
A visit to Medellin, where Botero was born, provides the chance to see these works in larger-than-life surroundings. The appropriately named Botero Plaza, opened in 2002, is an outdoor park that forms an important cultural space in the city. It’s also close to other important museums, like the Museum of Antioquia with art from all over Latin America, and the Rafael Uribe Uribe Palace of Culture, where exhibitions and concerts are held.
The 80,729 square feet (7,500 square meters) of Botero Plaza are home to 23 giant bronze sculptures (donated by Botero himself) within reach so that people can touch them—some people even climb on them! These sculptures, created using the lost wax method, are organized into five main types, focusing on body parts; relationships between men and women; animals; and mythic creatures like the sphinx. The sculptures tend to have short names that are direct and dynamic, like Woman with Fruit, The Hand, Man on Horseback, Maternity and Roman Soldier.
The busy plaza is also a great place to try local foods, like obleas, empanadas and green mango cut in strips and served with salt and vinegar. It’s also a good place to browse for souvenirs and do some serious people-watching.
Practical Info
This plaza, located at Carrera 52 con Calle 52, Medellín, is easy to get to by metro. As in many other cities around the world, be careful with your belongings when visiting the plaza. Admission is free.
Address: Carrera 52 con Calle 52, Medellin, Colombia
From $ 20
Pueblito Paisa
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.
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.
Address: Top of Cerro Nutibara, Medellin, Colombia
Hours: Open all day
From $ 20
Hacienda Coloma
Wake up and smell the coffee farm with a visit to the Hacienda Coloma Coffee Plantation in Fusagasugá. Here, you can follow the world of Colombian-grown coffee from bean to cup with a professional grower as your guide. In addition to touring the colonial hacienda and its surroundings, you’ll learn about the planting, selecting, threshing, roasting and tasting process, with a cup of the plantation's latest roast included.
Given its location in the Colombian countryside just an hour and a half outside of Bogota, Hacienda Coloma makes for a great day trip from the city, with most visitors opting for a tour that includes a dedicated guide and lunch, plus round-trip transportation.
Practical Info
It’s difficult to reach Hacienda Coloma unless you have your own transport, so joining a tour that includes pick-up and drop-off from your Bogota hotel is recommended.
Did You Know? Before coffee beans can be roasted, they have to be stripped of their outer shells—twice—and turned every few hours as they dry, a process which takes several days.
Address: Avenida de las Palmas, Fusagasugá, Colombia
Hours: Daily
Admission: Varies
From $ 55
Plaza Bolivar
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.
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.
Address: Carrera 4 and 5 at Calle 38, Cartagena, Bolivar, Colombia
From $ 12
La Catedral Primada
The original foundations for Bogota’s Catedral Primada, more properly called the Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, were laid in 1538 when Spanish conquistadores first christened the old indigenous city, “Bogota.” Then a simple thatch-roofed hut on a muddy market plaza, it was gradually rebuilt into a sturdier adobe structure in the 1590s.
As the spiritual center of a city prone to earthquakes and social upheavals, it is no wonder that the national cathedral has been rebuilt several times, most recently in 1823. Despite a long history of disasters, today’s neocolonial beauty, with its tasteful echoes of mission revival style, remains the final resting place of Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada, the city’s Spanish founder.
The elegant whitewashed interior, with its stately rows of gilded Egyptian columns, isn’t the city’s most ornate by a long shot. But these arches overlook Colombia’s most important masses, and the place is packed on Sundays and religious holidays such as Christmas and Semana Santa.
Address: Carrera 6 at Calle 10, Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
Hours: Mon-Sat 8:30am-1pm, Sun 8:30am-2pm
From $ 20
La Chorrera Waterfall
A slim cascade tumbling nearly 2,000 feet (590 meters) from a cliff side in the middle of the jungle, La Chorrera is Colombia’s tallest waterfall and among it’s most striking natural attractions, hidden away in the mountains surrounding Bogota. Despite being less than an hour from the capital, La Chorrera is still one of the region’s least visited sights, making it a top choice for those looking to get off-the-beaten-track and the tranquil falls offer the ideal backdrop for adventure activities like horseback riding and abseiling.
The only way to reach La Chorrera is on foot and the scenic journey is all part of the experience – an easy 1-hour hike from the nearby El Chiflón waterfalls, winding through wild rainforest trails and misty cloud forest, and offering impressive views over the Colombian Andes.
Practical Info
La Chorrera is located around 45 minutes from Bogota in central Colombia. Admission is free but you’ll need a guide to hike through the rainforest.
