Since I traveled to Puerto Rico a couple of years ago and got to know the beautiful city of San Juan, my desire to get to know Cartagena de Indias increased. Many say that it is one of the most beautiful colonial cities in the Caribbean. And I wanted to check if that was true. So there was no choice but to travel to Colombia if I wanted to visit that city founded by Pedro de Heredia back in 1533. Little by little the idea of that trip took shape in my head and this year has been chosen to visit that country bathed through the waters of the Caribbean and also the Pacific.
Before starting to prepare the trip I had the names of Bogotá, Medellín, Barranquilla or Cali in my head . And of course, Cartagena de Indias , the pearl of Colombia. It was time to get our act together to plan our travel route to Colombia. I started reading and writing down a list of all the places I wanted to see.
But when I started to calculate days and distances there were places that I had to forget. We had to make the most of the two weeks we were going to spend in Colombia. Places like San Andrés or Tayrona Park were left out of our itinerary to travel to Colombia. And to counteract we include others like Santa Fe or Barichara.
Itinerary to travel to Colombia for two weeks
In principle, looking at the prices, the flights would be from Madrid to Bogotá. Searching, searching, I found another option that seemed much more interesting and a little cheaper: starting the trip in Medellín and returning to Madrid from the country’s capital . With those flights already in hand I began to close our route to travel to Colombia.
Here you can see our itinerary through Colombia . If you already have in mind visiting this attractive country or at the end of the post I have encouraged you to travel to this corner of the Caribbean, you can also read another article with a lot of practical information at the following link: Trip to Colombia, practical information for touring the country .
Day 1. Madrid – Medellín
We left Madrid at 1 noon. Our flight was direct with Avianca to Medellín , the city where we landed at 5:20 p.m. after almost 11 hours of flying. International flights arrive at the José María Córdova Airport located 30 kilometers from Medellín. Passport control was quick, although the luggage departure took a long time. There a taxi arranged with the hotel where we were going to stay, the Hotel Du Parc , came to pick us up . It was already dark when we arrived at our destination. Just enough time to check in and go for a walk through the nearby Parque Lleras , one of the liveliest places in the city on weekends.
There we find bars, restaurants and a lot of atmosphere. Not in vain was it Saturday and all the beautiful people in the city seemed to have gathered there. A few beers, a light dinner (the food on airplanes is not bad, but we don’t know what it has, which at least fills us up like no other) and to sleep
Day 2. Medellin
After our first breakfast with arepas we headed to the places to see in Medellín . Since we were staying in the El Poblado neighborhood, we were able to use the metro (Medellín is the only city that has this means of transportation) to travel to various places.
First we went to the San Javier station. There and we boarded the Metrocable to reach the La Aurora neighborhood . One of the most depressed in the city. We didn’t go down because they had made it clear to us that it was not a place for tourists and the views from the funicular were enough to see the other side of the city. The one in which skyscrapers and luxury private developments give way to houses made of bricks, wood and corrugated board. The other side of a modern city that is not capable of improving the way of life of all those who live in it.
Back at the San Javier station we looked for a taxi to get to Comuna 13, one of the must-see places in Medellín and worth seeing when traveling to Colombia. It is an old marginal neighborhood that has been able to reinvent itself. Its walls and houses are now covered in colorful graffiti, people walk safely through its streets and it is a good place to even sit and have a michelada while chatting with the locals.
Our next stop was Pueblito Paisa, on Cerro Nutibara . A small reproduction of a Paisa town where you can see the traditional interior of a house and even go to mass before going down to the many food stalls that are filled every weekend with people from the city who go up the hill to breathe some fresh air. Again by taxi we went down to the city center to see Plaza Botero. Full of sculptures by Botero, it is one of the places we liked the most in Medellín. There are also the Palace of Culture and the fabulous Museum of Antioquia with several rooms also dedicated to Botero .
From there we walked to San Antonio Park to see more of Botero’s sculptures. It is there where years ago there was an attack that destroyed one of the works of the Colombian artist : Pájaro de Paz. That sculpture is still there, along with a new one that reproduces what that bird looked like before that attack.
We got on the subway to return to the Poblado and go to dinner at a very well-known restaurant in Bogotá that is now also in Medellín: Andrés Carne de Res .
Day 3. Medellín – Santa Fe de Antioquia – Medellín
This day we leave the big city behind to go to one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Antioquia : Santa Fe de Antioquia. Getting to it was very easy. We just had to go by metro to the Caribe station. There is the North Bus Terminal from where buses and vans leave quite frequently to Santa Fe. We traveled in one of the small vans that make the journey and the trip took an hour and a half.
Once in Santa Fe we enjoyed walks through the cobblestone streets of this city of whitewashed houses with colored doors and windows. The city was founded in 1541 and was the seat of government for almost three centuries . Until the government moved to Medellín. Today the city seems stuck in the past. There are hardly any cars so you can rent a car for easy convenience and not many tourists come there (at least during the week). We wander the streets of the city. We approach the Tourist Office in the Plaza Mayor. We visited the Juan del Corral Museum. We saw the craft stalls in the Plazoleta de la Chinca and were surprised by the extensive collection of antiques at the Mariscal Robledo Hotel.
