36 Best Sights in Colombia

The botanical gardens span about 33 acres and have more than 600 plant species, including heliconias, zamias, and azaleas. With plenty of spaces to explore, most notably the orchidarium, whose striking wooden hexagonal structure rises above the trees forming the park's centerpiece, a visit here makes for a nice half-day break from city life. Stop by the excellent In Situ restaurant, which has views of the garden and offers picnic lunches that you can take into the garden.

In 2000, world-famous artist Fernando Botero made headlines when he donated dozens of works from his private collection to Colombia. Botero's artwork interprets his subjects from a distinctly Latin American standpoint—Colombians affectionately refer to him as "the man who paints fat people." Many of his subjects are well-known in Colombia, especially in his native Medellín. The collection includes 123 of his own paintings, sculptures, and drawings. Equally impressive are his donation of 85 original works of renowned European and North American artists. This part of the collection, practically a review of art history since the late 19th century, includes original pieces by Corot, Monet, Matisse, Picasso, Dalí, Chagall, Bacon, and de Kooning.

If you want to learn a bit more about the history and incredible cultural riches that the area has to offer, this is an essential stop. Housed in a handsome former customs house, the well-designed displays provide an overview of the culture and craftsmanship of the pre-Columbian cultures—the Nahuange and Tairon—which thrived in the area as well as insight into the lives and traditions of the native cultures of modern Magdalena, notably the Kogui, Wiwa, Arhuaco, and Kankuamo groups of the Sierra Nevada. There is also an entire salon dedicated to the great liberator, Simón Bolívar, who died nearby, and who's vigil was held in this very building. Information is presented in English and Spanish, and tours must be organized in advance.

Originally known as the Barrio de los Jagüeyes (the ponds), being the neighborhood richest in fresh water (the city's most precious resource), San Diego was home to most of the gardens supplying fresh produce. These days, travelers are seeking out the peaceful streets of this enchanting north-end district lined with squat colonial houses and mansions painted white, ocher, and deep blue. Boutique and other hotels are opening, along with restaurants. Around the area, multicolored bougainvillea cascades over balconies, and open doorways reveal lush hidden courtyards. Plaza San Diego is a local gem, anchored by the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts), based in a former convent. At the northern corner of the city walls you'll find Las Bóvedas (The Vaults), a row of storerooms built in the 18th century to hold gunpowder and other military essentials, now home to colorful, tourist-oriented souvenir shops.

The modern Luis Ángel Arango Library, one of many cultural institutions in the capital funded by the state bank, sponsors changing international art exhibits. It's also known for its occasional chamber music concerts, which are listed in the local newspapers.

The former national mint displays coins whose gold content was secretly reduced by the king of Spain, slugs made by revolutionaries from empty cartridges, and currency minted for use exclusively in Colombia's former leper colonies. This museum is part of the complex that houses the Museo Botero and the Colección de Arte del Banco de la República.

The earliest mentions of this building date back to the mid-1700s, most notably as the home of Antonio Nariño, considered one of Colombia’s first intellectuals and libertarians. The building was officially nominated as the Presidential Palace in 1885 and was rebuilt in large part in 1904 to better suit its new status. In the '70s it was again remodeled extensively, with only the iconic neoclassical facade on Carrera 7 remaining of the original construction. Free 45-minute guided tours in English are available four times daily on weekdays and twice daily on weekends, but only with prior registration on the official website. No shorts or sandals are allowed, and you must show your ID or passport. The impressive changing of the guard ceremony can be seen without restriction on Wednesday and Friday at 2:30 pm and on Sunday at 3 pm.

The Metropolitan Cathedral's ornate coffee-color facade soars above the Parque de Bolívar. Designed by the French architect Charles Carré and built in 1875, it's South America's largest cathedral, and the third-largest brick building in the world.

Do not confuse the church with "La Catedral," the name given to notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar's elaborate mansion outside Medellín. Escobar was held under house arrest there for a year prior to his escape and subsequent murder in 1993.

The cathedral on the main square is always the heart of any Latin American city. Plaza de Bolívar—watched over by a statue of South American liberator Simón Bolívar—is a shady place from which to admire Cartagena's 16th-century cathedral. (It's officially the "Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa Catalina de Alejandria.") Construction lasted from 1577 to 1612. British pirates attacked and pillaged the site about halfway through the process, a fate that befell many buildings in Cartagena in those early days. The colorful bell tower and dome date from the early 20th century; inside are a massive gilded altar and towering arches.

A former Augustinian cloister dating from 1583, this is one of Bogotá's oldest surviving buildings. This stunning building, previously known as the Museo de Artes y Tradiciones Populares, is most notable for its courtyard surrounded by arched terraces and has been run by the National University's excellent museum program. There are six galleries with constantly changing exhibits and events that include Saturday-morning yoga classes.

This large collection, in the same complex as the Museo Botero, is an overview of Colombian art from the colonial period to the present, including works by such noted artists as Alejandro Obregón, Luis Caballero, and Débora Arango.

