Destination: Colombia
March 2016, Colombia
Colombia is experiencing a tourism boom in the last 10 years and there is a strong reason behind it. Mountains, beaches, jungles and paradise islands are just small portion of what Colombia offer. Still wondering whether to visit or having any security issues? If so, you are missing a lot! Here is my quick overview of the places I visited back in 2016.
The Mountains: Medellín and Bogotá
My first stop is Medellín, the second biggest city. It is located in the Northern Andes, at an elevation of 1500 m above sea level in the Aburrá Valley. I am arriving by flight from Panamá, which is only 530 kilometers northwest, but there is no road between. Bogotá, the capital and biggest city of Colombia, is also located in the Andes mountain, approx 400 km southeast to Medellín. I had several layovers at El Dorado Airport, but decided to minimize my stay in Bogotá in order to spend more time in Medellín. I still believe that it was the right choice, given that my schedule was quite tiny. It won’t take a long to notice that Medellín is a city full of life. With more than 13 universities, there are many young people full of energy and creativity. I tried to explore the 3 main areas, which are El Pobaldo, the city center, and the slums on the hills. The most popular place is El Poblado – residential, business and tourist neighborhood with many hotels, restaurants and night clubs. This is where almost every tourist ends up so you can’t skip El Poblado. Despite I didn’t stay here at the night, I came across at night to enjoy the food and of course to have a couple of drinks. There are good rooftop bars at the taller buildings so the party is always guaranteed. El Poblado is also the oldest settlement in the Aburrá Valley, thanks to the Spanish oidor Francisco de Herrera Campuzano. He was appointed as a governor of the then-existing Provincia de Antioquia and founded Poblado de San Lorenzo de Aburrá, or El Poblado in 1616. The central part in El Poblado is among the church Iglesia de San José and the surrounding park. That’s where I came first, before moving around the streets nearby in search for some restaurants and bars. However, I booked a hotel in the center, the iconic Hotel Nutibara, because of its location and is well served by airport buses as well as urban trains. The easiest (and cheapest) way to reach El Poblado from the center is by the metro system, which is consisted by trains, cable cars and trams (known as tranvía). The atmosphere in the center is quite different than El Poblado in the terms of population’s wealth, but escaping the tourist zone will show you the real life of Colombians. Downtown was built shortly after El Poblado, because the colonial law from 1646 did not allow indigenous living together with white, mestizos and mulattos. The area around Parque de Berrío was the first development with construction of the church Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. Today, the whole area within Berrío Park, Plazuela Nutibara and Botero Plaza represents the most iconic place in the center of Medellín. There are street markets around La Candelaria, where you can find a bargain stuff. You will see also many poor people asking for money around Botero Plaza, so this is like a reminder about where you are. The chaos around leaves some feelings of unsafety, but there are many police officers preventing accidents. I came here even at the night, despite the hotel stuff didn’t recommend me. However, the area is beautiful and you will notice more than 20 bronze sculptures made by Fernando Botero. In front of the park is located Museo de Antioquia, where you can explore more about Colombian culture. Another places to visit in the center area are Spanish colonial-style churches of Iglesia de San Ignacio (completed in 1809) and Iglesia de San José (completed in 1892). The park surrounding San Ignacio church is also a popular spot for buying and selling clothes, souvenirs and other stuff. After exploring El Poblado and the Medellin center, I decided to visit the slums on the hills, known as comunas (the same like Brazilian favelas). It was easy due to the cable cars, running to comuna Santo Domingo, which was once the most dangerous neighborhood in South America during the Pablo Escobar’s rule. I went there by myself, but there are also groups that will bring you on an organized tour. Just take the metro Line K (Línea K) to its last station – Santo Domingo Savio and you will end up in the notorious comuna. Thanks to the cable cars, it is well connected to the downtown so locals could travel easy for work, thus developing the slum and reducing the violent crimes. To be honest, I didn’t walk a lot around Santo Domingo and tried to keep myself around the metro station. Never forget the basic safety tips! On the western side of the surrounding hills is located San Jerónimo and Santa Fe de Antioquia, which are among the oldest settlements here. Santa Fe was the capital of Antioquia until 1820, when Medellín became the most important city in Antioquia. Today, Santa Fe de Antioquia is a rich historical site with its preserved colonial architecture, so if you have more time, could consider a visit. One of the greatest examples of colonial architecture in Santa Fe de Antioquia is the church Iglesia de Santa Bárbara, the oldest in the town. It was built in 1726 in baroque style, and later rebuilt. However, if you want to see the most impressive Catholic church in Colombia, you should go south to Ipiales, where is located Las Lajas Sanctuary. This is a Gothic style church inside the canyon of Guáitara River, close to the border with Ecuador. It is easier to get there by travelling to/from Ecuador, than Medellín, so I had to skip it. Anyway, it is on my list if I visit Ecuador one day.
