Last Updated on October 10, 2021 by Nicole

Our two week Colombia itinerary was extraordinary. However, I won’t lie. Just before we left, I was nervous. I had researched extensively about where we should go and stay, and was comfortable that Colombia was a safe place to visit. However, after everything was booked, it seemed like every news article I read warned of violence or safety issues. Canadian and American travel advisories provided a long list of “do not even think of going there”, and I thought to myself, “what in the world have I done”?

And yet, my fears and misgivings were completely mislaid. Colombia was an extraordinary country and my family of five (three teenagers aged 12, 14, and 16 years old) loved everyday of our two week Colombia itinerary.

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Impressions From Our Two Week Colombia Itinerary

Colombia has it all.

Colombia was beautiful

First of all, it is a country of extreme beauty. It is surrounded by the blues of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, with beautiful beaches, marine life and jungle nearby. In addition, it seems like most of the country is packed with lush green mountains barely inhabited by civilization. We took several flights while we were in Colombia – from Cartagena to Medellin; from Medellin to Nuqui Choco (on the Pacific Ocean); and from Medellin to Bogota. I was astounded by how mountainous Colombia’s terrain was.

Colombia was friendly and felt safe

Contrary to reports of random violence, every person we met was friendly and proud of their country. In Medellin, strangers stopped us on the street and welcomed us to their city. We never felt in danger and walked happily and freely in the places we visited. The food went from dirt cheap and delicious street food to sophisticated international quality cuisine, sometimes at ridiculously low prices.

Colombia was authentic

Most importantly, I felt that our experiences were truly authentic. Wonderfully, foreign tourism is just beginning to flourish in Colombia. In several places, we were one of only a handful of tourists.  It was amazing.

Important Travel Tips For Any Colombia Itinerary

I have travelled to over 6o countries. Regardless, I was surprised by a few things in Colombia. Accordingly, in another blog Colombia Holidays: 10 “Must Know” Travel Tips!, I decided to highlight those travel tips that I wish I had known. These travel tips will help you arrive prepared and ready to enjoy your Colombia holiday, hopefully without surprises.

Day 1 of our 14 Day Colombia Itinerary

Cartagena

We arrived in Cartagena in the afternoon. We were picked up and driven to our hotel, Allure Chocolate Hotel. All of our transfers across Colombia were organized by The Colombian Way and their services were excellent each time.

Cartagena was the most touristy destination in which we stayed during our whole two weeks in Colombia. It has a cruise port and welcomes thousands of cruise passengers each year.

Walled City of Old Cartagena

I liked our hotel and its location. It was a modern boutique hotel with a small rooftop pool and bar a couple blocks from the beach and the walled city of Old Cartagena. Originally, I was tempted to stay in Old Cartagena, however I am glad that we did not. I found Old Cartagena to be very beautiful but it was super busy and packed with tourists.

For accommodation at the Allure Chocolate Hotel or elsewhere in Cartagena, I would recommend searching below in booking.com and using the amazing interactive map to find your ideal location at the best prices.

Booking.com

For dinner, we went to La Marea by Rausch, a 5 minute walk from our hotel. We enjoyed a sophisticated meal on the water, with a stunning view of Old Cartagena. It was a wonderful night.

Day 2 of our Two Week Colombia Itinerary

Cartagena

We booked a 2 hour private bike tour with Hi Cartagena. The tour took us all over Cartagena, including on top of the walls that bordered Old Cartagena. We also biked around Getsemani, an edgy part of Cartagena next to our hotel and just outside the walled city of Old Cartagena. In this part of Cartagena, the streets were filled with astonishing graffiti art. The bikes were very basic in quality, but the tour was a great way to quickly get a feel for the main parts of Cartagena.

Lunch in Old Cartagena

For lunch, we went to Espiritu Santo in the walled city of Old Cartagena.  This restaurant was recommended to us by a local and it was filled with Colombians. Enormous plates of traditional Caribbean food were served at very reasonable prices.  I barely made a dent in my meal.

Dinner in Old Cartagena

We had dinner at Cande Restaurant in the old city. This restaurant took traditional Caribbean dishes and added sophistication and flair to them. The food was absolutely delicious. As an added treat, dancers entertained us with traditional latin and indigenous dancing.  It was an amazing night.

