Colombia
South America · Bogotá · CO
Colombia defies easy categorisation, a country where Caribbean beaches meet snowcapped volcanoes and Amazonian jungle borders colonial towns frozen in amber. Its geography splits into three Andean ranges, a Pacific coastline teeming with whale populations, and the vast eastern llanos — grasslands where cowboys still drive cattle across floodplains. Cartagena's walled old city preserves centuries of Caribbean trade history within ramparts built to repel pirates, while Medellín's transformation from one of the world's most dangerous cities to a hub of innovation and urban design has become a case study studied worldwide. Colombia's coffee-growing region, the Eje Cafetero, cascades through green hillsides where smallholder farmers still hand-pick arabica beans at elevations that produce some of the world's most sought-after crops. The country's cultural richness — from the marimba music of the Pacific coast to the vallenato ballads of the Caribbean north — reflects Indigenous, African, and Spanish influences woven together over five centuries.
Overview
Colombia is a country in South America. Its capital is Bogotá and the international dialling code is +57. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Spanish. Local currency is the Colombian Peso (COP). Our guide covers 2 airports, including El Dorado International Airport, José María Córdova International Airport. We also list 2 cities in Colombia: Bogotá and Medellín.
Cartagena's Walled City and Caribbean Soul
Cartagena's UNESCO-listed old city is enclosed by colonial ramparts that stretch over eight miles, originally built to defend one of the New World's most valuable ports from pirate raids and naval attacks. Behind these massive stone walls, bougainvillea cascades over balconies and pastel facades line narrow streets that lead to plazas where street vendors sell coconut water from halved shells. The neighbourhood of Getsemaní, once considered too rough for tourists, has transformed into a vibrant district where graffiti murals cover entire building facades and small restaurants serve fusion cuisine mixing Afro-Colombian flavours with modern techniques. The Palace of the Inquisition, a seventeenth-century building, now houses a museum documenting the brutal colonial tribunal that once operated here. At sunset, the city walls facing the sea become a gathering place where locals and visitors sit together watching the Caribbean turn gold and then violet over the harbour.
The Coffee Region's Green Mountains
The Eje Cafetero, or Coffee Axis, encompasses the departments of Caldas, Risaralda, and Quindío, where steep volcanic hillsides covered in shade-grown coffee create one of Colombia's most photogenic landscapes. Salento, a small town of brightly painted wooden houses, serves as the region's gateway, its main plaza alive with horseback guides and vendors selling tinto — the strong black coffee that Colombians drink throughout the day. The Valle de Cocora, accessible by a winding trail from Salento, reveals wax palm trees that grow to heights exceeding two hundred feet, making them the tallest palm species in the world and the national tree of Colombia. Working fincas throughout the valley offer hands-on harvesting and processing experiences where visitors pick ripe cherries, depulp them by hand, and taste the difference between washed and natural-processed beans. The entire region breathes coffee culture in a way that feels organic rather than performative.
Medellín's Urban Transformation
Medellín occupies a long valley in the central Andes where spring-like weather persists year-round at 5,000 feet elevation, and the city's remarkable transformation from violence-plagued metropolis to innovation hub has earned it international recognition. The Metrocable, an aerial gondola system, was the first of its kind to connect hillside informal settlements to the city's metro system, dramatically reducing commute times for residents who previously spent hours on winding roads. Comuna 13, once considered the most dangerous neighbourhood in Colombia, now features outdoor escalators built into the hillside and vibrant graffiti tours led by residents who lived through the neighbourhood's violent past and participated in its recovery. The Botanical Garden, designed by Spanish architect Roberto Burle Marx, creates a living laboratory of Colombian plant species within the city limits. Parque Arví, reached by the longest urban cable car in South America, protects a nature reserve that feels worlds away from the bustling valley below.
The Pacific Coast's Whale Season
Colombia's Pacific coast remains one of the least visited stretches of shoreline in South America, a remote jungle-to-ocean landscape accessible primarily by small planes and boats from the port of Buenaventura. Between July and October, humpback whales migrate from Antarctic feeding grounds to the warm waters of the Golfo de Tribugá to breed and calve, and whale-watching tours from the fishing village of Nuquí offer encounters with pods so close that their blows wet the faces of observers in nearby boats. The surrounding Chocó region is among the most biodiverse places on the continent, with bull sharks patrolling river mouths, scarlet macaws flying in pairs through the canopy, and traditional Emberá and Wounaan communities maintaining fishing and forest-gathering practices along the coastline. Hot springs bubble up directly through the sand on some beaches, creating warm pools at the ocean's edge where the jungle meets the tide.
The Lost City Trek in the Sierra Nevada
Ciudad Perdida, or the Lost City, sits deep in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range, a site older than Machu Picchu that can only be reached on foot through four days of jungle trekking. Built by the Tayrona civilization around 800 CE and abandoned roughly two hundred years before the Inca rose to power, the site was rediscovered in 1972 by looters and has since been carefully excavated and returned to the indigenous Kogi people who consider it sacred. The trek passes through rivers, mud, and cloud forest, crossing wooden bridges and climbing ancient stone staircases carved into the mountainside. Camps along the route host hikers overnight, serving meals cooked over open fires while the forest sounds surround them. Arriving at the circular stone terraces of the Lost City after days of physical effort creates an emotional resonance that more accessible sites rarely achieve. The Kogi still perform ceremonies at the site, maintaining a spiritual connection to their ancestors' stonework.
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- Capital
- Bogotá
- Currency
- Colombian Peso (COP)
- Languages
- Spanish
- Calling code
- +57
- Internet TLD
- co
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Colombia.
Which nationalities can enter Colombia?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (2)
All airports →Cities (2)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Colombia?
For the origins we track, travellers from Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Italy currently enter Colombia visa-free for tourism, and 4 more origins are visa-free too. Entry rules depend on your passport and the purpose of your trip, so check the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Colombia?
Bogotá is the capital of Colombia, and the country sits in South America.
What currency is used in Colombia?
You pay with Colombian Peso (COP) in Colombia. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Colombia?
The languages we list for Colombia are Spanish. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Colombia?
The dialling code for Colombia is +57 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Colombia?
We cover 2 airports for Colombia, including El Dorado International Airport (BOG), José María Córdova International Airport (MDE).
Which cities in Colombia do you cover?
Our guide lists 2 cities for Colombia: Bogotá (capital) and Medellín.