Discover the most beautiful villages in Colombia with our posts that take you on a journey through the country.
Colombia is still a very rural country, and despite the presence of large cities throughout the country, there are many small villages – there’s even a network of heritage villages! Some are authentic journeys back in time!
We were fed up with paying fees abroad
So for several years now, we’ve been using a free bank debit card specially designed for travelers, and we don’t pay any more fees abroad – no more!
Villa de Leyva
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
Villa de Leyva is a sublime white village typical of the Boyaca department, with Colombia’s largest public square.
Barichara
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
Barichara simply deserves to be named Colombia’s most beautiful village.
Salento
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
Salento is probably the best-known village in Colombia! A typical Quindio village and gateway to the Cocora Valley, it has seen a huge boom in tourism in recent years.
Guatapé
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
Guatapé is perhaps (along with Salento) the most touristic village in Colombia. Located very close to Medellin, it’s the place to come to admire the Zocalos and the view from the Peñon.
Mompox
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
For a long time, Mompox was a village “held back in time”, difficult to access, a sort of small Cartagena without the tourists. Today, the construction of roads, bridges and air links will facilitate access and surely change its face.
Jerico
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
Jerico is one of the most beautiful villages in the region around Medellin. It’s a little less accessible than Jardin, and therefore certainly less touristy.
Nueva Venecia
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
Nueva Venecia is a mirage, a village on stilts in the middle of Santa Marta’s Cienaga Grande where life isn’t easy, but where the “amphibian” culture makes discovery incredibly rewarding.
Lorica
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
Lorica was a real surprise for us! The history, the architecture of the historic center, the banks of the Sinu river, the market… we loved it all.
Salamina
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
Salamina is perhaps the most beautiful village in the famous coffee region! Located in the little-known department of Caldas, Salamina is well worth a visit! What’s more, it’s home to the Samaria Valley of wax palms.
Playa de Belen
Colombia’s most beautiful villages
La Playa de Belen may be the most off-the-beaten-track village on this list, but it’s clearly worth the detour! For its pretty white and red houses and its location in the heart of Los Estoraques Natural Park.
Other villages in Colombia
Many other villages are also worth a visit, even if they’re not on this list! The Andean regions are often brimming with little-known, little-visited places that look exactly like the tourist village next door!
So it’s highly recommended to get off the beaten track, and not hesitate to visit these lesser-known villages, as they are often the guarantee of a unique and authentic experience far removed from traditional tours. Nothing beats meeting locals who are not yet jaded by tourists and are open to discussion and exchange.
Villages such as Filandia, Pijao and Marsella in the coffee-growing region come to mind, offering the same colorful architecture as the famous Salento… In Boyaca, other villages include Raquira, Duitama, Mongui, El Cocuy, Iza and Tibasosa.. In the villages of Santander, there are of course Guadalupe, Socorro, Giron, Zapatoca, Curiti… On the west coast, villages like El Valle, Arusi, Coqui, are a real immersion in the Afro-Colombian culture of the Pacific.
In short, all this to tell you that the villages to discover in Colombia are not only the best-known and most-visited ones, and sometimes quite the opposite! If you’re going through a travel agency for a tailor-made tour and you want to feel the heartbeat of Colombia, talk to them about it and get off the beaten track!