Colombia Travel: Exploring Bogota, Cartagena, & Cali
If you’re thinking about traveling to Colombia, these are the cities you absolutely have to visit. Learn about the culture, food, and nightlife that await you in Colombia's most vibrant cities.
Nestled on a plateau high in the Andes, Bogota isn’t what most people picture when they think of Colombia. Cool and often foggy, Bogota averages a temperature of just 58° Fahrenheit throughout the year. Surrounded by lush Andean hills, Bogota’s colorful mix of colonial and modernist architecture makes it one of the most stunning cities in the world. Just as importantly, Bogota is much safer than most people think.
Bogota is composed of dozens of unique neighborhoods, all with their own culture and feel. Sure, you’d be remiss if you didn’t check out some of Bogota’s awesome museums (the Gold Museum is particularly incredible) or hang out in one of its countless parks—but the real Bogota is the one that only locals can show you: a youthful city of street art, live music, and dance halls far off the beaten path. For an authentic taste of Bogota’s vibrant culture, duck into a bar for a rowdy game of tejo—a sport that essentially boils down to tossing a metal puck at targets filled with gunpowder. No matter the time of night, it’ll be packed with locals from all walks of life enjoying good food, good company, and the occasional explosion.
Located on Colombia’s northern coast, Cartagena is the quintessential Caribbean paradise. Cartagena's idyllic beaches border the walls of its exquisitely-preserved old town, where miles of cobblestone streets, stunning Spanish colonial architecture, and flower-covered balconies abound. World famous resorts, nightclubs, and coral reefs complete Cartagena’s picture of Caribbean perfection.
Cartagena is known for its safety, warmth, and joie de vivre—and the locals certainly know how to party! Cartagena’s calendar is chock-full of festivals, and since the city was once a refuge for freed slaves, its culture has a rich Afro-Caribbean feel to it. Dance parties to champeta—a style of music that mixes that Spanish and African elements—are incredibly common. Known as picos, these open-air fiestas are a gorgeous representation of Cartagena’s unique multi-ethnic culture.
Although its full name is “Santiago de Cali”, this up-and-coming city is known to locals simply as “Cali”. Spread over the tropical savanna plains of the Cauca Valley, Cali boasts warm afternoons and cool, breezy evenings. Due in part to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, Cali is known as a center of industry; more importantly, however, it’s also known as the world capital of salsa dancing!
In a more transitional state than its neighboring cities, Cali is still recovering from the issues of the 1980s and ‘90s. To that end, safety in Cali is more of a concern than in Bogota, which are somewhat more rejuvenated (click here for advice on how to stay safe in Colombia). That being said, Cali’s charms are undeniable. As the world capital of salsa dancing, Cali boasts countless salsa bars, mostly in its beloved Juanchito neighborhood. Other cultural attractions include the Gato del Rio, a three-ton bronze cat sculpture on the bank of the Cali River, and Cristo Rey, an 85-foot statue of Jesus Christ overlooking the city.
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