The Caribbean: Barranquilla and Cartagena
My next stop is the Colombia's Caribbean coast, which is a totally different experience compared to the mountain cities. Starting with Barranquilla, which is the biggest coastal city in the country, so it is a mixture between vacation and business destination. The internal flights are quite cheap compared to another South American countries, so do not hesitate to take a flight, instead of a long bus journey. I booked an Airbnb in Santa Mónica neighborhood, located in the Riomar locality. It is a residential area next to Magdalena River and Caribbean Sea, and next to Buenavista Shopping Mall, which is expected to became the biggest in Colombia with completion if its additional wings and business center. Barranquilla is most famous by its Carnival, the biggest in Colombia and one of the largest in the world, surpassed only by the Brazilian carnivals. More than 1.5 million people come here during the carnival, which usually takes place in February. Arriving in the middle of March, it seems that I missed this event, but still the city is full of parties to have fun. Honestly, my whole program in Barranquilla changed in favor to the parties, and I skipped the Shakira monument (she was born here), the church San Nicolas de Tolentino (amazing cathedral from XVII century) and Estacion Montoya (historic train station). I started drinking Aguardiente shots with my German housemate Garett and our host Andreas less than an hour after I landed in Barranquilla. Aguardiente is a strong anise-flavoured liqueur, so you could easy get lost in the number of shots and our unit of measurement became the bottles. The party continued as we match another Europeans and end up in Kapitol Club with lots of beer and rumba. There are several universities in Barranquilla, so many foreign students came here for an exchange or even longer. The expat network is also growing – the city is less than 3 hrs from Miami by air so many Americans also came here to work and live or even for a weekend visit. However, most of the tourists go straight to Cartagena, which is the capital of Colombian tourism. It is just 130 kilometers southwest of Barranquilla so I took the local bus for a scenic journey along the Caribbean coast.
Upon arrival in Cartagena, I took an Uber to the hotel on Calle del Porvenir street in Centro Historico. You will easy notice the entering in historic center – it is surrounded by old walls. Las Murallas de Cartagena was built in XVI century during the Anglo-Spanish War to protect the Spanish. It was one of the most important ports in Americas for The Crown of Spain and main source of wealth. Sir Francis Drake from Royal Navy captured the city in 1586 and left after a huge ransom was paid. That’s why the Spanish built that wall and it protected them not only from the English, but also from the French, the Dutch and pirates as well. The fortresses, together with the port were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Staying in the historic center is really amazing and I felt like I was back in time – there were more horse-drawn carriages than cars. All these colorful colonial buildings around made me feel like I am in walking in La Habana Vieja. Even the people are colorful – there are many Palenquera women dressed in bright costumes, selling various fruits. They came from San Bassilo de Palenque, small village just an hour from Cartagena, which became the first free settlement in America, set up by escaped slaves. Palenque is the Colombian term of Quilombo, which were founded in Brazil during the slavery. The Palenqueras won’t pose for a photo if you don’t buy fruits from her, so don’t try to cheat them. At the end, it’s their way of surviving so keep in mind that and get at least some cheap fruit salad. Speaking about food, go for a dinner at some cozy restaurant on the street with live music - that will make you full of joy. Also have a drink with a sea view for the sunset in the most popular spot for locals and tourists - Café del Mar, located at one of the walls and looking to the sea. I continued to a Cuban-style bar with fine cigar and glass of rum. For those who want to continue the party, the best option is to get on the bus. Yes, there are party buses called Chiva, where you can have a drink and enjoy rumba dance with other travelers. Another popular place is Bolivar Park, where are located also The Palace of Inquisition (currently museum) and the statue of Simon Bolivar, who liberated Colombia in 1810 and Venezuela in 1811 from The Crown of Spain. The whole old city is located on a relatively small area so I left the tourist area and tried to explore the city as the locals do. I took an Uber to Convento de la Popa, the highest hill in Cartagena where is probably the most beautiful view of the city. It’s just 15 minutes from the Old City, but don’t think about walking it, because the coastal part of Cartagena is quite different than the internal one and it is not so safe anymore. On the top of the hill, there is a convent and chapel, dating from the XVI century. You will see the Bocagrande neighborhood, with luxury condominiums and tall skyscrapers. This is the other major point of interest in Cartagena, as many modern hotels offer accommodation and high-end services for tourists and also a residential area for wealthy locals. Ask the driver to wait for you at the convent (you won’t need more than 15 minutes), because sometimes it is overcrowded by tourists and you could not find available car. I continued my trip around Cartagena to Mercado de Bazurto, the fish market. This is completely different side of the social life in this city. I saw many different people, not only buying and selling fish, but also whole families in their everyday life. Probably, locals will tell you it is unsafe, and you will see that it is quite more chaotic than the tourist areas, but it is just the Cartagena for lower class of population. People are kind and will help you, especially if you want to see and even try some interesting fish species. Mercado de Bazurto is one of the most interesting Latin American markets at all!