Finally, before returning to Medellín, we boarded a tuk tuk to go to the Western Bridge over the Cauca River . It was one of the first suspension bridges in America and is undoubtedly worth visiting when traveling to Colombia due to its uniqueness and location.
Day 4. Medellín- Guatapé – Medellín
We repeated the subway trip to the North Terminal but this time to travel to Guatapé, the Colombian city of the zócalos. When we got on the bus we told the driver that we wanted to get off next to the Piedra del Peñol. He stopped us there and after a short walk (uphill) we reached the base of the imposing stone that stands out in that landscape converted into a reservoir in 1979.
We climb to the top of the Piedra del Peñol to enjoy the spectacular views of the surroundings. The joke is more than 700 steps. When we got down we used the services of a tuk tuk to get to Guatapé, the city of the zócalos, one of the most picturesque to see when traveling to Colombia. Everything here revolves around its Plaza Mayor.
There is the Tourist Office where they gave us a map with the most important points to see in Guatapé . The church, the boardwalk and beautiful streets with houses decorated with colorful skirting boards. The most attractive of all of them is Calle del memoria, a pedestrian street whose houses were moved before the waters of the reservoir covered them.
We returned to Medellín and there, upon arriving at the El Poblado metro station, we discovered the queues that form on weekdays to get on this means of transportation every afternoon.
Day 5. Medellín – Salento
We leave the city of Botero behind to fly towards the Coffee Region. One of the many places worth visiting when traveling to Colombia. We landed in Armenia, and after taking a taxi to the city’s bus station we boarded a mini bus to reach Salento, our destination.
As soon as we arrived at our hotel, the Terasu Salento , it started to rain. It was a light rain and we said we would wait with a beer for it to clear. Early in the afternoon we headed towards the Palestine Trail, a road that goes down about five kilometers passing by farmland and coffee farms . We walked to the last of them, Finca El memoria. There we took an interesting guided tour in which we learned a lot about the world of coffee and its cultivation.
To return to Salento we used one of the Willys (all-terrain cars) that act as a taxi in this town. With it we arrived at Plaza Bolivar from where we took a walk along Calle Real and other colorful streets in that area of Salento. We stayed for dinner right there, and enjoyed delicious trout dishes. Along with the patacones, it is one of the things that you should try today in this part of Colombia.
Day 6. Cocora Valley – Cartagena de Indias
This day I decided to get up early and before breakfast I was already walking the streets of Salento. It was the only way to see Calle Real with all the colorful doors of its houses closed. And first thing in the morning the shops open and the street is filled with people. At the same time, the doors are covered by the merchandise that the merchants hang on them.
After breakfast we return to Plaza Bolivar to go in a Willys to the Cocora Valley , one of the places that you should not miss when traveling to Colombia. It was a morning of clouds and fog. But that did not detract from the charm of this place where wax palms grow, a symbol of Colombia.
Back in Salento we went up to Alto de la Cruz. A wonderful viewpoint over the town and from which a path leads to another viewpoint: the one that overlooks the Cocora Valley. All we had to do was pick up our luggage to go to the bus station. From there we went to Pereira, the city from which we flew to Cartagena de Indias . Already at our destination we spent the first night in the city in Bocagrande, at the Barlovento Hotel .
Days 7, 8 and 9. Cartagena de Indias – Tierra Bomba – Cartagena
Traveling to Colombia gave us the opportunity to spend a few days on the beach in March. We considered several options, but what we liked the most required us to invest a lot of time traveling, time that we didn’t have. Therefore, in the end we decided to spend a couple of nights in Tierra Bomba, one of the islands that closes the passage from Bocachica to the bay of Cartagena . There we found some simple but valid hotels for our goal of resting and reading in the shade of a palm tree.
These beaches have nothing to do with others in the Caribbean. No large sandy beaches, no palm forests or turquoise water. As if that were not enough, starting at noon an uncomfortable breeze arose that took away the desire to bathe and even lie on the beach. Just so you know, this breeze blows in Cartagena from December to March, just before the rains arrive.
We spent the third day in Tierra Bomba until early afternoon. We leave the Hotel Fenix Beach Cartagena by boat to return to the mainland. At the pier we waited for a taxi to pass by to go to the historic center of the city. We checked in at the Hotel Santa Catalina and after changing clothes we went out to explore the city wall. A great walk that took us to Getsemaní, the fashionable neighborhood of Cartagena. We had dinner there and walked back to the hotel.
Day 10. Cartagena de Indias
The first of the two full days we spent in this colonial city was dedicated to getting to know its historic center. We visited each of the must-see squares in Cartagena.
We visited some of its most important churches, such as San Pedro Claver, and walked to the San Diego neighborhood. A place as attractive as the center but with fewer tourists wandering through its streets. We also do not forget to visit the beautiful Cathedral of the city or visit the museum that houses the old Palace of the Inquisition.
At dinner time we did not hesitate to return to Gethsemane. A neighborhood with attractive restaurants and bars but much quieter than the historic center of the city. And there is only a 10-minute walk between both neighborhoods.
