In the not too distant past, Medellín was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. In particular, one area stood above all others as a no-go zone. That area is Comuna 13, which a part of has since become one of the city's top tourist destinations. How did Medellín's transformation occur, and why Comuna 13? The unspeakable atrocities committed by militant groups and drug traffickers have been the subject of countless movies, television shows, documentaries, an

The first week of every August, Medellín comes to life with the Feria de las Flores (Festival of Flowers). The entire city is abuzz during this week-long festival full of special events, classic car shows, concerts, flower exhibitions, and parties. It culminates with a parade featuring hundreds of flower arrangements carried on the backs of silleteros (porters), who prepare the floats the night before the parade in the village of Santa Elena. The festival has been a part of M

The cobblestone streets of the historic center of Villa de Leyva are a great place to wander around. Start at scenic Plaza Mayor, which is one of the largest plazas in Latin America and the largest that's made with cobblestones. Visit Casa Quintero, Casona La Guaca, and Casa de Juan de Castellanos - three restored mansions holding gourmet restaurants and shops selling local crafts, jewelry, and souvenirs. All of them are on or near Plaza Mayor. Walk through history at Casa Mu

A highlight of any visit to the Amazon Region of Colombia is a stay in the self-sustaining town of Puerto Nariño. It's located on a tributary off the Amazon River and is completely green. There are no cars or motorcycles in the town (the residents don't want them), so all transportation is done on foot or on bicycle. The streets and avenues are identified by palms and other trees. For visitors, there are many small hotels, hostels, and restaurants for a unique experience in t

Pamplona is definitely out of the way, but it's a pleasant city with a comfortable climate and a good collection of small museums. A spectacular 4 hour ride through the mountains from Bucaramanga takes you to Pamplona, founded in 1549. A great place to start exploring is the main plaza, Plaza Águeda Gallardo. It's one of the country's largest and most pleasant plazas. The plaza is surrounded by a mix of modern and colonial buildings, and in every direction you can see the mou

Do you have a sweet tooth? Stop in Iza, a small town in Boyacá known for its amazing desserts. A small area a few steps from the plaza, Plazoleta de Postres, is set aside for locals to sell their desserts. People come from all over Colombia to try them. The desserts are made with fruits, Oreo cookies, chocolate, and several other delicious things. You can buy small portions to sample them, but it's impossible to try just one! Back in the center of Iza, which was founded on Ja

Breathtaking Barichara, one of Colombia's Pueblos de Patrimonio, is a great place to get away from it all. In fact, Barichara means "place of rest" in the indigenous Guane language. This small, quiet town founded on January 25, 1705, has everything you need to unwind. Plaza Principal is the main plaza and focal point of life in town. Some of the most important buildings in town are on the plaza, including the Alcaldía (town hall), Casa de la Cultura (a museum of local history

One of Colombia's most beautiful towns is Monguí, located in the department of Boyacá. With its wide open plaza and beautiful colonial buildings, it's a great town to visit and explore. The best part - it's off the tourist trail. The centerpiece of the town is the gorgeous colonial church, Nuestra Señora de Monguí. It was built between 1694 and 1760 and is considered an architectural landmark. Once you finish admiring the beautiful plaza, you can explore the rest of town. It

Jardín is a coffee town in the green mountains of southwest of Antioquia. It wasn't mentioned until very recently in many tourist guidebooks, therefore it's still relatively "undiscovered". Many Colombians have known about it for a long time and we've seen more and more foreigners each time we visit. Jardín, founded in 1864, is considered by many to be the most beautiful and best preserved town in Antioquia. Usually most town plazas have the best preserved and most colorful c

Don't have the time to go birdwatching? Aviario Nacional (National Aviary) is Colombia's premier bird sanctuary. It features over 1,800 birds from 138 different species and is the largest aviary in the Americas. It's the best place to see some of Colombia's rarest birds in one place. The aviary is located just under an hour from Cartagena on Isla Barú (near the entrance to Playa Blanca) and makes for a great half day trip (or a full day with the afternoon on the beach). Aviar