Address: Bogota, Colombia
Admission: 8,000 pesos for a guide
From $ 31
Puente de Occidente
Surrounded by the green mountains and the bright blue skies of Antioquia, the 984-foot (300-meter) Puente de Occidente, or the Bridge of the West, spans a vast river that once divided the region and tells a story of ingenuity, creativity and the strength of the human spirit.
The Cauca River divides the area and impedes access to other parts of the country, long isolating the inhabitants of the area. In the late 1800s, the need for a bridge was obvious, and the suspension bridge that was built over the river is considered one of the most important civil engineering projects in America at the time it was built.
Colombian José María Villa studied engineering in the United States and later participated in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. In the early 1880s, he returned to Colombia and decided to take on the task of building a series of bridges. One of those was the Bridge of the West. Construction started in 1887 and lasted five years.
The problems Villa faced and the creative ways he solved them show the extraordinary vision of the engineer. With limited technical resources and many challenges due to the mountainous terrain, he came up with a design that overcame all the difficulties.
Colombia lists the bridge on its UNESCO World Heritage tentative list due to the value of Villa’s design, which was one of the most advanced projects in Latin America at the time, combining sound construction with a particular beauty. Originally one of the longest suspension bridges in South America, it played a key role in the development of the region and the country.
Practical Info
The Bridge of the West connects the towns of Olaya and Santa Fe de Antioquia, east and west of the Cauca River, respectively.
Address: Medellin, Colombia
From $ 80
La Candelaria (Historic Old Town)
And even today it is the cultural heart of modern Bogota’s slapdash modern sprawl: the graceful and carefully planned Spanish colonial city center, known as the Candelaria. The oldest part of the city is now the province of young artists and bohemian university students, whose skills in trippy graffiti and operating very hip indie businesses makes this one of Bogota’s most vibrant neighborhoods.
You might want to start your exploration at tiny Plazuela Del Chorro Del Quevedo, where this city was supposedly founded in 1537, by Spanish Conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada. (Of course it is much, much older; Jimenez merely renamed the ancient indigenous town of Bacata “Bogota.”) However, this plaza—now the epicenter of Bogota’s hipster scene, with plenty of tattoos, Chucks, handmade jewelry and fire dancers—doesn’t really get going until dusk. Be sure to stop into one of the cool little cafes for the Candelaria’s signature beverage, a traditional Andean canelazo, made with sugarcane liquor, cinnamon and panela sugar, served steaming hot for the chill altitude.
But begin instead at sprawling Plaza Bolivar, surrounded by picturesque streets lined with more tejas-topped adobes, interspersed with the city’s finest museums, coolest casas cultural, and most ornate churches. As you make your way to the most important museums close to bustling Parque Santander, be sure to check out the Emerald District (Carrera Jimenez between Calle 6 and 7), where Colombia’s signature stone can be had almost wholesale, if you’re sharp. Inexpensive eateries and artsy clubs are everywhere, but be aware that the neighborhood gets sketchy after hours; take cabs after 9pm or so.
If you’re staying in the Zona Rosa, be aware that you are a solid 45-minute, COP$10,000 (US$6) taxi ride from the Candelaria in traffic, and not all taxis are willing to make the journey—have your hotel call one ahead. TransMilenio buses make the run more quickly; get off at the Gold Museum station.
Address: From Carrera 4 to the Carrera 10 y and from Calle 4 to Calle 22, Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia
From $ 10
La India Catalina Monument
At the main entrance to Cartagena’s Old Town, La India Catalina Monument is a bronze rendering of the Doña Marina of Colombia — India Catalina.
The daughter of a local chief, in 1509 Catalina was abducted, aged 14, from her home in Galerazamba. Once she’d learned Spanish in the Dominican Republic, she was thereon required to accompany the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia as an interpreter and pacifying presence in interactions between the Spanish and indigenous groups.
The local Calamari people were decimated in the Spanish conquest, and that was in part due to Catalina’s collusion with the Spanish. In that sense, it might seem strange that the sculpture of her has become so iconic, but really, it’s a tribute to the indigenous people who inhabited this land before the Spanish conquest.
Sculpted by the Spanish artist Eladio Gil Zambrana and unveiled in 1974, the monument has become so well-known around Cartagena that small-scale replicas are handed out as awards at the Cartagena Film Festival.
Practical Info
La India Catalina Monument is easy to spot at the main entrance to the old town in Cartagena. It’s in the center of a large plaza near the bridge crossing the Laguna de Chambacú.
Address: Avenida Venezuela, Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia, Colombia
From $ 18