Colombia Holidays & Accommodation
South America
Colombia is unique among South America in that it has exposure to both the Caribbean coast and the Pacific coast. With the Amazon and the Andes nearby, the sights are beautiful and plentiful and the area is also rich with history. The cities of Colombia are bustling with people and history, including the major cities of Cartagena and the capital of Bogota. For a holiday that's off the beaten track, you may want to explore this northernmost South American country and take the time to enjoy a cup of its famed coffee.
Colombia Holidays Planner
Bogota is the capital of the country, and its historic district is particularly beautiful. The heart of its historic district is La Candelaria with cobblestone streets, pretty colonial churches, and cafes. Located in this district is the Gold Museum, which displays works and tools of archaic metallurgy. Also here is the Bogota Cathedral, which is a beautiful example of period architecture. You may also want to visit Usaquen, a colonial landmark which on the weekend has become popular for brunch and local flea markets.
Just outside Bogota, you can visit the Salt Cathedral, the Zipaquira, set 180 m underground. This was once the site of salt extraction, and became the unlikely location of an underground religious church.
In the north of the country you can find the city of Cartagena. The area has been inhabited since 7000 BC, because of its mild climate and abundant wildlife. Today the city is known for its colonial architecture, narrow streets, as well as its republican and Italian style buildings. At the Plaza de Bolivar you may want to dawdle and enjoy the shady cafes and the pretty homes with their elegant balconies. Here you can also find the Cathedral of Cartagena which dates from the 16th century. Cartagena is home to the greatest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies. The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas was built in 1639 and was never penetrated. It was interspersed with numerous tunnels that were used to resupply the defenses, and some of these tunnels are open to visitors today.
Colombia has many different climatic zones, including deserts, mountains, and jungle, so there is a lot to see and experience. If you want to visit the Amazon, you can arrange that from the small city of Leticia where you can arrange to see the pink dolphins of the Amazon on Tarapoto Lake
On the La Guajira Peninsula you can see numerous climatic zones, including tropical, desert, and mountain. The north is known for its desert-like conditions while the south is known for its jungle like conditions. This peninsula is home to the Wayuu Indian community, and it is a beautiful area where you can also visit the Flamingos Fauna and Flora Sanctuary.
For those who like to visit historical landmarks, there is Tierradentro and San Agustin. Here you can see the Parquet Arqueologico de San Agustin, a large park in the Magdalena River gorge where the people who lived here before the time of the Incas once interred their dead. Outside their tombs they put mythical stone figures and animals to guard the area