Famous Colombian cuisine

Is Colombia famous for its food?

From my French point of view, I would say no — even if every Colombian on earth would disagree with me.

Still, there is plenty of delicious or strange food to try.

27# Try hundreds of tropical fruits

Colombia offers more than 400 varieties of native fruits, plus the ones everyone knows, such as mangoes, oranges, and coconuts.

Fruit juices are a delight to try. For instance, lulo is a very aromatic fruit consumed in juices, but there are other, more exotic fruits, such as arazá, gulupa, and maracuyá (passion fruit), granadilla, and guanabana.

Fruits are so popular in Colombia that you can also try them in the form of fruit salads and other preparations in almost every street market.

For example, the Paloquemao market in Bogotá offers a variety of fruit preparations. You can buy the ‘Berraquillo’ (which translates strong), an alleged aphrodisiac preparation that includes raw river live crabs, borojó (a fruit), vitamins, tonic wine, duck embryo, milk, and honey. This exotic elixir costs about 15,000 COP (4 dollars).

There are other fruit-rich markets in different cities: Minorista (Medellín), Bazurto (Cartagena), Alameda (Cali), and El Playón (Barranquilla). 

26# Eat Massive meals (then take a nap)

Another trait of typical Colombian food is the size of the portions you are served, so make sure you open up your appetite before eating.

There are three typical examples of this. The first one is the ajiaco, allegedly Colombia’s national dish. This consists of a thick, savory soup made of two different kinds of potatoes, corn, some herbs, and chicken. It’s typically served with a side of rice and avocado.

Another typical Colombian soup is sancocho, which is made of chicken alone or a combination of pork, chicken, and cow rib, plus potato, arracacha (a kind of tuber), manioc, corn, and green plantain. It is also accompanied by rice and avocado.

The bandeja paisa (Antioquia) consists of red kidney beans, ground beef, rice, a fried egg, a sausage, avocado, fried ripe plantain, and fried pork. Some restaurants offer the ‘típico montañero,’ a variation of the same platter that adds chicken and a piece of black pudding (a blood and rice sausage).

25# Arepas, empanadas, and patacones

These three kinds of food can be eaten as a snack between meals or as an accompaniment to other dishes.

Arepas are corn patties that can be made with cheese in the dough or on top, which melts while they are being grilled. You can also eat them with meat, chicken, or other fillings. The beef, chicken, or shrimp can go on top as well. Among Colombia’s arepas is the ‘arepa de huevo,’ typical of the Caribbean coast, which is fried and has an egg inside.

On the other hand, the empanadas are small pies whose pastry is made of corn or wheat flour. They are usually fried and filled with a mix of meat or chicken, rice, peas, and even potato.

Patacones are slices of fried mashed plantain that can be served on their own with just a pinch of salt or with ‘queso costeño’ (ground, salted cheese) on top.

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Colombia is known for its People

For me, Colombian People are the main reason why travelers fall in love with the country.

24# Friendly inhabitants

Colombians are known for their pride in their varied culture and indigenous ancestors. Even though the country has experienced difficult moments for decades in recent years, the resilience and happiness of its nationals are visible from the first moment you arrive.

Colombians spin around the national soccer team, cycling, national holidays, drinking, eating, dancing, carnivals, and work.

Family is another important part of Colombian culture. Elderly parents are often taken care of by their children or grandchildren, and there are always celebrations around important dates, such as birthdays or anniversaries.

People in the cities are somewhat punctual, but Colombians are not so keen on arriving on time in general. “Ahorita” is one of the most used expressions meaning “in a bit,” referring to the time it takes to arrive at an appointment; the problem is, “ahorita” can take forever.

Most Colombians promise to do things but don’t keep their promises, mainly regarding appointments or small tasks. Despite this minor drawback in their habits, Colombians are usually helpful, generous, playful, and kind.

23# Famous Colombian Celebrities

Some of the Colombian artists are well-known internationally. Such is the case of singer, writer, and dancer Shakira, or how about late writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez and his famous magic realism?

Hollywood has also seen some Colombian celebrities pass by, such as Bogotan actor John Leguizamo and actress Sofia Vergara.

There are other singers, such as Carlos Vives, Juanes, J Balvin, and Sebastian Yatra, who sings ‘Two oruguitas’ in Disney’s Colombian-inspired movie ‘Encanto.’

Sportspeople such as former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, Liverpool’s soccer striker Luis Díaz, cyclists Nairo Quintana and Egan Bernal (first Colombian to win the Tour de France), soccer players Falcao García and James Rodriguez are also beloved Colombians.

