Cocora Valley, Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Colombia
Colombia, made simple: salsa in Cali, coffee farms in the Andes and sunsets over Cartagena's walls, without the worry
Colombia packs the Andes, the Caribbean, the Pacific and the Amazon into one welcoming country. Bogotá sits high on a green plateau, Medellín has reinvented itself with cable cars and street art, Cartagena glows inside its colonial walls, and the Coffee Region rolls out in steep green hills. This guide explains entry, money, safety and getting around, so you can travel with confidence.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyEntry rules, the Check-MIG form, vaccinations and seasons, answered
- LandingEl Dorado or José María Córdova airport and your first safe taxi ride
- Your days in ColombiaCities, coffee hills and Caribbean coast, linked by short flights
- Home againDeparture checks, souvenirs and last-day tips covered
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain how pesos, cards and cash machines work in Colombia, so your budget holds.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Colombia should feel like a celebration, not a worry. We answer the questions about safety, transport and money before they start, so you arrive confident and ready to find your Bliss.
First trip to South America, or coming back to see family in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla or anywhere in between? This guide was written with you in mind.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your ColombiaBogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, the Coffee Region or the Caribbean coast: start with the destinations.
- Sort the essentialsEntry rules, the Check-MIG form, yellow fever advice and the right season, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for bakeries, salsa bars, markets, hikes and stays in each base.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to link regions with domestic flights and avoid long night buses.
Everything your Colombia trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, the Coffee Region and Santa Marta, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred cafés, markets, salsa bars, viewpoints, trails and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena and stays in each area.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The classic Colombia trip
Capital, coffee, city of spring, then the Caribbean
Most first trips start in Bogotá for museums, mountain views and the colonial lanes of La Candelaria. A short flight takes you to Medellín or Pereira for the green hills of the Coffee Region, with wax palms in the Cocora Valley and farm stays near Salento. Finish on the Caribbean in Cartagena, with a few days for the islands or Tayrona National Park near Santa Marta.
- The Gold Museum and Monserrate in Bogotá
- Cable cars and Comuna 13 street art in Medellín
- Coffee farms and the Cocora Valley wax palms
- Walled city sunsets in Cartagena
Start with the destinations
See how the Andes, the coffee hills and the coast fit together.
Colombia destinationsPlan with confidence
Your route, without the worry
Colombia is big and mountainous, so roads are slow and short flights are your friend. Use app or registered taxis, keep your phone out of sight on the street and check your government's travel advice for the regions you plan to visit. Our free planner helps you build a route that fits.
- Realistic flight and road timings between regions
- Sensible safety habits from day one
- Seasonal tips for the rainy and dry months
Where to go in Colombia
Five bases that cover the capital, the Andes, the coffee hills and the Caribbean coast.
Cundinamarca, central Colombia
Bogotá
Colombia's high, cool capital, with the Gold Museum, colonial La Candelaria, Monserrate and a lively food and arts scene.
Read the guidePhoto: Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Antioquia, north western Colombia
Medellín
A mild valley city of cable cars, street art and reinvention, with Guatapé and coffee country close by.
Read the guidePhoto: Zardes~eswiki, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Bolívar, Caribbean coast
Cartagena
A colonial Caribbean port of fortress walls, flower-draped balconies, island trips and warm evenings on the ramparts.
Read the guidePhoto: Dr. Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío, central western Colombia
Coffee Region
Steep green hills of coffee, banana and bamboo, painted towns and the tallest palm trees in the world.
Read the guidePhoto: Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Magdalena, Caribbean coast
Santa Marta
Colombia's oldest city and the gateway to jungle beaches, the cool hills of Minca and the trek to the Lost City.
Read the guidePhoto: Julieth Gómez Durán, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Do I need a visa to visit Colombia?
It depends on your passport. Many nationalities enter visa-free for a short tourist stay, while others need a visa in advance. Check Migración Colombia and the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you book, and complete the free Check-MIG form online before your flight.
Is Colombia safe for tourists?
Most visits are trouble free, and the main cities and tourist regions are far safer than their old reputation suggests. Phone snatching, express kidnappings in unofficial taxis and drugging scams on dating apps do happen. Read your government's current travel advice, use app taxis and keep valuables out of sight.
What is the best time to visit Colombia?
December to March and July to August are the driest months in the Andes and the busiest overall. Colombia sits near the equator, so temperatures change with altitude rather than season: Bogotá is cool all year, while the coast is hot all year.
Can I use cards in Colombia?
Cards work in most hotels, restaurants and shops in the big cities, and cash machines are widespread. Carry Colombian pesos in small notes for taxis, markets, buses and small towns, and use cash machines inside banks or shopping centres.
How many days do I need in Colombia?
Two weeks covers Bogotá, Medellín, the Coffee Region and Cartagena at a comfortable pace with domestic flights between them. Add a week for Tayrona, the Lost City trek, Cali or the Amazon.
Do I need to speak Spanish in Colombia?
It helps a great deal. English is common in tourist businesses in Cartagena and Medellín, but much less so in taxis, markets and small towns. Learn basic greetings and numbers and keep a translation app on your phone.
Ready to plan your Colombia trip?
Use the free trip planner to build a relaxed, realistic route, or contact us with any question.