Colombia
BOGOTA
THINGS TO DO
Take the teleferico to Monserrate for unobstructed 360-degree views of the city. This was our favorite attraction in Bogota. There is a beautiful café where you can order a bottle of wine and light snacks while enjoying the view on a sunny afternoon.
Visit the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá: While a bit out of town, it is impressive. Walk around Plaza Bolivar and check out the bustling street fair that stretches for what seems like miles.
Take a stroll in La Candelaria: The Old Town neighborhood of La Candelaria is wonderful to explore. Bogota is not known for being the most pedestrian friendly city but this neighborhood is very enjoyable and worth checking out.
Take a getaway to Villa de Leyva: An amazing and beautiful colonial village in Colombia, Villa de Leyva is still like living in the past. It is a Colombian national monument as of 1954. The colonial feel has been preserved like nowhere we have experienced before and the gorgeous design of the city is still intact. This town is a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of Bogota. If you want to hike, relax, eat and reflect-this would be a great stop.
PLACES TO EAT
Arepas de Choclo: Cheap, delicious arepas can be found at this local spot. Although unassuming from the outside, these are the fluffiest, yummiest arepas around.
Harry Sasson: YOU MUST GO HERE MULTIPLE TIMES! We did. This is undoubtedly one of the top restaurants in Colombia, and it is not to be missed. With grilled avocados the size of your head, empanadas one can only dream of, and dozens of other incredible dishes, you cannot go wrong. Make a reservation in advance for dinner, and keep the good times rolling with their delicious espresso martinis (ask for Vodka con café- odd, we know).
La Cesta: Great local spot for breakfast with healthy options and a wide variety of offerings. Excellent egg dishes complement their wide selection of teas, fresh juices, and smoothies. The perfect spot to fuel up before a full day of exploring.
Club Colombia: This is an upscale restaurant in the heart of restaurants and shopping with a beautiful patio that is perfect for lunch. The menu is extensive and offers traditional Columbian fare, including excellent steaks.
PLACES TO DRINK
Andres Carne de Res: This Restaurant-Club boasts one of the best parties in Colombia. If you mention you’re looking for a good time, it’s likely that locals and visitors alike will point you to Andres Carne de Res. Try to go on the weekend as that is when it’s at its best.
Bungalow: Reggaeton dance club in central district with shopping and restaurants. This multi-room bar/club is decorated with disco balls, draping ivy, and an epic DJ booth. Perfect for a late night out in one of Bogota’s best neighborhoods.
LxF Bar: Nice little bar in a super safe area! This place was great to hangout for casual and fun vibes.
PLACES TO STAY
NH Hotel Boheme: This convenient and comfortable hotel is everything you need for a great stay in Bogota. It is very central to many shops, restaurants, clubs and more. This area was highly recommended to us when we planned our travel to Bogota, and we highly recommend the same to you.
Bioxury: Posh hotel with great service and a trendy bar to match. As soon as you walk in you will be impressed by the giant vertical garden in the lobby. This is a great choice when staying in Bogota.
Airbnb: Many options in Bogota, and many of them incredibly cheap. We advise to carefully read reviews, especially checking the location and safety, before booking.
TRANSPORTATION
Uber will be the easiest way to get around, cheap easy and safe-this is what we recommend
Cabs are another way to get around but be sure to get a metered one or be sure to agree on the fare beforehand
CARTAGENA
THINGS TO DO
Stroll around Old Town (Centro and San Diego): You can walk down every street in the Centro and San Diego district multiple times and catch something new every time. The streets are a photographer’s dream with radiating life with vibrant colors and old-world charm. This magnificent city is bursting with music, art, cafes, shops-walk the streets and enjoy its liveliness. Make sure to stop by the street markets, where you can purchase delicious fresh fruit or ceviche, or beautiful handcrafted art pieces from the local Colombians.
Walking around Getsemani: This is the old “commons people” section of Cartagena. The area has a bohemian identity, with street art covering every other wall, coffee shop, and restaurant.
Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas: The largest New World fortress built by Spanish colonizers. The fort is impressive and towers over the city and seashore. The audio tour and entrance ticket are around $45 together and make the tour more worthwhile. The whole audio tour takes about 60-90 minutes. Avoid coming in the middle of the day because the fort gets HOT.
Convert de la Popa: This old monastery offers the best view of Cartagena. We recommend calling a taxi to take you there, and depending how long you want to visit, see if they’ll wait to take you back.
Palace of the Inquisition: Their in-house museum is beautiful and provides a tremendous, in-depth history lesson of the city.
Other Must-See Places in the City
-Getsemani
-Torre Del Reloj
-Plaza de Santa Teresa
-Plaza de Bolivar
-Plaza Santo Domingo
-Plaza de Fernandez de Madrid
-Plaza de San Diego
Hit the Beaches
Group tour of the Rosario Islands and Playa Blanca: From a hostel you can book a complete day tour which includes transport to Baru, snorkeling in Rosario Islands, a boat ride, two private beaches, and transport back for about $65. Or, you can take a taxi to Isla Baru and there are some other options, but the tour is great because it takes all the stress out of the travel and organization and lets you relax at the beach!