Day 3 of our 14 Day Colombia Itinerary

Cartagena

Today, we spent most of the day in a local village called Boquilla where we spent the day learning how to fish, catch crabs and cook, all with local fishermen and their families. Boquilla was very poor. It was a startling contrast to the wealth of Cartagena, a mere 20 minute drive away.

We spent most of the day amongst the mangroves, knee deep in muddy water learning how to throw nets to scoop up fish, set crab traps and collect the live crabs. After, we went back to one of their homes, and in a muddy backyard steps from the river, we watched them cook the fish and boil the crabs on a makeshift campfire. Ultimately, we ate lunch next to the fire on simple plastic tables and chairs. Incredibly, I ate some of the best fish that I have ever eaten.

We booked this tour through Ecotours Boquilla.  It was a very cool experience.

Dinner in Old Cartagena

Dinner was at 1621, a restaurant at the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena Hotel in old Cartagena. The food was exquisite. We sat at a table in their inside courtyard surrounded by plants, trees and a fountain. The setting was beautiful and the service was excellent. The contrast between the poverty and simpleness of our lunch with the the elegance and luxury of our dinner was remarkable. I couldn’t believe that these two experiences existed so close to one another.

Activities in Cartagena

For these and other amazing activities in Cartagena, I would recommend searching below in Get Your Guide.

Day 4 of our Two Week Colombia Itinerary

Cartagena to Medellin

This morning, we flew to Medellin and stayed at NH Collection Medellin Royal Hotel.  This is a nice hotel in the wealthy part of Medellin across from the Santa Fe Shopping Mall.  In the afternoon, we had a private tour of La Communa 13 booked through Toucan Cafe and Tours.

For accommodation at NH Collection Medellin Royal or elsewhere in Medellin, I would recommend searching below in booking.com and using the amazing interactive map to find your ideal location at the best prices.

Booking.com

La Communa 13 in Medellin

A few years ago, Communa 13 was the most dangerous neighbourhood in one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Today, it has transformed into a dynamic community with a vibrant street art and hip hop culture.

This was one of my favourite places that we visited during our two week Colombia itinerary. Houses were built one on top of another up a side of a mountain, a maze of concrete and wires. As we approached, I felt like we were about to enter a poor and dangerous slum. But that was far from the case. I saw spectacular graffiti art, seemingly on every wall and it was breathtaking. The streets were clean, brimming with adults going about their day and children playing. I watched street performers and tried delicious street food.  It was a thriving happy neighbourhood, such a contrast to its recent hellish past.

Our Tour in La Communa 13 in Medellin

Our guide lived in Communa 13. He was also a member of Casa Kolacho, a youth inspired art club. All money earned from the tour went to Casa Kolacho, which provided free dance, art and music classes to the community. As a tourist, I felt that I was not only witnessing a phenomenal transformation of a once troubled neighbourhood, but that our presence was helping them succeed. It was a memorable and fun experience. My kids loved our time here.

Days 5 – 8 of our 14 Day Colombia Itinerary

Medellin to Nuqui Choco

We flew one hour by twin turbo prop plane from Medellin to Nuqui on the Pacific Ocean. Then, we boarded a 20 person speedboat and for one hour, we crossed the Pacific Ocean to our lodge. During that hour, we barely saw a house or a person on the shore. We were surrounded by jungle and ocean.

We stayed at El Cantil Ecolodge, a very small lodge on the shores of the Pacific, and shared one hut with two rooms. The accommodation was very basic – there wasn’t any electricity, hot water, windows, screens, or wifi. The food was simple but plentiful – fish freshly caught each day right from the shores of the lodge.

Our time in Nuqui Choco was extraordinary. Over our three days, we spent hours on the ocean watching hump back whales. We hiked in the jungle and dove into hidden waterfalls. Further, we swam in the ocean and chased thousands of crabs on shore.

Thermales

A highlight of our stay was a 3 hour return walk along deserted beaches to the tiny village of Thermales where we spent time in its natural thermal springs. On our walk, we were surrounded by pristine jungle and untouched beaches, which were virtually uninhabited. The village was made up of around twenty huts and maybe a population of 100 people. It was a remarkable walk, followed by an incredible time exploring the village and its natural thermal springs.