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You’ll have fun in Colombia

There is always a reason to dance, sing, and have fun in Colombia.

22# Carnivals and festivals

Almost every city and small town in Colombia celebrates some kind of festivity at any time of the year. These are the most popular:

→ Carnaval de Barranquilla: the capital of Atlantico Department’s world-famous carnival is the biggest celebration in Colombia, with lots of music, costumes, dancing, parades, and plenty of drinking. It takes place between the end of February and the beginning of March. La Batalla de Flores (Battle of flowers) is the most colorful and popular parade.

→ Black and White Carnival: this is one of the most symbolic Colombian carnivals in the country, declared a Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009. It is held between the 2 and 7 of January in Pasto, the capital of Nariño. The origins of the festival date back to colonial times, when indigenous peoples gave thanks for their harvests. The carnival is divided into four stages: Carnavalito (Little carnival), the arrival of the Castañeda family, the day of Blacks, and the day of Whites, in which people throw corn starch, water, and balloons at each other.

→ Feria de Cali: it is also known as the Sugar Cane Festival, and it’s held in Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca Department, between December 25 and 30. The two most important events are the Salsódromo, where couples and groups dance to salsa music, and the Superconcert, which gathers the most popular bands. Salsa lovers can also attend the World Salsa Festival (usually in November).

→ Feria de las Flores (Flowers festival): This festival takes place in Medellín. It began in 1957 as a tribute to the “silleteros”, those men who, during the colonial period, began to carry goods from one region to another instead of animals. Indeed, depending on the time of the year, oxen, mules or horses could not cross certain passages in the mountains of the Andes. Today, the silleteros no longer carry goods, but instead and only during the feria, they carry a seat covered by splendid floral compositions, which is still very heavy. The event includes other activities, such as a parade of classic and antique cars. It takes place in August.

21# Dancing Salsa

The famous Puerto Rican salsa band leaders Richie Ray and Bobby Cruz, who have lived in Colombia for the last few decades, say that Cali is the last salsa stronghold. There are many academies for families, individuals, and children of all skill levels.

But salsa is not only danced in Cali. You may find bars and clubs dedicated to this kind of music in Bogotá, Medellín, and Barranquilla, where they even have their style (like salsa choke), a bit slower than the frantic pace of the footwork of salsa dancers in Cali.

Other rhythms you may dance to throughout Colombia are champeta and reggaeton, very sensuous dances based on African sounds. 

20# Playing music in the streets

Colombians’ passion for music shows in the number of street musicians, even in big cities like Bogotá and Medellín. However, street music is more common in warm cities like Cali, Barranquilla, and Cartagena.

Every region of Colombia is different. You may find more drums, percussion, and marimba on the Pacific coast. If you go to the Caribbean coast or the city of Valledupar, vallenato is the most widely played music, which features instruments such as gaitas, guacharacas, and accordions.

In Los Llanos (the eastern plains), joropo is the most famous music. This rhythm is made with instruments such as harp, capachos (a smaller variation of the maracas), and cuatro (a small guitar with four strings). The male vocals are known for their rhythmic screams. The dance of joropo consists of jumps and stumps.

19# An explosive Tejo game

Tejo is considered Colombia’s actual national sport, although more than a sport, it’s a form of entertainment that includes beer, barbecue, and fun with family and friends.

Some people associate it with a sort of air bowling. It consists of a heavy metal disc (called Tejo) that you have to throw from one end to the other of the alley. The base is at a 45-degree angle and contains clay on each end.

Buried in the middle of the clay goes a cylinder called bocín, on whose edge (the only part of the cylinder that can be seen), four paper triangles filled with a mild although noisy explosive (called mechas) are placed at equal distances from each other to form a cross.

The players generally bet on who will pay for the beer at the end of the game. The loser pays all. It is not uncommon to see some Colombians drink up to 30 beers each during a Tejo afternoon, mainly in the departments of Boyaca and Cundinamarca, where they are heavy beer drinkers.

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colombia’s best-sellers

The richness of Colombia’s soil allows it to export many products worldwide. Let’s see which ones.

18# Best Coffee Beans

Growing coffee has been Colombia’s leading agricultural and economic activity for more than a century.

Currently, more than 550,000 Colombian families depend on coffee to make their living. The coffee beans are still made by hand so that they can choose the best ones (the ripe ones).

Colombia is the third-largest coffee exporter globally, after Brazil and Vietnam.

