The country of Colombia is known for its warm people, beautiful beaches, and vibrant culture—and with over 440,000 square miles of the country to explore, there’s a LOT of adventures you can get up to. So, if you’ve only got a short period of time to explore Colombia, it can be hard to figure out exactly where to spend your time—and what to do—in this incredible country.
My husband, Justin, and I recently spent a month exploring every corner of the Gateway to South America and have put together the perfect Colombia itinerary if you have two weeks (and recommendations if you have even less time!) here.
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How much time do you need in Colombia?
There are SO many incredible cities, beach towns, national parks, and bucket list hikes in Colombia—you could spend months here and not see and experience it all!
However, I think you can squeeze in a LOT of the highlights of Colombia in two weeks—and, if you’re super pressed for time (I feel ya, my fellow Americans!), you could see most of the biggest highlights in just 9 days—just two weekends and five days of your previous PTO.
If you have less than 9 days, I’d suggest just sticking to one part of the country—for example, exploring Medellin and the surrounding towns, like Guatape, Salento, and Jardin, or heading to the coastline for more beach-y vibes in Minca, Cartagena, and the surrounding Caribbean Islands.
Two Week Colombia Itinerary
Now, let’s get to the good stuff—how to actually spend your time in Colombia!
Day 1: Fly into and get acquainted with Medellin
Arrive at the Jose Maria Cordova International Airport in Medellin
Colombia has a whopping 13 international airports, but the incredible city of Medellin is home to the second largest, José María Córdova International Airport.
Once you’ve arrived, either call an Uber (which is technically illegal in Colombia but tolerated) or a private transfer, like this option, to get to your hotel. As you make your way down into the city from the airport, make sure to look out the window—you’ll get epic views of Medellin, nestled in the lush Aburrá Valley, with seemingly countless colorful houses and buildings tucked amongst the expansive Andes Mountains.
I’d suggest staying in the neighborhood of Laureles, which offers a good mix of authentic Colombian culture and businesses, while still being safe for tourists.
Take the Metrocable to Parque Arvie
A good way to get acquainted with the city of Medellin is to take the Metrocable, a public transportation system that locals take to get around the city that offers a fantastic birds-eye view of the sprawling city and the surrounding mountains.
Justin and I rode a bunch of the Metrocable lines, but the best one, in my opinion, is the L line from Santa Domingo up to Parque Arvi, a sprawling ecological reserve with hiking trails high up in the mountains overlooking the city. As you make your way to the park from Santa Domingo, you’ll get an aerial view over Medellin and some up-close-and-personal peek at some of the colorful barrios that are perched on the mountain slopes.
Once you get off the Metrocable at Parque Arvi, you can mosey around for a bit, perusing the vendors with stalls here, or, if you’re keen, going on a hike. There’s a handful of free hiking pathways at Parque Arvi, but there’s been some issues in the past with visitors getting robbed along these trails. Accordingly, I’d generally recommend sticking to the paid trails in the park (costing around 60,000 COP for foreign travelers), as they have extra security around them.
How to get to Parque Arvi: If you’re staying in Laureles, you can take the Medellin Metro, which is the city’s subway system, to the Acevedo station. From here, you’ll transfer to the K Metrocable line to Santa Domingo and then, at the Santa Domingo station, transfer to the L Metrocable line to Arvi. The whole trip will cost around $8 USD roundtrip. It’s worth noting that Parque Arvi and its Metrocable line is typically closed every Monday.
Where to stay in Medellin
The Factory Lofts Hotel in the Laureles neighborhood has tons of bars and restaurants within walking distance, a rooftop pool with killer views of the city, and has tons of great perks, like free coffee, a co-working space, and a shared laundry facility.
Day 2: Explore Medellin
Explore El Centro
Spend the morning moseying around El Centro, the historic center of Medellin.
The first stop on any good El Centro stroll is Plaza Botero, a large plaza that’s decorated with 21 bronze sculptures by the famed Colombian artist, Fernando Botero. His famously curvy modern statues are a fun juxtaposition against the historic architecture in the surrounding plaza, like the checkerboard patterned Palacio de la Cultura, which was built in the early 20th century.