Day 9 of our Two Week Colombia Itinerary

Nuqui Choco to Medellin

In the morning, we flew back to Medellin and to our hotel, the NH Collection Medellin Royal.  In the afternoon, we went on a private street food tour offered by Toucan Cafe and Tours.

Street food tour in Medellin

This was a really cool tour. We explored Medellin and learnt about its history and the significance of important buildings and sculptures. I saw more incredible graffiti and street art. We rode trains (Transvia) and gondolas across town and ultimately to Communa 8, another neighbourhood in Medellin transforming itself into a vibrant and safe community with innovative social programs and improved infrastructure. All the while, we nibbled on traditional street food that we stumbled upon along the way.

My kids loved this tour. We met lots of very friendly people who loved sharing their traditional food with us.

Day 10 of our 14 Day Colombia Itinerary

Medellin 

We did a private day tour to Guatape offered through Tours Guatape. Guatape is a municipality and town around 2 hours from Medellin.

Guatape

The whole area is beautiful. We stopped at El Penol, a massive rock conspicuously jutting out of the landscape, and climbed the 784 steps to the top. The views were stunning. We continued onto the town of Guatape and toured its cobblestone streets. The houses and stores were all colourfully painted with carvings along their front walls. They either depicted the history of the building, or its current use or occupant.

Activities In Medellin

For these and other amazing activities in and around Medellin, I would recommend exploring Get Your Guide below.

Day 11 and 12 of our Two Week Colombia Itinerary

Bogota to Villa De Leyva

This morning we flew from Medellin to Bogota. There, we were picked up and driven 3 1/2 hours to Villa De Leyva.

Villa De Leyva

Villa De Leyva is a gorgeous little town nestled between mountains and surrounded by farm land. The buildings were white water washed and the streets were mostly cobblestoned. We stayed at Hotel Casa Terra, a small newly renovated multi-room house with a beautiful garden in the centre of town. This was my favourite hotel on our whole trip.  The hotel was small, luxurious and welcoming.

For accommodation at Hotel Casa Terra or elsewhere in Villa De Leyva, I would recommend exploring the map and booking.com below.

Booking.com

Activities in Villa De Leyva

We explored the village and had many memorable meals there. We drove ATVs in the countryside and mountains surrounding Villa De Leyva on a private tour. The views were incredible.

Day 13 of our 14 Day Colombia Itinerary

Villa De Leyva to Bogota

We drove back to Bogota.  Along the way, we stopped and explored the Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira.

The Salt Cathedral is both bizarre and amazing. You descend one km below the surface of an active salt mine, stopping at the different Stations of the Cross where enormous crosses have been carved from salt. There, you are welcome to stop and pray. Ultimately, you reach a church far below the surface. You can watch a light show or a movie about the history of Colombia, shop, eat or go to a spa, never leaving the depths of the mine. The whole town is focused on supporting this tourist attraction.

Accommodation in Bogota

In Bogota, we stayed at the Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia Hotel, a beautiful hotel in the centre of amazing restaurants and shopping. We ate dinner at La Brasserie, a superb french restaurant mere steps from our hotel.

Booking.com

 

Day 14 of our Two Week Colombia Itinerary

Bogota

We spent the day on a private tour of Bogota offered by Hansa Tours.

I really liked Bogota. We went to the top of Montserrate, a mountain towering over Bogota, to see the views and visit the garden and the church. We spent a lot of time visiting La Candelaria area which has funky streets covered in cool graffiti, local artisans and their wares, and amazing museums. My favourites were the Botero Museum and the Museu Del Oro (the Gold Museum). Later we visited private art galleries looking at current Colombia artists.

Activities in Bogota

For these and other amazing activities in Bogota, I would recommend exploring Get Your Guide below.

Conclusion

I loved our Colombia itinerary.  Over two weeks, we saw many diverse regions of Colombia and experienced city and rural life. We visited remote and virtually untouched beaches, jungles and communities off of the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. I tried delicious food from all over the country, some of it traditional street food, while others at sophisticated and luxurious restaurants. We met incredibly friendly people from all sorts of backgrounds. Our Colombia itinerary was filled with authentic experiences in a very exciting country that has yet to be discovered by the world.

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