Stories, tips, and inspiration from
the heart of Colombia

Post-Image

Chía, Colombia: What Is Open, What Is Closed, and the Drive from Bogotá

Chía is thirty-one kilometres from Bogotá and most of what English guides send you there…

Read More
Post-Image

Popayán, Colombia: The White City, Semana Santa and What UNESCO Actually Listed

Popayán has two UNESCO listings and does not have the one most guides give it….

Read More
A guide leads visitors in straw hats between coffee bushes in fruit on one of our coffee-farm walks

Jardín, Antioquia: The Coffee Town, the Day From Medellín and What the Brochures Leave Out

Jardín by the team that runs the day trip from Medellín: the road and when it closes, the coffee farm, the plaza and the basilica after the August 2026 earthquake, the two cables and the one that runs, the birds at half past four, and the risk in the countryside stated plainly.

Read More
Colorful portrait mural on a street wall during a Graffiti Tour in Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena Nightlife: Where the Night Happens, What Time It Ends and the Bill to Watch For

Cartagena nightlife by the team whose boats leave from the authorized marina: sunset on the walls, the Plaza de la Trinidad from seven, the Arsenal and the Media Luna, what the chiva decree actually says, why nobody can give you one closing hour, and the bill that goes wrong more often than any robbery.

Read More
A player about to throw at a tejo court in Medellín while the group watches with beers

Medellín Nightlife: Where the Night Actually Happens, What Time It Ends and How You Get Home

Medellin nightlife by the team that collects guests from hotels in every one of the valley’s night districts: El Poblado, Laureles, Envigado and the quiet middle compared, why nobody can give you a single closing hour right now, what you are drinking, and the risk stated plainly.

Read More
A pedestrian street in Usaquén strung with lights at dusk, Bogotá

Where to Stay in Bogotá: The Neighborhoods, the Trade-offs and What We Would Book

Where to stay in Bogotá, by the team that collects guests from hotels the length of the strip: the neighborhoods one by one with what is wrong with each, what a bed at 2,640 meters does to the first night, how to check a property is legally registered, and what we would book depending on who you are.

Read More
Visitors at the Medellín sign in Plaza Botero on a Walking tour Medellín, Medellín, Colombia

Medellín, Colombia: What the City Is, the Metro, Where to Stay and How Long to Give It

Medellín as we explain it to our own travelers before they land: where the city actually is and how the valley shapes it, the metro line by line and what a foreigner really pays to ride to Parque Arví, the airport on its own plateau, pico y placa, where to sleep, what is worth your time, the calendar around the Feria de las Flores, and how many days the city deserves.

Read More
Visitors on the ramps of the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, with the upper fort above and the towers of Bocagrande behind

Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, Cartagena: What It Is, How It Was Built, the 2026 Ticket and How to Visit It

The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, the fort on the hill of San Lázaro, as we explain it before you visit: what it is by UNESCO and the operator, how it was built from the bonete of 1657 to Arévalo’s 63 cannons, the siege of 1741, the fort battery by battery, the 2026 ticket and hours, the visit hour by hour, the rules, and the hour to go.

Read More
Couple posing with local women in traditional dresses in the main square during a San Basilio de Palenque tour.

San Basilio de Palenque, Cartagena: What It Is, How It Became Free, What the Visit Is Like, and Whether It Is Worth It

San Basilio de Palenque, the free town an hour and a half from Cartagena, as we explain it before you book: what it is by UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture, how it became free by the documents, the Palenquero language, how the town lives, Kid Pambelé, the visit hour by hour, how to be a good guest, the drum festival, and whether it is worth a day of a short trip.

Read More
The El Totumo mud volcano from below, a cone of grey clay with a wooden staircase up its side

El Totumo Mud Volcano, Cartagena: What It Is, What the Day Is Like, and Whether It Is Worth It

El Totumo, the mud volcano an hour from Cartagena, as we explain it before you book: what it is by the Servicio Geológico Colombiano, the eruptions of 1999 and 2000 and the 2022 slide, where it is, the visit step by step, what it costs and who the tips go to, what to wear, whether it is safe, the beach afternoon at Manzanillo del Mar, and whether it is worth a day of a short trip.

Read More
The Walled City of Cartagena from above, with the cathedral tower and Bocagrande behind

Bocagrande, Cartagena: What the Beach Peninsula Is, What the Beach Is Like in 2026, and Whether to Stay There

Bocagrande, Cartagena, as we explain it to travelers who book a tower with a sea view: what the peninsula is and how it got its name, what the beach is like after the coastal works of 2025 and 2026, Castillogrande and El Laguito, the works on the bay side until 2027, the fixed airport fare, safety by the city’s record, and whether to sleep here or inside the walls.