Isla Baru/Playa Blanca: The iconic white sand beaches you’ll see on the postcards. Packed with tons of restaurants, bars, and beach resorts. The water is so clear and there is so much to do, absolutely worth the visit.
Islas Rosarios: Another astounding island that you can find group trips for! Just a 30 minute boat ride from Baru. Snorkeling was fun and you are able to see lots of small tropical fish.
Sundays: Getsemani throws a local party at Plaza Trindad. There have live dance classes, local music, and street performers. Hang out in the square, eat street food, and buy beer at the local stores for an affordable local experience.
Visit the Rosario Islands: The Rosario Islands are an archipelago located only about an hour from Cartagena. These islands are beautiful, relaxing, and well worth a visit. Whether you want to sip a cool drink while eating fresh fish or you’d like to kayak through the mangroves-there is so much to do. Stunning sunsets and some incredible scuba diving are other popular activities.
Scuba Diving: Cartagena Divers, their staff was professional and the dive operation was well managed. We had a lovely experience diving with them and they’re great for divers of all levels. Highly recommend this shop.
PLACES TO EAT
Fruit Bowls: The best meal was buying a fresh fruit bowl from street vendors. They have fresh mangos, pineapples, watermelon, you name it. Hint, make sure you settle on a fair price before they start working. Grab a bowl and eat it in one of the many squares or parks in the city for a crisp, fresh meal.
La Cevicheria: Near Plaza Fernandez de Madrid and San Diego, this trendy Ceviche restaurant sports delicious drinks and delectable food. A little pricy if you’re trying to make your money stretch, but definitely worth it. We recommend getting some fresh seafood and the coconut rice.
La Mulata: This is a small restaurant covered in local art right off the main square, where locals dine. Very reasonable prices for everything on menu. Grab some local seafood dishes that are famous in Cartagena, the octopus is incredible.
Malanga: This restaurant is located on the San Diego Square where you can eat outside and people watch. Local dishes and Colombian favorites, the Fish Dish of the day was a meal to write home about. Price is moderate.
Alma: Delicious and very creative food and drinks. The live local festive music is a nice touch. No matter what you order, you won’t be disappointed. The cocktails are worth trying, regardless of dining at this restaurant.
Cafe Stepping Stone: Prepare yourself for the most delicious & hearty breakfast on a colorful street. The menu was clearly labelled with lots of vegan options as well as can be accommodating to gluten free or other allergies. The chai lattes and avocado toast were real treats.
Ely: This neighborhood café in Boca Grande had huge menu and lots of options. The breakfast choices are all fabulous and we enjoyed a lovely coffee and smoothie while sitting on the comfortable patio outside.
Zaitún Cartagena: This Instagram worthy Lebanese restaurant was one of our absolute favorites in Cartagena. The food and service were both impeccable and were beautiful complimented by delicious cocktails and live music in the evening.
Street Food
Arepas are on every street and they are delicious. Also, snag some empanadas, tequeno, and tostones. Street food is cheap and can be found everywhere for an affordable lunch or dinner.
Overall
You can’t go wrong eating in Cartagena! The food is fresh and full of local flavors. The fruit and street food is delicious, authentic, and abundant. Throughout the city, restaurant prices are good but not extremely cheap. Go to a place with other locals and choose to sit outside.
PLACES TO DRINK
Café De La Mar: This is a very touristy restaurant on the old walls and overlooks the Caribbean Sea during sunset. They have live music and plenty of patrons. We suggest getting there a little before 5 so you can find a prime table to sit back and relax. Stay for an extra hour after sunset when the music gets louder the place turns into a local hangout and a party.
Movich Hotel: Grab a drink on the pool deck for the best view of Old Town. Drinks are well-priced and refreshing. Great thing about here is there’s no charge or cover to get on the rooftop even if you aren’t a guest. You can also buy a day-pass to use the pool and facility if you want a nice, relaxing day in the Old Town.
Overall: Cartagena is a destination city and a party hub. There is no shortage of places to go out, so check out as many clubs and discos in the city as you want.
Alquimico Bar: Best place for cocktails, and one of the best bars in Colombia. Top quality drinks for reasonable prices. Make sure to check out all the levels, especially the roof. Highly recommended!
El Barón: Excellent cocktails with a beautiful setting in a central location. Delicious and reasonably priced. Wonderful staff. Must add to your list!
Hotel Sophia: Grab a drink on the rooftop here for insane views of many of the older churches in the area and the water.
PLACES TO STAY
Most major hotels and Airbnb’s are in Bocagrande. We do not recommend this route. The life of Cartagena is in the old walls, so stay inside the walls. This way, you’ll be able to walk around at whatever time of night it is, feel safe, and feel the culture of the city.
