• Barichara (Northern Andes): Sometimes overshadowed by the adrenaline pumping going on in nearby San Gil, this colonial town dates to 1705 and is sometimes called the most beautiful in Colombia. Every single cobblestone street and terracotta-tiled roof here has been restored.
  • Villa de Leyva (Northern Andes): Far from commercial routes, Villa de Leyva’s stone plazas and colonial buildings have seen little development—outside of tourism—in 4 centuries. This is one of Colombia’s first architectural attractions to receive attention.
  • Popayán (Cali & the Southwest): The best preserved of Colombia’s colonial cities, Popayán’s whitewashed buildings have earned it the nickname “Ciudad Blanca” or “White City.” Historic churches, monasteries, bridges, and university buildings have all been impeccably maintained.
  • Parque Biblioteca España (Medellín & the Eje Cafetero): Installed on a hillside in the Santo Domingo neighborhood and reached by cable car, this modernist library complex has helped give a new face to Medellín. The three buildings, covered in dark stone tiles and resembling large boulders, have transformed one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city.
  • Monserrate (Bogotá): The peak of this famed mountain hovering above Bogotá is noteworthy not just for the views, but for the Catholic Church balancing on top of it. The sanctuary was built in 1657 in honor of the Virgen Morena.
  • Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá (Bogotá): Two hundred meters underground, set in the tunnels of an old salt mine, is this dramatic cathedral and the Stations of the Cross. All of it is backlit with eerie mood lighting.
  • Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas (Caribbean): Built to withstand pirate attacks, the imposing fort of San Felipe guards Cartagena from the top of the 40m-high San Lázaro hill. A complex network of walls and tunnels, this is the strongest fort the Spanish built anywhere in the Americas.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.