Day 11. Cartagena de Indias
There is no doubt that one of our reasons for traveling to Colombia was to visit this city. And spending less than two days there would have made it impossible to visit all the places we passed through. This second day we walked to the Castillo de San Felipe . The largest of the forts built by the Spanish in the colonies .
After the visit, we retraced our steps to see a neighborhood during the day that we had only seen at night: Getsemaní. We took the opportunity to have a lemonade with coconut before heading to the few places we had left to see in the city: the vaults and the Rafael Núñez House Museum.
We spent the afternoon writing and sending some postcards (which have taken months to reach their destination) and taking one last walk before enjoying our last dinner in the city. And yes, you guessed it, we also returned this last night to Gethsemane.
Day 12. Cartagena de Indias – Barichara
We left our hotel early to head to the airport. We flew to Bucaramanga, the closest airport to Barichara, a city that when traveling to Colombia I was clear that I wanted to visit . Jorge, we had rental a car for a couple of days. We discovered that having a car was the best way to take advantage of the time in the places we were going to visit. So to book a car you can book at DiscoverCars and save your time.
Once in Barichara we left our suitcases at Casa Barichara , the charming hotel for that night, and went out to see this beautiful and quiet town full of hills.
The yellow color of the stone typical of the area earns the city’s inhabitants the nickname of yellow-legged . One of the most curious names. We walked through the town up the street, down the street. We had some micheladas and at sunset we headed to the viewpoint walk. They say that Barichara’s pink sunset is beautiful. We did not have good luck and the sky became cloudy, depriving us of the expected sunset.
With the city under the moonlight we looked for a place to have dinner and discovered that except in a couple of places in the city, the rest do not accept credit cards!!! So we spent the few pesos we had left on dinner at a simple place that we loved: La Peñita.
Day 13. Barichara – Villa de Leyva
After a delicious breakfast in the garden of our hotel we went out again to the streets of the town. Among the places to see in Barichara we took the opportunity to visit several artisan shops, the cemetery and the two churches that we found closed the previous afternoon. We also went to the market before returning to the hotel. There we had met with Jorge to leave for Villa de Leyva, another of those colonial towns to visit when traveling to Colombia.
The trip was tiring. Several hours going up and down mountains, watching the condors flying above us, crossing crop fields. In the end, late in the afternoon we arrived at our destination. Jorge dropped us off at the door of Casa Provenzal , the boutique hotel for that night in Villa de Leyva . From there we went for a walk through the cobblestone streets of this town of white houses that boasts the largest square in Colombia.
Day 14. Villa de Leyva – Bogotá
The breakfast they prepared for us at our hotel that morning had the taste of things made with love. From the parrot eggs to the fruit, everything was delicious and presented with care. We had all morning to explore this Colombian town so we went out to see Villa de Leyva.
We walked aimlessly towards the Plaza Mayor, the largest you can see in Colombia. On our walk we stopped at Parque Ricuarte. There we were able to visit the Antonio Ricuarte Museum located in the birthplace of the independence hero.
We were also able to see other small museums: the Antonio Nariño House Museum and the House of the First Congress. We were surprised by the size of the Plaza Mayor and tried sweetheart kisses , typical sweets from Villa de Leyva.
At two in the afternoon we were at the bus station, from there we left for Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. We were told the trip would take just under three hours. But the traffic jam to enter the city was so great that the trip ultimately lasted four hours.
We arrived at our hotel in the La Candelaria neighborhood exhausted from so many hours packed into the minibus and wanting to go out for a walk before dinner. The neighborhood was very lively (it was Friday night), there were people everywhere. But we had been warned so much about the insecurity in the city that we did not want to go too far from our accommodation.
We had dinner at Sanalejo, a pleasant place serving Colombian cuisine, sitting next to a fireplace (in Bogotá it gets cold as soon as night falls). This place was recommended to us by the hotel and without a doubt I also recommend it to you, both for the location and for the food and service.
Day 15. Bogotá
For me, the Colombian capital is not the most beautiful in the country. But if you decide to travel to Colombia, I think it is worth spending at least one day there. That’s what we did, taking advantage of our last day in the country. We spent the entire day exploring Bogotá before heading to the airport at nightfall.
We begin our tour by going up to Cerro de Monserrate , one of the most popular places to see in Bogotá . There, in addition to being able to see the church, which is the place of pilgrimage, we enjoy the magnificent views over the city. We went up on the funicular, but more than one person dares to reach the top of the hill on foot.
We continue our visit to one of the areas of Bogotá famous for its urban art: Chorro de Quevedo and Callejón del Embudo. From there we went through the streets of the most attractive neighborhood in the capital of Colombia, Candelaria. There we find the Botero Museum, the Plaza de Bolivar and some colonial buildings in different states of conservation.
One of the most interesting visits that can be made in Bogotá is to the Gold Museum . There we enjoyed our last hours on Colombian soil before embarking on the trip home and leaving behind an attractive country that, without having any representative monument as happens in other countries, manages to conquer those who visit it with its landscapes, its colonial cities and its friendly people. If you are planning a trip to Colombian I would recommend DiscoverCars where you can hire a car for your trip.
