Must-see attractions in Colombia

  • Bogota , Colombia  - February 24, 2017 : Museo del Oro gold museum in Bogota capital city of Colombia South America; Shutterstock ID 650281423

    Museo del Oro

    Bogotá

    Bogotá's most famous museum and one of the most fascinating in South America, the Gold Museum contains more than 55,000 pieces of gold and other materials…

  • Piedra del Peñol

    Guatapé

    Also known as El Peñon de Guatapé, thanks to the fierce rivalry between the towns it straddles, this 200m-high granite monolith rises from near the edge…

  • Old Town

    Cartagena

    Cartagena's old city is its principal attraction, particularly the inner walled town, consisting of the historical districts of El Centro and San Diego…

  • Museo Casa de la Memoria

    Medellín

    This harrowing museum dedicated to the urban conflict in Medellín is a must-visit for travelers wanting to fully understand the city (and Colombia). There…

  • Medellin / Colombia - July 15, 2017: urban cityscape of the colorful Comuna 13

    La Comuna 13

    Medellín

    Once one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Medellín, the Comuna 13, which clings to the mountainside above the San Javier metro station, has…

  • Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas

    Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas

    Cartagena

    The greatest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies, the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas still dominates an entire section of…

  • BOGOTA, COLOMBIA - OCTOBER 22, 2015: Interior of the Botero Museum. The art collection donated by Colombian master artist Botero is considered the most important donation in the Country's history. ; Shutterstock ID 337708817; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; GL account no.: 56530; Netsuite department name: Online Design; Full Product or Project name including edition: Digital Content/Sights

    Museo Botero

    Bogotá

    Even if you've never heard of Fernando Botero, you'll probably recognize some of his highly distinctive paintings of oversized (read: chubby) characters,…

  • Steep canyon rising above Rio Claro.

    Reserva Natural Cañon de Río Claro

    Around Medellín

    Within the boundaries of this private nature reserve, the river has carved a stunning canyon from its marble bed. You can visit the spectacular Caverna de…

  • Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino

    Santa Marta

    This hacienda is where Simón Bolívar spent his last days in 1830 before succumbing to either tuberculosis or arsenic poisoning, depending on whom you…

  • Cabo San Juan del Guía

    Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona

    Cabo San Juan del Guía is a beautiful cape with a knockout beach. It's also by far the most crowded area of the park, although lack of road access deters…

  • Church of Las Lajas.

    Santuario de Las Lajas

    Cali & Southwest Colombia

    This massive neo-gothic stone church is built directly against the rocky wall of the gorge where the miraculous image appeared. A gilded painting of the…

  • Hacienda Venecia

    Zona Cafetera

    This hacienda has won numerous awards for its coffee. It offers a tour in English that includes an informative presentation about Colombian coffee, an…

  • Colombia, Bogota, 16th century Iglesia de San Francisco, Bogota's Oldest Restored Church, Intersections of Avendia Jimenez and Carrera Septima

    Iglesia de San Francisco

    Bogotá

    Built between 1557 and 1621, the Church of San Francisco is Bogotá's oldest surviving church. In the atmospherically dark interior, with its extravagant…

  • Cueva del Esplendor

    Around Medellín

    Located at 2200m amid beautiful landscapes, this spectacular cave has a 10m waterfall gushing through a large hole in the roof and is Jardín's most famous…

  • Mundo Amazónico

    Leticia

    This 29-hectare reserve works as a center for environmental education and makes for a great place to get to know something of the plants, trees and…

  • Fin del Mundo

    Cali & Southwest Colombia

    Fin del Mundo (the End of the World) is a towering waterfall that plunges off a large rock ledge down into the Río Mocoa valley below. A path leads to the…

  • Museo de Antioquia

    Medellín

    In the grand art deco Palacio Municipal, Colombia's second-oldest museum (Museo Nacional in Bogotá is the oldest) houses one of the country's most…

  • Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona

    Santa Marta & Around

    This dazzling slice of mountainous jungle, vast boulders and golden-white sand makes up one of Colombia's most stunning national parks and is a popular…

  • Plaza Mayor

    Villa de Leyva

    At 120m by 120m, Plaza Mayor is one of the largest town squares in the Americas. It's paved with massive cobblestones and surrounded by magnificent…

  • Cerro Cristo Rey

    Around Medellín

    You'll spot this lookout point with its white Christ statue from the center of Jardín. Take the modern cable car (round trip COP$5000) up for fantastic…