It’s worth popping into Museo de Antioquia, which has more works from Botero and other Colombian artists throughout the ages, or Museo Casa de la Memoria, which chronicles the history of violence and injustice in Colombia.
Insider tip: Unfortunately, El Centro does not have the best reputation for safety. I would not recommend coming to this area super early in the morning, before local workers and other tourists have arrived, and leaving valuables, like nice cameras, at your hotel.
Take a Comuna 13 tour
Speaking of safety, why don’t we check out what was once considered the most dangerous neighborhood in the world that’s now transformed into a haven for artists, dancers and musicians?
Up until the early 2000s, the Comuna 13 neighborhood was largely under control of drug cartels and guerillas and was riddled with violent crime and corruption.
In 2002, the Colombian government deployed Operation Orion in the neighborhood, where the military went door to door in the neighborhood, purportedly looking for leftist rebels to execute. However, residents of the neighborhood claimed these targeted attacks were completely arbitrary, leaving over 600 residents that were either killed, injured, or permanently displaced.
After this event, residents started to fight back against the violence on their streets, expressing their discontent through colorful murals, hip-hop music, and dancing. Over the course of the last two decades, this celebration of art has eradicated much of the violent crime that used to plague Comuna 13’s streets.
The best way to explore the neighborhood is on a guided tour, like this option, where you’ll get to try some of the best food Comuna 13 has to offer while learning about its dark and fascinating history.
Spend the evening exploring El Poblado
The El Pablado neighborhood is the glitziest neighborhood in Medellin, with boutiques, funky coffee shops, and bustling bars.
Some places I’d recommend stopping in include:
- MAKENO, a well-curated clothing and homegoods store with products from over 100 Colombian designers
- Alambique, an adorable restaurant with the perfect mix of eclectic decor and TONS of lush greenery, plus really good cocktails
- La Octava, a fun bar with a dive-y atmosphere and a ball pit for grown-ups (yessss!)
- Los Patios Hostel, for its rooftop bar
Where to stay in Medellin
Day 3: Take a daytrip to Guatape from Medellin
Head to the resort town of Guatape
One of the best things to do when visiting Medellin is to actually to get out of the city and, instead, take a day trip to one of the charming towns around it, like Guatapé. This tiny lakeside town, found about two hours from Medellin, is known for its zócalos, the vibrant en bas sculptures found along the baseboards of its buildings and Piedra el Peñol, a volcanic monolith that towers 656 feet above the green hillsides below.
There’s tons of things to do in Guatapé—climb up Piedra el Peñol to enjoy spectacular views of the surrounding reservoir, wander around downtown Guatapé, go on a boat tour around the lake, and even shoot paintball guns around one of Pablo Escobar’s old properties, to name a few.
To get from Medellin to Guatapé, you can either take a bus, operated by either Sotrapeñol or Guatapé La Piedra, from the Terminal del Norte in Medellin or join a tour that includes your roundtrip transport and activities in Guatapé. For example, this bang-for-your-buck tour includes roundtrip transportation from your hotel, breakfast, lunch, time to enjoy Piedra el Peñol and downtown Guatape AND a boat ride, all for under $40!
Where to stay in Medellin
The Factory Lofts Hotel (back in Medellin)
Day 4: Transfer to Salento
Head to Salento
Next up on our Colombia itinerary—the adorable town of Salento in Colombia’s lush coffee region.
The most economical way to get from Medellin to Salento is on a bus, which takes about seven hours (you can get your tickets here).
It’s worth mentioning that the bus ride from Medellin to Salento is along windy mountain roads and people who are sensitive to motion sickness have reported having some serious issues on this route. Accordingly, if you’re super sensitive to motion sickness, you might want to consider flying into the city of Pereira, about an hour away from Salento, and then grabbing a shuttle to your accommodations. Or, at a minimum, stocking up on some Dramamine!
Play a game of tejo
Getting to Salento is kind of an all-day thing, but if you still have some energy in the afternoon, I’d suggest heading to play some tejo at Cancha De Tejo Los Amigos. If you’re not familiar with tejo, it’s a traditional Colombian game that’s kind of like if shot put and cornhole had a baby—and you added in some explosives!
