When I first came to Bogotá, I had the pleasure of being introduced to German García Durán, who was to take me and some friends on a tour of the outskirts of Bogotá, skirting villages such as Chia and navigating the winding roads in the surrounding mountains. The views were spectacular. The forests that climbed […]
Category: Colombia Destinations
For those living here in Bogotá, La Macarena is a well-known area since there’s a large expat community, but it can easily escape the typical tourist route as it sits between the popular regions of the city’s center (where you’ll find La Candelaria) and the north. Those exploring the city on a Bogotá tour, however, are […]
Fortunately for us, no one told Villa de Leyva about the 21st Century and so it sits about an hour north of Bogotá, almost entirely untouched by modernization. Cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings make the town as close to a genuine colonial town as you are likely to find in South America. Somewhat unexpectedly, the […]
Visiting almost anywhere in Colombia, whether you seek it out in a bar to dance to or hear it blasting from shop fronts into the streets, you won’t escape the traditional folk music of Vallenato. Locals love it almost as much as salsa and although to the foreign ear it may not sound like the […]
One of Colombia‘s most important exports is its coffee. Over 10 million bags of coffee are exported every year from Colombia, to areas such as Japan, Australia, Europe and the US. Colombia is up with Vietnam and Brazil as one of the world’s most popular coffee producers, and the country has a reputation as one […]
Colombia’s main contribution to the art world has undoubtedly been the paintings and sculptures of Medellín born Fernando Botero. Botero is a popular figure in modern art and, owing to his distinct style, he boasts critical acclaim worldwide as well as recognition and appreciation from those with little interest in art. –> Colombia Dolar (TRM) […]
There are some moments travelling when you have to take a look at your ordinary life and really question why it’s so difficult. These moments, by and large, take place when you visit the Caribbean, and you sample the laid back lifestyle of the people there. Music, dancing and general enjoyment rule the day (and […]
Like many other big cities, here in Bogota the traffic can become a bit of a nightmare, so locals breathed a collective sigh of relief when, in 2000, the TransMilenio system was opened to the public. The TransMilenio system is similar in concept to an underground metro system – only it’s actually a series of […]
We’ve written about Colombia’s spectacularly varied topography before. Here you can find yourself roaming through dense jungles, wading in turquoise seas or hiking in stunning mountain ranges all in one trek. Though good for the tourist, when roads began to be formed amongst these landscapes Colombians were faced with somewhat of a dilemma: where could […]
When I tell people back in England that I’m in Colombia, generally the first thing they assume is that I’m living in some kind of tropical paradise, and that the weather in Colombia is uniformly beautiful and sunny. Now, as lovely as that would be, I’m a Londoner and so I’m thankful to be living […]