Upon arrival in Cartagena, I took an Uber to the hotel on Calle del Porvenir street in Centro Historico. You will easy notice the entering in historic center – it is surrounded by old walls. Las Murallas de Cartagena was built in XVI century during the Anglo-Spanish War to protect the Spanish. It was one of the most important ports in Americas for The Crown of Spain and main source of wealth. Sir Francis Drake from Royal Navy captured the city in 1586 and left after a huge ransom was paid. That’s why the Spanish built that wall and it protected them not only from the English, but also from the French, the Dutch and pirates as well. The fortresses, together with the port were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. Staying in the historic center is really amazing and I felt like I was back in time – there were more horse-drawn carriages than cars. All these colorful colonial buildings around made me feel like I am in walking in La Habana Vieja. Even the people are colorful – there are many Palenquera women dressed in bright costumes, selling various fruits. They came from San Bassilo de Palenque, small village just an hour from Cartagena, which became the first free settlement in America, set up by escaped slaves. Palenque is the Colombian term of Quilombo, which were founded in Brazil during the slavery. The Palenqueras won’t pose for a photo if you don’t buy fruits from her, so don’t try to cheat them. At the end, it’s their way of surviving so keep in mind that and get at least some cheap fruit salad. Speaking about food, go for a dinner at some cozy restaurant on the street with live music - that will make you full of joy. Also have a drink with a sea view for the sunset in the most popular spot for locals and tourists - Café del Mar, located at one of the walls and looking to the sea. I continued to a Cuban-style bar with fine cigar and glass of rum. For those who want to continue the party, the best option is to get on the bus. Yes, there are party buses called Chiva, where you can have a drink and enjoy rumba dance with other travelers. Another popular place is Bolivar Park, where are located also The Palace of Inquisition (currently museum) and the statue of Simon Bolivar, who liberated Colombia in 1810 and Venezuela in 1811 from The Crown of Spain. The whole old city is located on a relatively small area so I left the tourist area and tried to explore the city as the locals do. I took an Uber to Convento de la Popa, the highest hill in Cartagena where is probably the most beautiful view of the city. It’s just 15 minutes from the Old City, but don’t think about walking it, because the coastal part of Cartagena is quite different than the internal one and it is not so safe anymore. On the top of the hill, there is a convent and chapel, dating from the XVI century. You will see the Bocagrande neighborhood, with luxury condominiums and tall skyscrapers. This is the other major point of interest in Cartagena, as many modern hotels offer accommodation and high-end services for tourists and also a residential area for wealthy locals. Ask the driver to wait for you at the convent (you won’t need more than 15 minutes), because sometimes it is overcrowded by tourists and you could not find available car. I continued my trip around Cartagena to Mercado de Bazurto, the fish market. This is completely different side of the social life in this city. I saw many different people, not only buying and selling fish, but also whole families in their everyday life. Probably, locals will tell you it is unsafe, and you will see that it is quite more chaotic than the tourist areas, but it is just the Cartagena for lower class of population. People are kind and will help you, especially if you want to see and even try some interesting fish species. Mercado de Bazurto is one of the most interesting Latin American markets at all!
Tourism growth
The World Bank tourism statistics show that the tourist arrivals tripled over the decade from 2005 to 2015. More than 3 million tourists visited Colombia last year, which is a result of the continuous work in the sector. Half of the tourists were visiting the two biggest cities – Bogota, located in Distrito Capital, and Medellin, the capital of Antioquia department. However, more and more people are going to its Caribbean coast, where the most popular place is Cartagena, the capital of Bolívar Department. All these places have received undeserved bad reputation thanks to the drug movies, but you should keep in mind that the 90s have gone away. Today, the Crime index in Medellin is lower than cities like London, Paris and Rome, so it’s time to leave prejudices behind. I didn’t have any problems during my stay in Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena and Barranquilla, moreover I felt safe in the tourist areas. Of course, there are still huge areas controlled by guerrilla movements like FARC and ELN, but you don’t have any reason to go there. However, if you really want to visit place like Darien Gap, a special permission letter is needed so you can’t find yourself in a dangerous area so easy.
More must-visit places
As said, I didn’t had time to explore a lot must-visit places in Colombia, like Las Lakas Sanctuary near Ipiales. However, it is on my list for the next visit around Colombia and I really hope to be back soon. Another interesting place in this list is San Andrés island, which is closer to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panamá, than to Colombia. It is a real paradise island, with stunning beaches and marine life. The only way to get there is by plane, as there are daily flights to many cities in Colombia and the neighboring countries. The national parks in Northeast Colombia is another must-do visit. Ciudad Perdida in a lost city from the IX century, located in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park. The Caribbean coast is less than 100 kilometers away, where Tayrona National Park offers biodiversity with beautiful beaches. Both parks are easily accessed from Santa Marta Airport (SMR). On the other side, there is the Amacayacu National Park in southernmost Colombia, located between the rivers Putumayo and Amazon. The biggest Colombian city on the Amazon is Leticia, connected by daily flights to Bogotá and bordering Peru and Brazil at the same time. This list is endless, because the fourth biggest country in South America offers huge diversity of nature, culture and unforgettable experience!
This article was originally published in The Economist's magazine Bulgarian issue No. 27 of July 2016.