What makes Colombian coffee one of the best in the world is the perfect weather (at altitudes between 1,500 masl and 1,800 masl), the variety (arabica), productive soil, and the right measure of rainfall, apart from the production techniques that give it the great flavor it’s widely known for.

Coffee fincas are spread a bit everywhere in the country—not only in the Coffee region.

17# Beautiful Colombian Emeralds

Colombian rough emeralds are considered the purest due to their warmer and more intense green color, a characteristic only present in these Colombian gems. The country produces two-thirds of the world’s emeralds.

You can buy certified emeralds in Bogotá and Cartagena. However, avoid buying them from people on the street, even if the price appears to be attractive and the salesperson’s pitch sounds convincing.

You can find jewelry with emeralds cast in it or buy the gem alone. Prices of the sole gems range from 110,000 COP to 36 million COP (30 to 10,000 dollars).

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Colombia is famous for its wild beauty

Colombia is a rough diamond in terms of its natural beauty. It has all kinds of weather, from desert to Colombian mountains covered with snow.

Colombia’s vast, uncharted territory makes it unique because, literally speaking, there are places where there is almost no human intervention. These are some of the most well-known places to explore when visiting Colombia.

16# The rainbow river of Caño Cristales

This rainbow river owes its beautiful colors to a kind of algae that forms on the river bed during the rainy season, between mid-June and the end of November.

You need to hire a guide or buy a package to go there. The area is so well protected that you are not allowed to put mosquito repellent on your skin or take plastic bottles with you. 

Caño Cristales is located in Sierra de la Macarena, a stand-alone mountain range in the country’s eastern plains.

15# Los Nevados national park

Three peaks are part of this Colombia national park that, if you are a keen climber, you will find most exciting: El Ruiz, Tolima, and Santa Isabel.

These mountains feature different kinds of weather, from warm and humid rainforests to cold paramos and snow. The only sad aspect is that the snow from the peaks is bound to disappear soon due to global warming.

14# Tayrona National Park

This vast, 150-square-kilometer protected area in the north of Colombia has stunning beaches and a thick rainforest that you can explore on your own.

However, I recommend not leaving the trails, for you may get lost, and the cell phone signal might not be the best to help you out. Also, there are wild animals, such as jaguars, alligators, and snakes, so it’s best to keep on track.

Once in the Tayrona National Park, you should spend one or more nights. There are a few hotels and places for camping. Not all beaches are safe for swimming because some have strong currents that make it dangerous to get in. You can swim in the rivers that come from the mountains.

13# Multi-day hike to the Lost City

Ciudad Perdida, or Lost City (discovered in the 70s by an explorer called Franky Rey), is a town built 650 years before Peruvian Machu Picchu was erected, around 700. The now-extinct Tayrona indigenous people constructed it.

Getting there and back takes you 4 or 5 days on foot, and for that, you must use the service of a local agency.

This fantastic trek features thick rainforests, crossing crystal-clear rivers, and seeing Kogui people’s villages. The view of the Lost City with the beautiful waterfall behind it is something that will remain in your memory forever.

12# The stunning Providencia Island

Providencia is an island in Colombia’s Caribbean Sea, near San Andres. Unlike San Andrés, Providencia provides a much quieter experience. You can dive there and enjoy the seven-color sea without the crowds you find in San Andrés.

Unfortunately for the inhabitants of this paradise-like island, hurricane Iota hit them on November 16, 2020, and there is still lots of reconstruction work to do. But visiting this place will contribute to its economy. You can rent a golf cart and enjoy the beauty of this place.

11# All the landscapes you can think off

As we said before, Colombia has all kinds of weather and landscapes imaginable. Two extensive deserts are La Tatacoa in the Huila Department and La Guajira in the northernmost part of the country.

Part of the Amazon jungle is located in the south of Colombia, and it’s so thick that the only way to get there is by taking a plane to Leticia. Colombia has two oceans: The Pacific and the Atlantic, with unique cultural and landscape characteristics.

Three main mountain ranges are part of the Andes Mountains that extend from Argentina and trifurcate into Colombia. These mountains have glaciers, rainforests, and paramos. If you prefer the flatlands, you may also find extensive savannas in the country’s east.

10# One of the richest biodiversity on earth

Colombia hosts about 10% of the world’s biodiversity, with plant and fauna species that have not even been classified by science.

The country is the richest in orchids and bird species, with almost 2,000, making it attractive for bird watchers. The world has counted 10,000 bird species, whereas the rest of South America has 3,435 birds. 

