Colombia had been on my travel bucket list for a long, long time. For years, though, I kept putting it off because of the country’s reputation for safety concerns. Eventually, the pull became too strong—Colombia has changed enormously from the country many travelers still picture from decades ago
Why Colombia? Let’s see. Old Spanish fortresses and colorful walled cities? Check. Modern cities surrounded by mountains? Check. Caribbean beaches? Check. Colonial architecture, incredible landscapes, and some of the most photogenic streets in South America? Check.
And then there’s the Amazon. Holy God, the Amazon. Check.
So maybe the better question is: why wouldn’t I go?
I finally did, traveling from the colorful colonial streets of Cartagena and the mountains surrounding Medellín to Jardín, Guatapé, and deep into the Colombian Amazon around Leticia and Puerto Nariño. The variety was incredible—Spanish colonial architecture, modern cities, Andean landscapes, Caribbean scenery, tropical rainforest, wildlife, and the Amazon River all in one trip.
As a photographer turned watercolor artist, I travel looking for interesting light, unusual architecture, colorful streets, dramatic landscapes, and scenes that might eventually become paintings. This Colombia travel hub brings together my firsthand travel experiences, photography, travel guides, watercolor paintings, and tutorials. Whether you’re planning your own trip, looking for the best places to photograph in Colombia, or searching for artistic inspiration, you can explore the journey below.
Explore Colombia Travel Destinations
Why Visit Colombia?
Colombia offers an incredible combination of Spanish colonial history, colorful cities, dramatic Andean landscapes, Caribbean coastline, tropical rainforest, wildlife, and the Amazon. Few countries in South America pack so much variety into a single trip. You can wander through Cartagena’s centuries-old walled city, photograph Medellín’s modern skyline surrounded by mountains, and then fly south into the dense Amazon rainforest.
For photographers and artists, that variety is hard to beat. Cartagena offers colorful colonial architecture, balconies, fortifications, and Caribbean light; Medellín combines mountains, modern architecture, and sprawling urban views; while Leticia and Puerto Nariño provide an entirely different world of rainforest, rivers, wildlife, and small communities along the Amazon. Colombia feels less like visiting a single destination and more like experiencing several completely different countries in one trip.