Read More
The Walled City of Cartagena from above, with the cathedral tower and Bocagrande behind

Cartagena, Colombia: What the City Is, Where to Stay, What to Do and How We Plan It

Cartagena, Colombia, as we explain it to our own travelers before they land: what the city is and how to read it, where to stay by neighborhood, what to do in the order the heat dictates, the calendar, the day trips to the islands, El Totumo and Palenque, how to get in and around, the weather by IDEAM’s numbers, safety with the police’s figures, Cartagena or Santa Marta, and how many days.

Read More
Travelers taking a selfie in front of colorful street art during a Graffiti Tour in Cartagena, Colombia

Where to Stay in Cartagena: Every Neighborhood Compared, With the Distances, the Taxi Fares and the Rules Before You Book

Where to stay in Cartagena, neighborhood by neighborhood: the walled center and San Diego, Getsemaní, Bocagrande and Castillogrande, Manga, the seafront to the airport, La Boquilla and the Zona Norte, Barú and the islands, with the distances, the 2026 airport taxi fares, the registration every lodging needs, the IVA exemption and the seasons. We name no hotels and take no commission.

Read More
A guide with her badge and three travelers eating fritters from a street cart in Cartagena's walled city

The Walled City of Cartagena: Inside the Walls, Plaza by Plaza, With 2026 Hours, Prices and the Rules for the Heat

The walled city as we explain it on the first morning: what it is and how big, why the walls are there and which stretch to walk, the gate and the plazas one by one, six museums with 2026 hours and prices, the electric carriages that replaced the horses in December 2025, what to eat, where to stay, whether it is safe, the calendar and the day in the order we would walk it.

Read More
A yellow taxi at a Bogotá intersection with a cyclist passing

Why We Don’t Take Taxis in Bogotá—And What We Do Instead

We love a sense of adventure, but in Bogotá, we always follow one rule: we…

Read More
Performers on stage under red curtains at a Bogotá drag show

Where to See the Fiercest Drag in Bogotá—We Tried Them All

Ready for an unforgettable night out? Bogotá’s drag shows pulse with artistry, community, and bold…

Read More
A Caribbean beach and pier on Colombia's coast

Where Bogotá’s LGBTQ+ Crowd Hits the Beach (And Why You Should, Too)

One of our favorite Colombian rituals? Heading to the beach. We know a quick coastal…

Read More
Fruit stalls inside a covered market in Bogotá

Visit Bogotá’s Top 7 Markets Like a Local

If you really want to understand Bogotá, you have to visit its markets. They pulse…

Read More
Arepas cooking on a street grill in Bogotá

A Local’s Guide to 7 Street Eats in Bogotá

Bogotá may be Colombia’s capital of art, history, and business—but let’s be honest, street food…

Read More
Colourful colonial buildings around a plaza in Colombia

The Most Instagrammable Places in Bogotá? Here Are the Top 7

Bogotá — a city bursting with color, texture, and stories that beg to be shared. …

Read More
A tree-lined walking path through a park in Bogotá

Don’t Miss These 8 Bogotá Parks Locals Actually Love

Bogotá is known for its vibrant culture and bustling city life.  But tucked between its…

Read More
A cup of black coffee on a wooden table in a Bogotá cafe

The 12 Best Coffee Shops in Bogotá

Looking to get your caffeine buzz on at one of Bogotá’s best cafés? Our team…

Read More
A group practising yoga on a lawn below a mountain at a Colombian retreat

Reset: Yoga, Health, and Wellness Retreats in Colombia

Studies show that well over half of the world’s population considers itself stressed. If you’re…

Read More
Ancient stone ruins surrounded by jungle in Colombia

The 7 Wonders of Colombia

In a country with such rich cultural and natural attractions, determining the must-see spots is…

Read More
A palm-fringed Caribbean beach with turquoise water on Colombia's coast

An Insider’s Guide to the 8 Best Beaches in Colombia

Colombia is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries and is flanked by both the…

Read More
A man seated on a sofa in a bright modern living room

The Story of the Gringo Who Wants to Turn Colombia into a Luxury Tourist Destination

To read the original article in Spanish, click here. I met Shawn Christopher Hiner Leamon…

Read More

Ready for Your Colombian Journey?

Your Colombia experience is just a click away. Connect with our travel experts, get custom recommendations, and start exploring Colombia beyond the ordinary.