Essentially, there’s a clay board, with a metal ring that’s lined with tiny paper packets that are stuffed with gunpowder. You stand about 18 meters away from the board and chuck rocks at it, trying to either hit one of the paper packets hard enough that they explode or land in the center of the metal ring (or, ideally, both!).
There used to be tejo halls all over Colombia, but they’re a bit more limited now—but, luckily, Salento is home to one! Grab a beer or two while you’re at Los Amigos and don’t forget to yell tejo when you cause a tiny explosion!
Where to stay in Salento
Terasu Hotel Boutique Salento has an excellent location, within walking distance to all of the shops and restaurants in downtown Salento and some really great perks, like a free buffet breakfast, hot tub and sauna, and a terrace or balcony in every room.
Day 5: Cocora Valley in Salento
Explore the Cocora Valley
One of the most popular things to do in Salento is to explore the Cocora Valley, which is home to one of the densest populations of the tallest palm trees on the planet, the wax palm. These trees seriously look like something straight out of Dr. Seuss, with looooong, skinny trunks that can grow up to 200 feet tall and huge floofy tops.
Depending on your fitness level, there’s a bunch of different options for you to explore the Cocora Valley, including:
- A fairly easy 4 km (2.5 mile) out-and-back hike through the bosque de palmas (or palm tree forest) to several different viewpoints
- The popular Cocora Valley trail, which is a challenging 12 km (7.5 mile) loop hike past the bosque de palmas, a lush cloud forest, a hummingbird reserve, and tons of waterfalls
- Cerro Morrogacho hike, which is a challenging 3 km (8 mile) through green farmlands and cloud forests
Don’t forget to bring plenty of Colombian pesos to the Cocora Valley—all of the trails here have entrance fees, ranging from COP 20,000 ($5 USD) to COP 46,000 ($11 USD).
How to get to the Cocora Valley from Salento: You can grab an old Jeep retrofitted with benches in the back, called a Willy, from Salento’s main square to the Cocora Valley. It will cost COP 10,000 cash-only for a roundtrip ride. Alternatively, if you prefer to travel with a tour, you can join a group or private tour to the Cocora Valley.
Wander around Salento
Justin and I wound up spending pretty much all day at the Cocora Valley, but if you have a few hours to kill in the afternoon, it’s worth spending a few hours to mosey around the colorful town of Salento. The town itself is ADORABLE, with colorful buildings and lush green mountains in every direction—it’s really no surprise that the town in the Disney cartoon, Encanto, was based on Salento!
Be sure to stroll down Calle Real is a pedestrian-only street that’s packed with boutique stores and coffee shops serving up local coffee. At its eastern end, you’ll find a series of steep stairways that lead up to Mirador de Salento, a viewpoint overlooking the city and the surrounding green hills. This is definitely THE best spot to watch the sunset in town!
Where to stay in Salento
Day 6: Hit a coffee farm in Salento and transfer to Minca
Visit a coffee farm in Salento
Colombia is actually the world’s third largest producer of coffee and, with Salento’s location smack dab in the middle of the Colombian Coffee Triangle, you kind of have to visit a coffee farm—and have a cup for yourself—while you’re here!
Consider taking a tour at either Finca El Ocasa, which has an incredibly interactive tour, complete with picking your own coffee berries, or Finca Don Elias, where you’ll likely be shown around the farm by Don Elias yourself. Since you’ll need to catch a flight this afternoon, I’d suggest trying to grab the first tour available in the morning—both of these fincas open at 9 AM.
How to get to coffee farms around Salento: Like the Cocora Valley, you can grab a Willy from Salento’s main square to all of the fincas around town. Just tell the ticket attendant which farm you want to go to and they’ll hook you up in the right direction!
Head to Pereira to catch a flight to Santa Marta
For the rest of our trip, we’re headed to the eastern side of Colombia, so, instead of taking a 20 hour bus ride there, I’d recommend grabbing a flight from Aeropuerto Internacional Matecaña in Pereira to the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Santa Marta.
To get to the airport, you can grab a bus from Salento to the Pereira bus station (you’ll need to buy tickets in person at the Salento bus station) and then grab an Uber or taxi to the airport. Alternatively, you can book a direct shuttle from your accommodations in Salento to the airport.