These three areas have hostels for backpackers that fit this bill: Centro, San Diego, and Getsemani.
Hostel De La Republica: Cheaper hostel with a bar, pool, and party atmosphere. We love this option because the hostel was extremely clean and in the best part of town.
Movich Hotel: This is a nice hotel with a pool deck that overlooks the Old Town. Friendly staff and a great location. If you are feeling fancy this is the place to stay in the city.
TRANSPORTATION
Taxis are cheap, but make sure you settle on a price before getting in. Taxi to and from the Airport is 20,000 Colombian Pesos and a fixed price, do not pay more. The airport is extremely close to the city center, but the bus terminal could not be farther out.
GENERAL TIPS
March weather was perfect. You avoid the heat of the summer as it was HOT, even in March. If possible, avoid the rainy season. It will monsoon hard and frequently.
GUatape
THINGS TO DO
Many people only visit Guatape as a day trip from Medellin, but if you can swing staying a night here, we HIGHLY recommend it. Once the day trip tourists are gone, it’s very much a local vibe and you can enjoy a less busy but still bustling city.
Hike El Penon – This ‘rock’ is the main attraction of Guatape. You can take a tuk tuk to the base, and climb the 700 steps up for fantastic views of the surrounding lake.
Hang on the lake – Make sure you spend time on this gorgeous lake. You can get someone to tour you on a boat, rent jet skis, or take advantage of the many activities like the slides or trampolines.
Explore the town – Guatape is so bright and colorful! Make sure you walk into the downtown area and walk on the edge of the water to look at the vendors.
PLACES TO STAY
We highly recommend staying at the Charlee Luxe if you want to spend a little extra money. The property is insane and so immersed in the wilderness, and right on the lake! There’s also many hostels located in town if you want more of a party vibe.
TRANSPORTATION
Snag a tuk tuk anywhere here to get around affordably and quickly. Just make sure you have small bills.
Medellin
THINGS TO DO
Tour of Comuna 13 – If you’re going to Medellin, you have to see this neighborhood that was once the most dangerous city in Medellin, and is now bustling with street art and history. We recommend a tour rather than going on your own so you can learn more about the graffiti. We also added in a cable car tour. Make note, if you do a group tour over private, you will most likely be taking crammed public buses.
Botanical Gardens – Super lush in the heart of the city.
Day trips (or overnight if you have time!) to Guatape or Jardin to escape the bustle of the city and do some outdoor activites!
Pueblito Paisa – a cute little pueblo in the middle of Medellin with great city views.
Coffee tours – you can take a trip to the countryside to see how coffee is made and try some of the local product.
We had some friends who went paragliding over the city and absolutely loved it for the birds eye views and a thrill.
Parque Arvi – this park is filled with hiking trails and an extreme ropes course. You can take the local metro and cable cars to get here.
*Note: there are many Pablo Escobar tours, but they are typically not supported by the locals.
PLACES TO EAT
Pergamino is a must go for coffee and empanadas. We brought back a bag of their blue beans.
Hija Mia Nomada – their chai was to DIE for, and they have other snack items.
For breakfast, we didn’t go but heard great things about Bagatelle, Cafe Velvet, Al Alma Provenza, and Cambria.
Carmen – a fantastic multi course dining experience in a beautiful restaurant. Make reservations in advance.
Elcielo – this is a Michelin start restaurant, for a way better price you’d get in the states! Also make advance reservations.
Pizzeria Olivia Manila – bowls, salads, fun drinks, and other Mediterranean options. One of our favorite affordable meals.
Lavocaderia Manila – avocado lovers rejoice! This spot uses it in pretty much every dish. Lots of gluten free options.
Criminal Tacqueria – easy street tacos. The pork belly ones were our fav.
PLACES TO DRINK
Medellin is king for rooftop bars. You absolutely must check out Click Clack, Envy at the Charlee, and Mosquito.
You can also walk down Carrera 36 or 37 (in Poblado) and pick any place that catches your eye. There’s a wide variety of bars, music, street side tables, and restaurants that are open late here. We had a great time at Vintrash (go on Tuesdays for Gringo Tuesdays and house music on the top floor), Chiquita is an over the top gay bar, Bohomia for bohemian vibes, and Yacky Chan for speciality drinks and sushi.
PLACES TO STAY
You’ll want to stick to the Poblado neighborhood. There’s tons of airbnbs and hotels with surrounding restaurants and shops.
Click Clack – Super chic and environmentally forward. A delicious breakfast is also included and you have access to the rooftop.
Los Patios – if you’re looking for a party vibe, this hostel has a rooftop pool with amazing views and nightly events. It also has a great co-working space if you’re working abroad.
The Charlee is also a great option with the beautiful Envy rooftop if you’re looking to spend a little more and have gorgeous, large rooms.
TRANSPORTATION
We recommend Uber over a taxi unless your hotel calls the car for you or you have the number of someone local in Medellin. Uber is much safer.
You can also take the Metro – it is extremely clean and safe for a low cost.
