COLOMBIA
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HOW TO EXPLORE THE BEST OF VILLA DE LEYVA
As one of Colombia’s 17 Heritage Towns, Villa de Leyva is a plethora of cobblestoned streets, whitewashed buildings and red roofs – but that’s not all
SALAMINA & THE SAMARIA VALLEY – COLOMBIA’S BEST KEPT SECRET
With a sublime mountain setting and access to scenery that rivals the Cocora Valley, Salamina is a visual treat – yet few foreign visitors actually go there
WHY HISTORIC BARICHARA IS COLOMBIA’S PERFECT PUEBLO
Perched on the edge of a canyon in the fabulous Santander region, Barichara is a cobblestoned gem – and quite possibly our favourite place in Colombia
HOW TO EXPLORE MONGUÍ AND THE WORLD’S MOST BEAUTIFUL PÁRAMO
High up in the Colombian Andes, Monguí is a heritage town that sits beneath the gorgeous and other-worldly Páramo de Ocetá – here’s how to explore them both
LA PLAYA DE BELÉN – OFF THE BEATEN TRACK IN NORTHERN COLOMBIA
La Playa de Belén doesn’t feature in most people’s Colombia travel plans – but for those who like to follow a path less trodden, it’s an unexpected delight
10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MOMPOX – COLOMBIA’S FORGOTTEN COLONIAL GEM
The rise and fall of Mompox is one of Colombia’s great riches to rags stories – but after decades of isolation, this backwater gem is now ready to explore
COLOURFUL CARTAGENA – A TRAVEL GUIDE IN PHOTOS
Cartagena’s historic centre is a photographer’s dream with its multi-coloured buildings, fabulous street art and blue skies – here’s our photographic guide
12 OF THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN MEDELLÍN
Once the murder capital of the world, Medellín is now reinventing itself as one of Latin America’s most dynamic cities – here’s our guide to Colombia’s rising star
EXPLORING GUATAPÉ – COLOMBIA’S MOST COLOURFUL PUEBLO
In a country famed for its colourful pueblos, Guatapé in Colombia is probably the granddaddy of them all – here’s how to get the most out of your visit
THE INSPIRATIONAL STREET ART OF COMUNA 13, MEDELLIN
Until recently, one of Colombia’s most violent neighbourhoods, Comuna 13 is reinventing itself through its street art and bringing in tourism along the way
HOW TO SPEND THE PERFECT WEEKEND IN JARDÍN
Just a three-hour bus ride from Medellín, the beautiful pueblo town of Jardin, Colombia is a colourful, atmospheric and relatively unknown gem
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FREE MEDELLIN WALKING TOUR
To help us orientate ourselves with the city, we joined a free Medellin walking tour of the Centro area with Real City Tours – here’s what we learned
WHERE WE’VE STAYED
MEDELLÍN
House-sitting assignment – 4 weeks
JARDÍN
Hosteria El Paraiso
Nights
2
Cost
106,000 COP per night
What that included
Bed & breakfast, wifi
Rating ****
Friendliness 4 Cleanliness 5 Location 5 Comfort 4 Facilities 3 Food 4 Value for money 4
What we thought
Gorgeous traditionally painted country house. Simple but clean rooms. Set in glorious surrounding countryside just a 10-minute walk from the centre of Jardín