Things to do in Colombia
3 destinations in Colombia, when to visit each, and what a trip actually costs.
Places to visit in Colombia
- Things to do in Bogota city, culture, food
- Things to do in Cartagena beach, culture, city
- Things to do in Medellin city, nature, food
Best time to visit Colombia
When flights to each destination are cheapest.
- Bogota
- Flying to Bogota in May or early June (shoulder season between the dry spells) and in October-November typically yields fares 20-35% cheaper than the December holiday peak or the July school-holiday surge. Midweek departures on Tuesday or Wednesday consistently beat weekend prices by another 10-15%.
- Cartagena
- Flying in May or October, Cartagena's shoulder months between rainy and dry seasons, typically yields fares 25-40% cheaper than the peak December-January and July periods. Midweek departures (Tuesday/Wednesday) consistently beat weekend prices by another 10-15%.
- Medellin
- The cheapest months to fly to Medellín are May, June, and September through early November, when round-trip fares from major US cities can run 25-40% lower than the December-January and July peak holiday periods. Flying midweek (Tuesday or Wednesday departures) saves an additional 10-15% versus weekend flights.
Is Colombia expensive?
A day on the ground for one person travelling alone, before flights: somewhere to sleep, food, something to do and getting around.
- Bogota
- About $23 a day on a shoestring, about $178 comfortably.
- Cartagena
- About $27 a day on a shoestring, about $215 comfortably.
- Medellin
- About $29 a day on a shoestring, about $158 comfortably.
Set your dates, budget and home airport on any destination below for a total that includes flights.
Free things to do in Colombia
- Bogota: Ciclovía Sunday Bike Ride Every Sunday 120+ km of roads close to cars so cyclists and walkers take over the entire city.
- Bogota: Graffiti Tour of La Candelaria Self-guided walk through one of the world's most celebrated urban street-art scenes.
- Cartagena: Sunset at the City Walls Walk the full ramparts at dusk for sweeping Caribbean sunset views with the whole city as your backdrop.
- Cartagena: Getsemaní Street Wandering Explore murals, street food carts, and buzzing local plazas, the real Cartagena without a tourist markup.
- Medellin: Stroll El Poblado's Parque El Poblado Lively central square packed with street performers, vendors, and local energy at any hour.
- Medellin: Explore Laureles neighborhood on foot Tree-lined streets, local cafés, and authentic paisa neighborhood life without the tourist crowds.
Cheap eats in Colombia
- La Puerta Falsa in Bogota, Ajiaco santafereño (hearty chicken and potato soup) Plates $4-7
- Restaurante El Santanderiano in Bogota, Bandeja paisa (the iconic loaded Colombian platter) Plates $5-9
- La Mulata in Cartagena, Cazuela de mariscos (seafood stew) with rice and patacones Plates $5-9
- Mercado de Bazurto in Cartagena, Fresh ceviche and fried fish straight from morning market stalls Plates $2-5
- Hatoviejo in Medellin, Bandeja paisa (the iconic loaded platter of beans, rice, chicharrón, egg, and more) Plates $5-8
- Mercado del Río in Medellin, Arepa de chócolo with hogao at the local food-hall stalls Plates $3-6