Added: 09/10/2005 |
Travel to Colombia breaks stereotypesSay 'Colombia' and most people will immediately think of something negative: drugs, guerrilla warfare, corruption, kidnappings, crime. This is hardly surprising, since these are some of the few factors that regularly reach the international press. As a result, tourists are often advised on not going to Colombia.
But the truth is that Colombia is one of the most beautiful countries in Latin America, and there are still many places there which are just as safe to visit as other destinations on the continent. So, if you stick to certain areas, don't stray too far from the main tourist areas and heed current safety advice, there is no reason why you shouldn't include Colombia in your itinerary.
Travel to Colombia and you will have a chance to observe a fusion of shabby, colourful towns, Caribbean and Pacific coasts, Andean valleys, the Amazonian jungle, and wide plains.
A major attraction for tourists is the Spanish colonial port of Cartagena with its spectacular walled old town Ciudad Amarullada, a medieval wonderland of palaces, monasteries, plazas and overhanging balconies.
The ancient port has a lot of sights to offer thousands of tourists that are not afraid to travel to Colombia. They usually start with Casa de Marques Valdehoyos, a good example of the old city. A lot of Cartagena brochures are available inside, as nowadays it is the site of information centre.
Museo de Oro y Arqueloguia with a rare collection of gold and pottery of the Sinu culture and a bright example of colonial architecture the Palacio de la Inquisicion , Iglesia de Santo Domingo and Cartagena's Cathedral are popular city sights.
Cartagena Colombia boasts its series of fortresses. The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is the largest of them. The tunnel system of the Castillo is of particular interest.
The beautiful panoramic view of the city can be seen from the Convento de la Popa, which used to serve as an additional fortress. The chapel of the Virgen de la Candelaria, Cartagena's patron saint is now located inside of it.
Travel to Colombia is not complete without visiting Cali, the third largest Colombian city. It is the major transportation, commercial, and industrial center for the Cauca River valley, where sugarcane, coffee, tobacco, cotton, cacao, bananas, rice, and corn are grown and cattle and hogs are raised.
Cali is located in Colombia's southwest region, about 995 meters above sea level. It's a diverse region of coast, foothills and the Andean cordillera. It's a rich archaeological area, as well as culturally diverse.
Cali houses quite a number of museums: Museo de Arte Colonial with a collection of colonial religious art, Museo Arqueológico,displaying pre-Colombian pottery and artefacts, Museo de Oro, where Calima culture samples are preserved, Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertullia, which exhibits works of modern sculpture, art and photography, Sugar Cane Museum, showing sugar-making processes, and Federico Carlos Lehmann Valencia Natural Science Museum, a zoological museum, where Colombian flora and fauna can be observed.
Iglesia de la Merced, the oldest church of the city and Iglesia de San Antonio are the object of admiration for religious people.
Theatre-goers will be delighted to watch a play in the Teatro Experimental de Cali, Colombia (TEC), the cradle of the Colombia's national theatre. It's a good chance to get closer to Colombian literature and culture.
Bullfights, salsa events, beauty contests and parades are the hallmarks of Feria de Cali, taking place from Christmas till the New Year's Eve. Seeing them is a doubtless reason to travel to Colombia. So, do not leave Cali Colombia out of your itinerary.
Colombia is a gem of a destination that as yet has to be explored by modern travelers as it slowly struggles to shed its unpalatable reputation to reveal its unique beauty.
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