For a long time tainted by the reputation of its violent cartels, Colombia has worked hard to clean up its image and is recently becoming more popular with tourists. And deservedly so. Its stunning scenery, rich culture, diverse regions and heavenly beaches make Colombia a wonderful country to explore. It’s a colourful, fun and memorable destination for an adventurous family trip.
Discover the two-week Colombia itinerary we carefully crafted for our family holiday, starting in Bogota and finishing on the Caribbean coast in Cartagena.
- Bogota – 3 Nights
- Salento / Valle de Cocora – 3 Nights
- Medellin – 3 Nights
- Guadape – 2 Nights
- Cartagena – 4 Nights
Bogota
Starting our itinerary in Bogota was a bit of culture shock at first. But once we found our bearings in Colombia’s gigantic capital we revelled in its colour, contrasts and attractions. Highlights for our family included the Museo Botero, the Monserrate and the Catedral de Sal.
Read more about our visit to Bogota here.




Salento / Valle de Cocora
We were torn for a long time whether to take a bus to Salento, but in the end decided on catching a flight – we were short on time and overall it seemed easier than a lengthy, bumpy coach journey. In fact, we caught several internal flights during our trip and it proved to be an efficient, smooth and easy way to travel across Colombia.
Valle de Cocora, famous for its tall wax palm trees, is one of the most beautiful national parks I have ever visited. There are different hiking trails through the valley, the shortest of which was the most suitable for our family.
We also visited a coffee hacienda near Salento, where we learnt about the growing, drying and roasting process of the coffee bean. An incredibly informative and hugely enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Filandia is a small artisanal town in the Salento region, full of colourful houses and quaint restaurants. We spent an afternoon here soaking up the atmosphere and watching the world go by from a cafe on the town square.












To help us get around the region, we hired a car for our stay in Salento. It is generally not recommended to self-drive as a tourist in Colombia and it became clear why. The condition of the roads really is hit and miss, and Google proved not to be the most reliable navigator in Colombia. Having said that, the main roads leading to and from the airport and to the Valle de Cocora were absolutely fine.
Medellin
Happy to drop off the hired car again, we caught another internal flight from Salento to Medellin. This turned out to be a rather scenic flight in a propellor plane!
Medellin has had a rather infamous, violent history, with its reputation heavily tainted by cartel wars. While gang violence remains a problem, Medellin is trying hard to clean up its image by tackling the issue head on.
Led by a former cartel member, our guided tour through Communa 13, previously one of the most dangerous neighbourhoods in Medellin, was one of the highlights of our visit.
There is more Botero to see too, at the Plaza Botero where 23 chubby sculptures are permanently exhibited.
To catch a bit of air and give the kids some space to run around freely we visited the Jardín Botánico de Medellín – a much needed green oasis from the hustle and bustle of the busy city.
We experienced Medellin as a contemporary, welcoming city, with a passion for art, that tries to break free from the demons that hold it in their firm grip.








Guatapé
Having picked up another rental car, we took a little excursion from Medellin to Guatapé, a quaint albeit overrun little town on the shores of the sprawling, man-made Guatapé reservoir.
A giant granite rock, Piedra del Peñol, towers above it offering breath-taking views in return for a steep, equally breath-taking climb.
We spent a couple of days at a homestay on the banks of the reservoir. The owners looked after us with home cooked pancakes for breakfast and a delicious BBQ for dinner. Our stay in Guatapé was so peaceful – a much needed break after the intensity of Medellin.






Cartagena
For our final stop we headed to the Carribean coast of Colombia, by catching a flight from Medellin. Cartagena is a popular destination for Colombians and accordingly rather overrun during holiday times. With cobbled streets, colourful colonial buildings and historic town walls, the port city of Cartagena is indeed a lovely place to hang out and relax.
The inner city beach is ok but it’s worth taking a trip to one of the island beaches for a real experience of the Carribean. We spent a morning at Banana Beach which really was dreamy. We made sure to arrive before the tourist crowds and got to enjoy a couple of hours of Carribbean bliss.




Conclusion – Colombia family itinerary
Our trip through Colombia was one of the most varied and memorable that we have ever done. The warmth of the Colombian people, the rich coffee culture, the madness of Bogota, the breath-taking scenery of the Andes, the Carribbean flair of Cartagena… I could go on and on, so many intense experiences.
If you are tempted to visit Colombia, go for it, you will not regret it. Plan yourself a tailored itinerary that covers everything you’re keen to see and discover one of the most wonderful countries on the planet.