Make your way from the Santa Marta airport to Minca
From the Santa Marta airport, you’re going to want to make your way up to the sleepy little town of Minca, high up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, with lots of laidback hippie vibes.
You have a couple of options for getting from Santa Marta to Minca. Assuming that you’re landing in Santa Marta in the evening, your best option will either be to grab a taxi (be sure to only get a taxi from the official taxi stand at the airport and not just a random guy who walks up to you), which should cost around 80,000 COP ($20 USD) one-way, or via a tourist shuttle, like this option.
Where to stay in Minca
We stayed at the La Veranda Hotel in Minca and LOVED it. There’s an awesome onsite restaurant, a lovely pool overlooking the surrounding mountains, and a solid location that’s walkable to downtown Minca, while still feeling secluded in the jungle.
Day 7: Chase waterfalls in Minca
Spend your morning bird watching
I’m all about taking it easy while you’re on a trip, but I’d strongly suggest getting up early today, grabbing a cup of coffee, and heading out somewhere that you can look up into the treetops.
We traveled all over South America and Minca had, by far, the best bird watching that we experienced on the entire continent, with tons of toucans, parakeets, macaws, and other beautiful tropical birds, right outside of our hotel’s open air restaurant.
Head to the Marinka Waterfalls
When you’ve gotten your fill of colorful birds, you can either grab a mototaxi or walk (about 3.5 km from downtown Minca) to the Marinka Waterfalls, a set of two stunning waterfalls tucked deep into the jungle.
You can either swim in the plunge pools under the waterfalls here or just relax at the myriad of viewpoints or net hammocks sprinkled around the property. Entry to the waterfalls is 16,000 COP—cash-only!
Cool off at Pozo Azul
One of the most popular things to do in Minca is to hike to Pozo Azul, a swimming hole with emerald green water and two small waterfalls.
Again, you can either grab a mototaxi to the trailhead or just walk from Minca (a little over 2 km) to a coffeeshop called Cafébar Mis Ojitos, where the pathway to Pozo Azul starts.
After about 20 minutes of walking along the pathway, you’ll reach the first swimming hole and waterfall, but if you want to beat the crowds, continue up the trail on the lefthand side of the pool to a second waterfall, where there will be WAY less people. This is a great place to cool off under the hot Colombian sun and there’s even a popular spot to cliff jump here (remember to be super careful when hurtling your body off cliffs in remote areas of Colombia!).
Pozo Azul used to be totally free, but, when we visited in early 2025, each person is now required to purchase a 6,000 COP entrance ticket.
Catch the sunset
Most hotels around Minca have terraces that overlook the surrounding mountains and jungle. Accordingly, I’d suggest heading back to your accommodations to grab a cocktail and watch the sunset, with the layers of the Sierra Nevada mountains getting kissed by the golden glow of the setting sun and, way off in the distance, the Caribbean.
Where to stay in Minca
Day 8: Chocolate farm in Minca and transfer to Tayrona
Visit a chocolate farm
In addition to coffee, Colombia is one of the world’s largest producers of another one of my favorite goods—chocolate! And there’s tons of small, locally-run chocolate farms around Minca, just waiting to be explored.
I’d suggest visiting Finca La Candelaria, a farm that’s been cultivating cacao and coffee for three generations in Minca. They typically offer cacao tours every day at 10:30 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM, and 4 PM for 35,000 COP.
In addition to learning how they grow and harvest cacao, you’ll get a chance to taste chocolate in every stage of the production—and, at the end, you’ll even get to try out a chocolate face mask (that is, if you can resist eating it!).
Transfer from Minca to Tayrona National Park
Tayrona, with its pristine white beaches, swaying palm trees, and turquoise waters, is considered the crown jewel of Colombia’s national park system.
The most affordable way to get from Minca to Tayrona National Park is to take a colectivo from the Cootransminca office in downtown Minca to the Mamatoco bus stop in the outskirts of Santa Marta and then transfer to a bus headed to Tayrona National Park, either to its Calabazo or El Zaino entrances. This trip should take a little over two hours and costs about 20,000 COP (a little over $4 USD per person).
