I know I am not alone when I say I’ve cancelled at least five trips this year. My travel itinerary for the year upon the start of 2020 included a trip abroad to Europe with my mom (would have been her first time!), an awesome trail race adventure in Zion National Park, among others.
Throughout the year, rather than sulking about what could have been (especially when there are much more significant worldly matters to be concerned about), I’ve “relived” trips that I’ve taken in the past.
What do I mean by “relived”?
On trips past, I took tons of photos and videos that I seldom spend the time looking back at. But since this year has been without making new memories on new trips, when the month and days arrived that I had been exploring somewhere awesome in prior years on those dates, I would replay the memories of that day.
In April, I rewound to driving in the Norwegian fjords, walking through the world-famous Keukenhof tulip festival in Amsterdam, touring the stunning Danish city of Copenhagen, and bar hopping in Berlin and with two of our best friends.
May rolled around and I was transported back to days in Spain, from Mallorca to Madrid.
In July, I watched videos of my trial running team and I trekking through the Grand Tetons in the middle of the night as we competing in a team trail relay race.
And then finally, in August, one of my top 3 favorite trips of all time: going to Colombia.
This notable trip to Colombia was somewhere that had been on my bucket list since I was little, as it’s where my family on my dad’s side is from and where many still live.
Living in south Florida we had awesome access to quickly jet over to South America, and we’ve got to start taking more advance. Round trip flights from FLL were about $380, and direct to many different airports in Colombia. We flew into Bogota, and out of Cartagena.
So, for when traveling abroad is a thing again, here’s the itinerary I would suggest for a week in Colombia.
Planning an Itinerary for a Week in Colombia
While outlining our itinerary for a week in Colombia, we found ourselves feeling a bit stuck. Going to South America was uncharted territory for us.
Luke has lived in Europe for a total of +2 years, and there’s hardly anywhere he hasn’t visited. If he hasn’t visited, he can quickly navigate and figure out where to go and how to get there.
This Colombia was completely new to us. I did ask my family for some recommendations (which turned out to be absolutely amazing; details below) and turned to the Colombia Lonely Planet guidebook, always my go-to trip planning resource.
We were also planning this trip for a group of friends; there was a total of six of us and just one of us had been before but not to these cities.
Quickly, I realized Colombia is not as easy to hop around city to city like it is in European cities. This is partially due to the mountainous landscape. You definitely cannot rent a car and get from Bogota to Medellín in under a day! The major cities are quite spread out and I suggest flying to be more efficient with your time.
But after going back and forth for what seemed like weeks on which cities to go to, we landed on:
- Bogota for 2 nights
- Medellín for 3 nights
- Cartagena for 3 nights
I really wanted to see Bogota since that’s where my family is from – my dad was born there and lived there for some years of his childhood. Many people told us to skip it but I am glad we went. There is a lot of beautiful landscape to see with mountains hugging the city, and up and coming food scene, hip neighborhoods and more.
The appeal of Medellín was the nightlife, history, and naturally beautiful landscapes. This city has played an enormous role in Colombia’s recent decades and has made an insane transformation over the years.
And we chose Cartagena to hit a touristy, vacay beach spot to relax by the beaches and weave through colorful buildings.
For about a week, seeing three cities was completely doable. Flights were cheap and easy with many available options.
So here’s what to see and do in each city in 2-3 days!
Things to Do in Bogota
Before we get into what to do and see, first things first: Bogota is COLD. It is ALWAYS cold. It’s “long sleeve sweaters by day, pretty solid jackets by night” cold.
So now that you’re prepared for that, here’s what to check out if you just have a day or two:
El Museo Del Oro
The “museum of gold” is one of the most popular spots to visit in the country of Colombia, and rightfully so. The pre-Colombian historical pieces are so impressive. I’m always reminded when at history museums in other countries how much deeper history goes in other places.
The textiles, stones, gold, and other metal collections are all curious reminders of the indigenous peoples that resided in Colombia long, long ago.
Even if you just browse quickly through, it’s worth it to see even part of the 55,000+ piece collection at El Museo Del Oro.
Andres Carne De Res
There are two locations – one in Bogota, and the original one which is completely worth the drive about an hour north to Chía.
One thing to note is that any distance your Uber or driver tells you is not accurate in Colombia – it is at LEAST 30+ more minutes than what you think.
It took us about 1.5 hours to get there, but once we did, the party immediately started.
There’s no other place like this restaurant/club/bar. It’s decorated with various lights and bright decorations hanging from the ceiling everywhere, and it’s massive. The inside winds around and has both indoor and outdoor seating. There’s clowns and music players and all types of entertainment going from table to table. There’s multiple dance floors with all types of reggatón playing.
The food is flavorful, fresh, and heavy. Of course, you have to order the traditional platter of all kinds of delicious grilled meats called “bandeja paísa”. Almost everything you order in Colombia for dinner will come with rice, black beans, avocado, plantains, and other fresh sides.
All around, Andres Carne de Res is a must since this experience can’t be replicated anywhere else.
Ride to the top of Monserrate
Bogota’s landscape is something to behold. Mountainous and green with crisp, cold air. Going to the top of 10,000 Monserrate, a mountain in Bogota where a 17th century church peers out over hundreds of miles of Bogota.
The peak is accessible by funicular, and the ride up is awe-inspiring. I really had no idea what this city looked like before arriving, and seeing it from this view put its true, natural beauty in perspective. I suggest going at sunset. There’s plenty of shops atop the mountain to purchase some local snacks and souvenirs.
