Colombia

Colombia runs from Caribbean colonial ports to Andean coffee country, Amazon rainforest and the desert of La Guajira, with three separate mountain ranges in between. Domestic flights are cheap and the standard way to move. Security has improved substantially in the main travel corridors, though regional advice still varies.

Cities

Cartagena

Cartagena's walled city is the best-preserved colonial port on the Caribbean, with balconied streets, a full circuit of sea walls and a strong Afro-Caribbean cultural presence in Getsemaní. It is hot and humid year-round and busiest in the dry months. Boats run to the Rosario islands for beaches.

Medellín

Medellín sits in a narrow Andean valley at a constant spring temperature, with a metro and cable-car network that transformed the hillside neighbourhoods. Comuna 13, once the most violent district in the city, is now visited for its murals and escalators. It is the main base for the coffee region and Guatapé.

Salento

Salento is a small coffee town of painted balconies at the entrance to the Cocora valley, where 60 m wax palms stand on green ridges. Farm visits explain the full process from picking to cupping, and the valley loop is one of the best day hikes in Colombia. Jeeps from the plaza handle all local transport.

When to go

See all seasons

• Rainy months: Frequent afternoon rain in the Andes; green coffee region.
• Second dry window: A drier break in the middle of the year, good for trekking.
• Late rains: Wettest period inland, lowest prices.

Entry & visas

Entry rules for this country aren't published here yet.

Always confirm entry rules with the official source before you book.