Our Three Week Colombia Itinerary
We’ll be honest, our mothers were not happy to hear that we were going to Colombia. Despite some positive new press, most people are only familiar with its starring role in Narcos (which we think is a great show, but don’t mention that to the locals - they won’t be happy with you). Colombia was by far the friendliest country we’ve been to. The people sparkled with passion, and insisted on making us feel at home wherever we visited, from the Uber drivers of Medellin to a kind server who opened his home to us in Jardín. It’s all beautiful, but the cities and towns are the highlight - the best place to enjoy the people, food, and inherently Colombian vibe. Check out our three week itinerary, along with our best advice about what we loved and what we’d do differently.
What We Did
Hint: links will take you to in-depth articles about specific destinations!
Cartagena
4 days - pretty old town with Caribbean flavors and access to sandy beaches like Playa Blanca
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Minca
2 days - amazing hostels, refreshing mountains, and chocolate/coffee production
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Santa Marta
2 days - scuba diving in Taganga, an airport, and easy access to the nearby mountains including La Ciudad Perdida trek
✈️
Bogotá
4 days - cool temperatures and sprawling neighborhoods with a surprisingly cozy feel
✈️
Medellín
4 days - the hippest spot in Colombia with plenty of art, food, and access to nature. Easy trips to towns like Guatapé
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Jardín
2 days - a diamond in the rough, its undiscovered charm will tickle you pink (especially if you can speak Spanish with the locals)
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Salento
2 days - touristy, but worth it for the picture perfect town, trout dinners, and coffee farms. Oh, and Valle de Cocora
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Popayán
1 day - a reasonable stop on your way to Ecuador, it has good food and a quaint town, but does not require much time to explore
Our Advice
1. There are really cheap flights to Cartagena from the US. If you’re flying from Europe, you’ll likely fly into Bogotá. But, we got ours into Cartagena for like $70 each from Florida. Check out Spirit for more info.
2. Playa Blanca, adjacent to Cartagena, was pretty, but too much beach for us. If you like ample amounts of sand and sun, more power to you. Go, but make sure you save time for Tayrona National Park or Cabo de la Vela also in the north, neither of which we visited.
3. If guided hikes are your thing, check out La Ciudad Perdida. As a general rule, we don’t mess with em.
4. Our Colombia itinerary only makes sense if you utilize airplanes. In-country flights are comparable to busses - if you book in advance. We wouldn’t usually recommend tying yourself into a time frame, but flights do save hours and headaches. Think about it, especially if Colombia is at the beginning or end of your trip.
5. We loved the megacities - both Medellin and Bogotá. Know your travel style when you decide how long to spend in each, or whether to skip them altogether.
6. The connection between Salento and Jardin is not easy, but the towns are worth the long journey. You could elect to visit some other towns in La Zona Cafetera to split up the trip.
7. Consider hiking a Páramo, a pretty ecosystem akin to alpine tundra. Colombia doesn’t have the easiest access to nature, but we’ve had friends tell us it was pretty incredible and there are a variety of options.
8. Stop in Cali. If you like cities, we’ve heard it’s one of the best. We were having a rough day when we decided to skip it, and regret the choice.
9. If you’re heading to or from the Ecuadorian border, choose Popayán or Pasto but don’t stay long. They’re both cute but more importantly both very convenient.
Have you been to Colombia? Have your own suggestions about what to see or do? Let us know in the comments below!