Eat at Crepes & Waffles
It doesn’t sound very Colombia, but this chain found all over the country is SO good. When you need a break from heavy bandeja paísa and want a vegetable in your life, hit up their salad bars and fresh-made juices.
In the same vein, if you need a quick caffeine boost, the Juan Valdez coffee shops are always a solid choice for coffee.
Things to Do in Medellín
Though I have roots in Bogotá, Medellín has my heart. You know it’s special the second you leave the airport, as its placed on the top of a mountain and the swirling drive down weaves in and out of the luscious, green mountainside.
Medellín is so scenic, but in a unique way, as it lays in the valley between two mountain ranges. The city has been acknowledged for its innovative design, and you can tell that art and beauty is at the center of everything its residents do and find pride in.
Because it’s situated in a valley, one may have to commute from one side of the valley to another for work. To solve for this, there’s a “metrocable”, a free public mode of transportation that’s like riding up to ski lift. It’s so much fun (clearly, we went on it), and I couldn’t believe that’s how people get to work everyday! It’s a great way to see the city from a bird’s eye view.
I got the vibe that Medellín is also a very international city. In Bogotá, menus were not translated to English and I never spoke English at a restaurant or bar one time, whereas in Medellín, we came across many other young travellers. But it seemed like they were mainly from Europe or other South American countries. I also learned that Medellín is a popular expat location for digital nomads, and I can see why. It’d be my first pick as a place to live abroad, no doubt about it.
The food continued to be amazing there. I had the best “ajiaco”, which is the traditional chicken soup. It comes with potatoes, corn, cilantro, rice, beans, plantains, all the good stuff. And when your broth runs low, a waiter will come offer to refill it. The broth had healing powers after a night of drinking Aguadiente.
Where to Stay
Our Airbnb was located in a posh neighborhood called El Poblado. There were several apartment complexes to choose from, but ours had a view of the city in the valley with floor to ceiling windows. Let me tell you, it never got old.
It was also very close to…
Parque Lleras
Parque Lleras is the top nightlife district of Medellín right next to El Poblado and another popular tourist area, La Zona Rosa. It’s two-full blocks of seemingly endless bars, perfect for hopping in and out from place to place.
You need no plan when going to Parque Lleras. You can explore and pop in and out of places to check them out and possibly stay a while. The only thing I advise is to keep your wits about you, particularly here. It’s a very known tourist destination which undoubtedly attracts pickpockets. I saw a woman’s phone get stolen from one who darted off immediately, and it wasn’t pretty.
Vendors will also get pushy, but just stand your ground and focus on having fun and exploring. Time flies there; all of a sudden the sun will be rising!
Take a Day Trip to Guatapé
There are many amazing day-trip options from Medellín. You can get to coffee fincas in just a few hours, or go further explore Pablo Escobar’s history in nearby towns.
We chose to go to Guatapé, a quaint, small-town only a 2-hour, $4 bus ride away. In Guatapé, you can climb El Piñon, a huge round rock that has 850 stairs built into it. Be warned: maybe it doesn’t sound like that many stairs (it didn’t to me), but it certainly is a lot of stairs. You’ll want to be in fairly good shape to make the climb, and not super hungover. To even get to where the stairs start is straight uphill, so wear your walkin’ shoes.
The view only gets more and more surreal as you climb up towards what feels like heaven. The scenery surrounding Guatapé and El Piñon is just unlike anything I have ever seen before. It was hilly land surrounded by weaving rivers and bodies of water, forming tiny islands where farmers tended their land and livestock. You can tell people of this area take great pride in their land, as the farms and horses were of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.
Enjoy a Michelada (a beer + lime juice and a salt rim) up at the top while you take in the scenery.
This was the highlight of the entire trip!
Once you’re done with your trek, you can explore the little town of Guatapé and enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants. I think this is the only trip I never pulled out my phone to look at Yelp or reviews. We’d just scope out a place, walk right up, and it was always fresh and flavorful.
El Mercado Del Rio
I love a good international food market, an El Mercado Del Rio does not disappoint. There are all types of cuisines there, including both sweet and savory trips.
The rest of the time, we just explored the downtown area and popped in and out of shops. El Museo Botero is a popular stop, but we didn’t have the time to go, unfortunately. Guess we’ll have to go back.
Onto Cartagena.
Things to Do in Cartagena
This Caribbean city feels like New Orleans meets St. Augustine. The “walled city” resembles the fort in St. Augustine, and the food and culture feels as rich as New Orleans.
The thick sea air floats throughout the narrow streets lined with colorful buildings, each of its own tones with winding vines and greenery. It was so diverse and different from Bogotá and Medellín. Cartagena is a destination for a beachy getaway, a relaxing vacation. It is a great way to end the trip in Colombia.
We had the least amount planned for this city, and it proved to be the perfect place to just wander and soak in. One thing is for sure, you will end up dancing the night away most nights. There’s just no way not to. It feels like the whole city is dancing!
Explore Getsemaní
This up-and-coming neighborhood is like the “Wynwood of Miami”, with murals everywhere and textured walls. It feels unfinished, but purposefully.
Located just outside of Cartagena’s Old City, the Getsemaní barrio is authentic to say the least. It feels like it is making a statement without trying. The Spanish colonial architecture was definitely reinforcing the St. Augustine feel.
You can’t go wrong with any arepa or fresh juice that you grab from a stand.