Alternatively, if you’re nervous about navigating around Santa Marta or don’t have the best Spanish skills, you might want to consider booking a taxi or Uber, which should cost somewhere between 150,000 – 250,000 COP.
Where to stay in Tayrona National Park
Eco Hostal Yuluka is located about 2 km outside of the El Zaino entrance of the national park, with a free shuttle to the park every morning at 8 AM. The rooms and bathrooms are kept squeaky clean and there’s a nice swimming pool to cool off after hikes into the national park.
Day 9: Tayrona National Park
Hike to Cabo San Juan
Wake up bright and early and head to Tayrona’s entrance as soon as you can. Otherwise, you might have to wait in long lines at the ticket station.
Entry to the park costs 73,500 COP during the low season (February through May and August through November) and 87,000 COP during the high season (December through January; June through July; and any public holidays) for foreign visitors.
Since entrance to the park is capped at 6,900 visitors per day, I’d strongly recommend booking your entrance ticket online ahead of time if you’re visiting during the high season. You should also bring along your passport, as the national park technically requires proof of identification to enter.
From the El Zaino entrance, make the two hour hike to Cabo San Juan, considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Colombia. I’d suggest leaving the flip flops at home and wearing, at a minimum, hiking sandals (we LOVE our Tevas—here’s the pair that Justin has and here’s the pair that I use), as the pathway can be rocky, sandy, and uneven.
Spend the rest of the day hanging out at the beach and enjoying the beautiful turquoise waters. There’s a restaurant with (overly pricey) food and some vendors that you can buy drinks and snacks from. Just don’t forget to bring along a towel—there unfortunately isn’t a place to rent them here!
Be sure to start heading back to the entrance of the park so that you have enough time to hike back before the park closes at 5 PM.
Where to stay in Tayrona National Park
Day 10: Make your way to Cartagena
Get from Tayrona National Park to Cartagena
Most of today will be spent transiting from Tayrona to the colorful Caribbean city of Cartagena. You have a few options to do this:
By bus
The most affordable option is to grab a bus from the El Zaino entrance of the national park back to Santa Marta, which should take about an hour and cost about 8,000 COP. From here, you can purchase bus tickets from Santa Marta to Cartagena, which will take around five hours and cost 70,000 COP.
By private transfer
In full transparency, Santa Marta was one of the sketchiest places we visited throughout our travels in South America, so if you’d prefer to avoid wandering around and trying to figure out bus transfers there, you can alternatively book a private transfer from Tayrona to Cartagena, like this option or this option.
It’s DEFINITELY pricier, but if you’re traveling with a group, it might not be too terribly expensive and likely WAY more comfortable than private transport.
Walk the Walls of Cartagena
If you’re anything like me, you’re going to be pretty pooped from a long day of traveling, but if you’ve still got some energy left, I’d suggest strolling around the Walls of Cartagena to watch the sunset over the Caribbean.
These walls, built by the Spanish to protect the city from pirate attacks and other invaders, date all the way back to the 1500s and took over 200 years to complete. Today, they enclose Cartagena’s Old Town and Getsemani neighborhoods and are considered to be one of the best preserved walled cities in the world—so well-preserved, in fact, they’re part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Grab a Michealada from one of the countless street vendors, head to the Baluarte de San Ignacio part of the Walls, and watch the fiery colors of sunset over the Caribbean.
Where to stay in Cartagena
The Arsenal Hotel has a wonderful location in the vibrant Getsemani neighborhood, with a rooftop pool and bar that overlooks the Cartagena skyline. The rooms have everything you need, like STRONG air conditioning, hot water, and super comfy beds.
Day 11: Explore Cartagena
Go on a food tour of Cartagena
I’m going to be honest—Colombia isn’t exactly known for its food scene, but out of all the cities in the country, Cartagena’s is the most impressive, with a unique fusion of Colombian, African, and Caribbean cuisine.
So, to kick off your morning in Cartagena, why not head out on a food tour? For example, on this tour, you’ll learn about the history and culture of the city from your local guide, while sampling a TON of freshly cooked food from local vendors, ranging from exotic fruits to Colombian classics, like arepas.