Near the rock of El Peñol, a few minutes down the road is the colorful town of Guatapé, which is known for its zócalos (colorful panels) lining the bottom of each building. Some of the zócalos are simple geometric figures while others portray life in Antioquia. Generally, when you see zócalos on a house, they depict the occupation of the owner of the house. You'll see farmers, jeep drivers, carpenters, musicians, and more. Others portray real life townspeople, including the m

One of the best attractions in the city of Cali is the zoo. Zoológico de Cali is the best zoo in Colombia and regarded as one of the best in South America. It has a small collection of animals from Asia and Africa but it focuses on animals native to Colombia which sets it apart from other zoos. You'll see tapirs and capybaras rather than elephants and giraffes. The zoo is very well organized into different stations. At some stations, employees are there to answer questions ab

As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, one can't visit Popayán without trying its unique local cuisine. The locals sent us to Mora Castilla, a small and simple restaurant in the historic city center that many regard as the best place to sample payanés delicacies. We started with tamales de pipián, which are made with cornmeal and potato and served with a spicy peanut sauce, similar to what you would find in Thai cooking. They were accompanied by salpicón payanés, a frozen concoction

La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino is a popular place to visit in Santa Marta, just a 15 minute taxi ride from the city center. It's a peaceful green area tucked away within the sprawl of the modern city, but you wouldn't know it by being there. La Quinta de San Pedro not only has the city's botanical gardens, but it is also very historically significant to nearly all of Latin America. The 17th century home on the grounds is where Simón Bolívar, liberator of Colombia, Panama,

In Colombia’s coffee region, people get around by bus, motorcycle, and private vehicles, but one mode of transportation sticks out above the rest – the jeep. It’s not just a loud vehicle rumbling down the road, it’s an important Colombian cultural icon. The first Jeep Willys were introduced to Colombia in 1946 for military purposes. Cafeteros (coffee farmers) living in rugged mountainous terrain quickly noticed the advantage that possessing a jeep could give them over mules a

One of the most fascinating places to visit in Cartagena is Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. It was originally built in 1536 and is the strongest fort ever constructed by the Spanish anywhere in the world. It's included in the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Cartagena. Originally known as Castillo de San Lázaro, it was built in a triangular shape with eight batteries. It was expanded in 1657 and 1753, and later renamed after King Felipe IV of Spain. The fortress is incredibl

Playa Blanca is considered one of the most beautiful beaches not only in Colombia, but in all of South America. With powdery white sand and crystal clear waters of several shades of blue, it's the kind of beach people dream about. The beach is easily accessible from Cartagena, and the easiest way to get there is by boat. Organized day trips leave from the docks near the historic walled city at around 8:30am and arrive at the beach in about an hour. Visitors have until about 3

Between the months of June and October, people head to Colombia's Pacific coast to get a glimpse of the humpback whale. After a long migration, the whales raise their calves in the area, making whale watching tours a popular activity. The best place to do this is in the protected waters of Parque Nacional Natural Uramba Bahía Málaga. Tours can be organized in Juanchaco and Ladrilleros. They usually run between 9am and noon. After a short lecture about the whales and the natio

As one of the top cities in the world for graffiti, quite possibly the best tour in Bogotá is the Bogotá Graffiti Tour. This tour is held twice daily and run by the street artists themselves. Tours are free but donations are suggested. The tour isn't just about looking at the incredible street art and graffiti in the La Candelaria area. The guide told us the background of nearly each artist and the story behind each piece we visited. He also gave us a history of the area as w

Punta Gallinas is the northernmost point of Colombia and the continent of South America. It's located in the desert peninsula of La Guajira, home of the indigenous Wayúu people. At Punta Gallinas, you'll find a lighthouse that was built in 1989. There's also the Dunas de Taroa. These tall sand dunes seem to go on forever, when you reach the top, there's a steep drop to one of the most scenic beaches you could imagine. It's not safe to swim, but chances are you'll have the ent