Colombia is the second most diverse in plants, butterflies, freshwater fishes, and amphibians. It’s number one in frog species, some of which feature beautiful colors and are highly poisonous.

Due to its different altitudes and thermal floors, which range from zero masl to 5,800 masl, this country showcases more than 300 types of ecosystems. 

9# Colorful Orchids

In 1936, the orchid was declared Colombia’s national flower. Colombia has the highest number of orchid species, more than 4,000.

Half of those plants are exclusive, which means they cannot be found elsewhere in the world. The sad part is that some species are endangered due to pesticides in nearby crops.

8# Giant wax palm trees

Colombia has the tallest palm trees worldwide and can be found in Valle del Cocora (Salento), Valle de Samaria (Salamina), and Toche.

This is Colombia’s national tree, but like orchids, it is endangered. However, you may still enjoy the view as the wax palm trees adorn the landscape of the Andean mountain range.

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Colombia is also known for bad things

Colombia is a country that has gone through some bad moments during its history. These are the two that most people remember:

7# Pablo Escobar

This drug mogul and killer left many bad things in the country, among which is a great deal of bad reputation and the association of Colombians with cocaine and violence. That’s why many Colombians are tired of hearing about him.

Almost 30 years after Pablo Escobar’s death (December 2, 1993), the country has been freed from the shadow of Escobar to a certain extent. Nevertheless, the drug business was inherited by smaller gangs that still pose a challenge for the government to eradicate.

You can find painted murals and stories about the drug lord in Medellín. Guides will tell you that he was no hero due to the sad consequences that his actions left, such as setting bombs in planes and shopping malls, killing thousands of innocent people, and spreading terror throughout the country.

6# civil war

The fight between the government and the FARC guerrillas has left bloodshed.

Due to inequality and poverty, this guerrilla group started opposing the government. Years later, the group abandoned its reason to be and dedicated to drug trafficking, kidnapping, and extorting civilians.

The whole conflict led to almost 300,000 lives lost and instability. In 2016, the government and Farc signed a peace agreement. However, some guerrilla people did not adhere to the pact and continued to be outlaws. The country still has issues to solve in this regard.

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Lively Colombian Cities

Colombia has at least five cities with populations exceeding one million people, so there’s a lot of activity going on. What makes the main cities attractive?

TPMT note: You should always be more careful in big cities. Read our general safety tips.

5# Bogotá, the capital city

Bogotá is the country’s capital, and more than 8.3 million people live there. The weather is cool throughout the year, and Colombians from other cities regard it as “bad,” although this might not be so true. 

There is a lot of nightlife, restaurants, and excellent museums to visit, such as the Gold Museum, which has the largest collection of gold pieces in the world. The National Museum and Botero Museum also stand out.

One of the city’s landmarks is Monserrate, the east mountain with a church on top. You can visit it on foot, by cable car, or by a small cable train. The salt cathedral in the nearby town of Zipaquira is another must-see.

4# Cali, the salsa capital

The capital of the Valle del Cauca Department is known for salsa music and dancing. We can dare say it’s the salsa capital of the world. There, you can find academies for learning and nightclubs for dancing. The annual Feria de Cali festival is mainly dedicated to this rhythm.

Cali is also known for its beautiful warm weather and green vegetation. Food and drinks such as ‘lulada’ and ‘champús’ are fabulous, unique refreshments.

3# Medellín, a city of eternal spring

With Pablo Escobar’s shadow aside, Antioquia’s capital is known for its ‘eternal spring’ weather and beautiful women.

The people there are amicable and helpful. The recuperated neighborhood of Comuna 13 is a great place to visit. You can go there by cable car.

Nightlife, shopping malls, and food in Medellín also make the city attractive. Don’t forget to include a few day trips to explore the Antioquia department if you go there. It’s one of my favorite departments.

2# Santa Marta, for exploring the Sierra Nevada

The center of the capital of Magdalena Department has been recently rebuilt and now offers excellent restaurants, bars, and historical places to visit.

Santa Marta is the starting point for the trip to Tayrona Park and Lost City. It features beautiful beaches and views of the Sierra Nevada, the tallest coastal mountain globally.

1# Cartagena, the perfect romantic city

The capital of the Bolivar Department is the second most widely visited city in Colombia, after Bogotá.

Its walled city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. The houses inside its old town have been perfectly restored, and its narrow streets make it an excellent experience for photography enthusiasts.

From Cartagena de Indias, you can go to the Rosario Islands by boat and enjoy white sandy beaches.