Wander around Old Town and Getsemani
Spend the afternoon exploring the two of the most popular neighborhoods in Cartagena, the Old Town, whose colonial architecture dates back to the 1500s, and Getsemani, which is known for its colorful artwork and street performers.
If you’re a photographer, you could spend hours wandering around these neighborhoods, photographing the balconies overflowing with flowers and doorways painted in cheerful colors. Even if you’re not a shutter bug, there’s still plenty to explore like:
- Castillo de San Felipe, which is considered to be one of the most impressive forts ever built by the Spanish. There’s less pirate attacks on Cartagena these days, so while this fort may be slacking on protecting the city, it more than makes up for this by offering gorgeous views of its garden and overlooking the city.
- Centenario Park, which is known for being home to sloths and tamarin monkeys
- The Gold Museum, a (free!) museum that displays goldworks and other artifacts of the Indigenous people of Colombia, primarily the Zenú people who lived in what is now coastal Colombia
Take a sunset boat tour
Cartagena has a long maritime history that is still alive and well today, with everything from fishing boats to massive cruise ships maneuvering into the city’s ports every day.
One of the best ways to experience a taste of its maritime culture is to join a sunset cruise, like this option, around the city, where you can enjoy the soft glow of the setting sun as the lights of Cartagena’s skyline flicker to life.
Where to stay in Cartagena
Day 12: Go to Isla Grande
Head from Cartagena to Isla Grande
If I’m being totally honest, I didn’t LOVE Cartagena—it was pretty expensive compared to the rest of the country, with too many pushy hustlers and unsafe vibes for my taste.
But the best part of Cartagena? Leaving the city to explore the nearby Caribbean Islands, like Isla Grande, which boasts powdery white sand, turquoise waters, and a much more laidback environment than the city.
To get to Isla Grande, you’ll want to take a water taxi from Cartagena’s port (you can book your tickets here). The boat ride takes about an hour—be sure to snag a seat towards the back of the boat for the smoothest ride!
Explore Isla Grande
The biggest draw to Isla Grande is its incredible beaches. There’s plenty of swanky beach clubs on the island for you to choose from, if you prefer loud dance music and ever flowing (and kinda pricey) cocktails, like the aptly named LUXURY Beach Club. Alternatively, there’s a small but lovely beach that’s open to the public called Playa Libre, with a good mix of shade and sun and plenty of vendors that are keen to sell you a cold coconut.
Besides just hanging out at the beach, though, there’s actually quite a lot to do on Isla Grande, including snorkeling in the coral reef or with one of Pablo Escobar’s sunken planes (yes, really!), kayaking through mangroves, and swimming in its bioluminescent lagoon at night (psssst… this is a SUPER cool experience, but only worth paying for if you’re visiting when there’s a new moon so that you can actually see the bioluminescence in the water!).
You can either purchase a tour through the plethora of vendors that you’ll meet wandering around the beaches or by booking through your hotel.
We paid about $25 USD per person to go snorkeling with Pablo Escobar’s plane and around the coral reef for about an hour and a half. To be honest, I think we probably could’ve gotten a better deal elsewhere (especially if we had better Spanish skills!), but I’d expect to pay in that ballpark!
Insider tip: Be sure to bring plenty of cash to Isla Grande—there’s no ATMs on the island and most vendors, tour operators, and businesses are cash only.
Where to stay in Isla Grande
Hotel Isla del Sol is an excellent mid-range option on Isla Grande, with a private beach, complimentary stand-up paddleboard and kayak rentals, and rooms with POWERFUL air conditioning (which you’ll usually need here!).
Day 13: Relax on Isla Grande and head back to Cartagena
Enjoy beach time on Isla Grande
It’s your penultimate day in Colombia, so relax, take it easy, and soak up the chill Caribbean vibes of Isla Grande.
The vast majority of people only visit Isla Grande on daytrips so you’ll usually have most of the island to yourself until around 10:30 AM or so, when the day trippers start to arrive. So pick a premium spot on the beach and enjoy having the turquoise waters all to yourself.