  • Lago Tarapoto

    Puerto Nariño

    Lago Tarapoto, 10km west of Puerto Nariño, is a beautiful jungle lake fed by the Río Amazonas, and is home to pink dolphins, a tiny population of manatees…

  • Catedral de Manizales

    Manizales

    Plaza de Bolívar’s south side is dominated by the odd but impressive Catedral de Manizales. Begun in 1929 and built of reinforced concrete, it is among…

  • Iglesia de San Francisco

    Popayán

    Dating back to the late 18th century, Popayán's largest colonial church is also its most beautiful. Inside are a fine high altar and a collection of seven…

  • Museo del Oro Quimbaya

    Armenia

    This excellent museum showcases the fine work of indigenous pre-Columbian Quimbaya goldsmiths, as well as fine ceramics and ceremonial items. There are…

  • Casa Museo Negret & MIAMP

    Popayán

    This 18th-century house is the home of world-renowned Colombian artist Edgar Negret, whose vast abstract iron sculptures dot plazas around the country…

  • Casa Museo Gabriel García Márquez

    Santa Marta & Around

    This excellent museum is housed in a reconstruction of the house where García Márquez was born in 1927. The original house was sold by the family and…

  • Monumento a Los Colonizadores

    Manizales

    Located atop a hill in the neighborhood of Chipre, this massive monument to the city's founders was crafted from 50 tonnes of bronze (including keys and…

  • Iglesia de la Merced

    Cali

    Founded in 1545, this is Cali's oldest church. It's a lovely whitewashed building in the Spanish-colonial style, with a long, narrow nave, and humble wood…

  • Playa Taroa

    La Guajira Peninsula

    This exceptional and extremely remote beach at the very northern tip of the South American continent is La Guajira's highlight. Massive sand dunes drop…

  • Santuario de Flora y Fauna Malpelo

    Pacific Coast

    The vast Santuario de Flora y Fauna Malpelo, the largest no-fishing zone in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, provides a critical habitat for threatened…

  • Catedral de Sal

    Bogotá Region

    Zipaquirá's stunning Catedral de Sal, 190m underground, was carved by removing 250,000 tons of salt; the resulting space is cinematically lit and packs a…

  • Mountains of the Farallones de Cali National Park, Colombia.

    Parque Nacional Natural Farallones de Cali

    Cali & Southwest Colombia

    This 1500-sq-km national park protects the headlands around Cali. During the height of the armed conflict it was closed and it has yet to be officially…

  • Butterfly Garden of the Quindio Botanical Garden.

    Jardín Botánico del Quindío

    Zona Cafetera

    Armenia's excellent 15-hectare botanical garden has the best mariposario in the Zona Cafetera. The 680-sq-meter butterfly house is shaped like a giant…

  • A Humpback whale jumping near the shore of Gorgona Island in the Colombian Pacific.

    Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Isla Gorgona

    Pacific Coast

    Covering the entirety of remote Isla Gorgona, this rarely visited national park is a fine escape for nature lovers. Once a national prison, the island has…

  • Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Los Nevados

    Zona Cafetera

    One of Colombia's most awe-inspiring national parks, PNN Los Nevados encompasses 583 sq km of rugged terrain in the heart of the Colombian Andes. Its…

  • Hacienda Guayabal

    Zona Cafetera

    This slow-paced working coffee farm near Chinchiná is a great place to come and unwind while surrounded by cafetero culture. It runs an excellent tour…

  • Museum of modern art building in Medellin, Colombia.

    Museo de Arte Moderno de Medellín

    Medellín

    Set around a refurbished industrial building in Ciudad del Río, 'El MAMM' showcases changing exhibitions of contemporary art. The large new wing houses…

  • Monumento a la Raza, located in La Alpujarra, the public square of Medellin, Colombia.

    Monumento a la Raza

    Medellín

    Rodrigo Arenas Betancur, Colombia's favorite designer of monuments, has a number of pieces around Medellín, but the most impressive work is this one in…

  • Cascadas de Juan Curi

    San Gil

    Take a day trip to this spectacular 180m-high waterfall where you can swim in the natural pool at its base or relax on the rocks. Adventure junkies can…

  • Ornoyaco

    Cali & Southwest Colombia

    Surrounded by lush jungle, this high-volume waterfall drops into a deep and inviting swimming hole that's a wonderful spot for a refreshing dip. Ornoyaco…

More destinations you need to see