The intricate carvings on the mahogany altar at the 1761 Church of the Third Order are the most beautiful in Bogotá. A local myth claims that the completion of the altar so exhausted sculptor Pablo Caballero that he died a madman.

The 16th-century Church of St. Francis is famous for its fabulous Mudéjar interior, carved with geometric designs borrowed from Islamic tradition. Its huge gilded altar is shaped like an amphitheater and has shell-top niches.

This 18th-century Jesuit church, painted a bright yellow, is one of Popayán's most distinctive structures. Unfortunately, it's open only for masses.

After an earthquake destroyed the original chapel, the Dominicans built this baroque-style church in 1741. It's notable for the stonework around its doorway, which depicts exotic flowers and animals, and for the silver Virgin Mary behind its altar, brought from Spain in 1588. A former monastery next door now houses the regional university.

This simple two-aisle church built by Franciscan monks in the early 17th century once stood on a quiet hacienda on the outskirts of colonial Bogotá. Trees and pastures have been replaced by the towering offices of Bogotá's "Little Manhattan." Both the church and its beautiful statue of the Virgin of the Fields, with her crown of intricate gold and silver filigree work, are homages to the city's bucolic past.

As if lifted from a soft-drink commercial, Johnny Cay is a small, palm-fringed island surrounded by transparent aquamarine waters some 20 minutes by boat from San Andrés. (Any tour operator can fix you up with transport.) It's essential to escape to this deserted Caribbean island on an out-of-season weekday—on weekends the hordes descend upon the island's white sandy beaches and lather themselves in coconut oil. Meals and drinks are available at any one of the shacks set up along the beach, or they can be arranged by your operator. Be sure to bring extra cash to rent shade and loungers. Basic transport with a tour operator will cost around 25,000 pesos, and you can often combine this trip with visits to nearby Acuario and Haynes Key.

Cartagena survived only because of its walls, and its murallas remain today the city's most distinctive feature, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site that draws visitors to the historic and well-preserved city center full of plazas, shops, and diversions. Repeated sacking by pirates and foreign invaders convinced the Spaniards of the need to enclose the region's most important port. Construction began in 1600 and finished in 1796. The Puerta del Reloj is the principal gate to the innermost sector of the walled city. Its four-sided clock tower was a relatively late addition (1888), and has become the symbol of the city. Walking along the thick walls (you can enter at many points, and there are overpriced bars in some parts) is one of Cartagena's time-honored pastimes, especially late in the afternoon when you can watch the setting sun redden the Caribbean. (Depending on time of year, the sun sets here between 5:30 and 6:30 pm.)

The small Zenú Gold Museum, an institution funded and operated by Colombia's Central Bank, displays an interesting assortment of artifacts culled from the Zenú, an indigenous group that lived in this region some 2,000 years ago. Golden breastplates and intricately wrought jewelry are intriguing, and labels are in English and Spanish. The museum is off popular Plaza de Bolívar and worth a stop, particularly if you won't make it to the magnificent Gold Museum in Bogotá.

The striking building that houses the National Museum was a prison until 1946; some parts, particularly the narrow top-floor galleries, maintain a sinister air. Designed by English architect Thomas Reed, the museum is arranged to give you a history of Colombia. Everything from ancient artifacts to contemporary art is on display, including works by Fernando Botero and Alejandro Obregón. The first-floor gallery is devoted to changing national and international exhibitions. There's also a café and bookstore. There's a free, hour-long English tour on Wednesday at 3 pm; longer tours can be arranged for a fee with advance booking.

One of Medellín's most iconic architectural works, the Palacio de la Cultura Rafael Uribe Uribe was designed by Belgian architect Agustín Goovaerts in the early 1920s, but took over 80 years to make its grand appearance. It's striking Gothic facade and soaring dome, once home to the provincial government, is now the office of the Director of Culture of Antioquía and houses a library and a range of gallery spaces with rotating exhibits. For those who speak at least some Spanish, look out for the cycle of Cine en la Cúpula, where the interior of the dome becomes a temporary cinema. Entrance to the Palacio is free, but guided tours are only available through the website for groups of more than 10 people.

This small concrete plaza, the city's nucleus since its construction in 1680, is overwhelmed by the city's elevated train, at this writing, the only one of its kind in Colombia. Nearby is the colonial church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. To the south, the Banco de la República building stands next to a huge female torso sculpted by native son Fernando Botero. On the bank's other side, a bronze fountain and marble monument honor Atanasio Girardot, an 18th-century champion of Colombian independence.

Despite its location in the middle of crowded Medellín, this shady park has a generous amount of open space. In the evening it's popular with young people who congregate on the steps of the nearby cathedral. The small Lido theater, on the eastern side of the square, has borne witness to the growth of Medellín's theater and cinema since its construction in 1945.

This small sculpture park near the peak of Cerro Nutibara is a maze of paths dotted with modern and traditional sculptures by Latin American artists.

Tropical trees shade this large park on the Río Cali's north bank. The modern buildings to the west house municipal offices and are collectively known as the CAM, a term also used by locals to identify the park.