Head back to Cartagena
The water taxi picks visitors up to head back to Cartagena, starting around 1:30 PM. Since they pick people up all over the island, it can take a while for them to actually leave Isla Grande, so I wouldn’t expect to get back to the city until around 5 PM or so.
Partake in some live music and salsa
With your last evening in Colombia, I’d recommend enjoying the city’s vibrant nightlife scene.
There’s several venues where you can enjoy live music most nights of the week and even partake in a bit of salsa dancing, if that’s your jam. Cafe Havana is the most famous club in Cartagena for live salsa music, with an awesome balcony overlooking the streets of Getsemani below and STRONG Cuban cocktails—just be prepared for a pretty steep cover charge here! For a slightly more local experience, head to Bazurto Social Club, which frequently has champeta (a type of local Caribbean music) performances.
Alternatively, if you’re not quite prepared to bust a move yet, consider taking a salsa class, like this option, where you’ll learn how to salsa, merengue, and bachata (plus, partake in some liquid courage) on a rooftop that offers spectacular views of the bustling streets of Getsemani below.
Where to stay in Cartagena
Day 14: Fly out of Cartagena
Enjoy your last moments in Cartagena
Depending on when your flight departs from Cartagena, you may have the morning to enjoy some last minute shopping or trying some new dishes from street vendors.
If you have a couple of hours to burn in the morning and you’ve got a sense of adventure, head to the Mercado Bazurto, a chaotic local market that’s an assault on the senses. There’s tons of fresh fruits, vegetables, and freshly cooked foods that are more authentic (and WAY cheaper) than what you might find around the Getsemani or the Old City—Anthony Bourdain came to this market, so you know it’s good! Just be cautious of your surroundings here—it’s not exactly known for being the safest marketplace in the city.
Fly home
Grab an Uber or a shuttle, like this option, to the airport and start planning your return trip to Colombia!
Two week Colombia itinerary at a glance
I know the above itinerary has a LOT of information, so here’s the itinerary distilled down into a nutshell:
- Day 1-3: Medellin
- Day 4-5: Salento
- Day 6-7: Minca
- Day 8-9: Tayrona National Park
- Day 10-11: Cartagena
- Day 12-13: Isla Grande
- Day 14: Fly out of Cartagena
When to visit Colombia
The best time to visit Colombia is during its dry season from December through March, where you’ll enjoy clear skies and warm weather, especially high up in the country’s mountains. July and August is also generally a decent time to visit, with fairly low chances of rain and more affordable pricing on hotels and airfare than the December through March timeframe.
April through June and September through November are known for experiencing extremely heavy rainfall, especially in the afternoons. Accordingly, if you could swing it, I’d probably try to plan your trip to Colombia outside of these timeframes.
Is traveling around Colombia safe?
In general, Colombia is not the dangerous land of drug cartels and guerrillas that it was once known for. That being said, in all honesty, Colombia felt the least safe of the seven South American countries that we traveled to.
That’s definitely not to say you shouldn’t travel here—other than minor scammy behavior from vendors (like giving us back the wrong change or charging us more than we initially agreed to), Justin and I didn’t have any serious safety concerns during the month that we were here.
But you DO need to be a smart traveler while visiting Colombia. Some guidelines to consider to decrease your risk here:
- Be mindful of your possessions, especially any valuables you might have with you, and leave them at home if you’re heading to a questionable area.
- Don’t do sketchy illegal stuff (e.g., buy cocaine or hire sex workers), as this increases your odds that more sketchy illegal stuff will happen to you.
- Don’t get drunk and wander around at night, even in a group. I’d honestly caution against getting drunk at all in Colombia and, if you simply must, get an Uber directly from the bar or club back to your accommodations.
- Don’t use dating apps here and be extremely cautious about hooking up with strangers that you meet out and about. Unfortunately, there are a lot of scams in Colombia, with visitors who meet locals either on dating apps or in bars that wind up getting drugged, robbed, and, sometimes, unfortunately, even worse.
In sum, use common sense and be a bit more cautious than you generally might be—and you should be fine!
There you have it—the perfect two week Colombia itinerary to explore one of the most vibrant countries on the planet! Do you have any questions about visiting this special corner of the country? Let us know in the comments below!
