56 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Colombia - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Colombia

Vista Hermosa, Colombia

Caño Cristales

An explosion of natural color known as "the river that ran away from paradise."

Nariño, Colombia

Las Lajas Sanctuary

A dangling church built over a Colombian gorge.

serflac

Added by serflac

San Antonio del Tequendama, Colombia

Tequendama Falls Museum

This picturesque mansion has gone from opulent ruin to nature museum.

Hannah Frishberg

Added by Hannah Frishberg

Jardín, Colombia

Cave of Splendor

Enchanting cave with a river crashing through the roof.

andresvargas

Added by andresvargas

Guatape, Colombia

Guatapé

The Andean town where every single building is decorated with a brightly colored frieze.

davidplotz

Added by davidplotz

Villavieja, Colombia

The Tatacoa Desert

Unparalleled stargazing, one of Colombia's best observatories, and a swimming pool can all be found in the middle of this ancient tropical forest.

Mariana Zapata

Added by Mariana Zapata

Santa Catalina, Colombia

The Volcan de Lodo El Totumo

The caldera of this mini-volcano has been turned into a naturally heated mud bath.

Added by Joseph Alexiou

El Peñol, Colombia

El Peñon de Guatape

A ten-million-ton rock once worshiped by the Tahamies Indians, accessed by an astounding staircase.

Dylan

See All 56 Things to Do in Colombia See All 56 Places

Atlas Obscura Trips

Colombia: Mountainside Cities & Mural-Lined Streets

Sep 7—Sep 14, 2019

Explore Colombia's boisterous cities and ancient towns, and spend time with the people who are leading its cultural resurgence.

Unique
Food & Drink
in Colombia

Peanut Butter Fruit

Gastro Obscura

Fruits & Vegetables

Peanut Butter Fruit

Its pulp tastes just like the creamy spread.

Gastro Obscura

Jared Rydelek

Added by Jared Rydelek

Ice Cream Bean

Gastro Obscura

Ingredients & Condiments

Ice Cream Bean

The South American bean that looks like cotton candy and tastes like ice cream.

Gastro Obscura

AbiInman

Added by AbiInman

Blackberry Jam Fruit

Gastro Obscura

Fruits & Vegetables

Blackberry Jam Fruit

Inside a hard, yellow shell lies a sweet, black spread.

Gastro Obscura

Jared Rydelek

Added by Jared Rydelek

Banana Passionfruit

Gastro Obscura

Fruits & Vegetables

Banana Passionfruit

This tangy fruit flavors everything from ice cream to cocktails.

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

Added by rachelrummel

See all 26 things to try in Colombia See all 26 things to try in Colombia

Explore Colombia

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Stories
About Colombia

The observatory in the Tatacoa Desert.

Deep in the Tatacoa Desert, There's an Observatory Unlike Any Other

At his DIY institution in Colombia, Javier Fernando Rua Restrepo watches the stars.

by Lucy Sherriff

September 26, 2018

The crabs make their way across a road, while locals evade them.

The Crab Migration That the Colombian Army Is Dispatched to Protect

The crustaceans, native to Providencia, have seen declining numbers.

by Lucy Sherriff

From left, the photographer Jorge "Jota" Arango, the conservationist John Myers, the tourist and birdwatcher Jim Sandor, the Colombian ornithologist Oswaldo Cortes, and the local guide Jose Luis Ropero stand at the top of the Serranía del Perijá mountains.

In Search of Rare Birds and Glory in Colombia

How an international birdwatching competition draws attention to the country's at-risk natural bounty.

by Lucy Sherriff

The two sides of a 90-million-year-old fossilized fish found in the flagstones at a Colombian monastery.

Found: A Fossilized Fish in a Monastery Flagstone

A 10-year-old boy on a tour spotted the fossil and reported it to a local museum.

by Vittoria Traverso

February 01, 2018

Three men enjoy chicha in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, in 1897.

How a Brewer and the Government Killed Colombia's Ancestral Drink

They conspired to replace chicha with clean, healthy beer.

by Lauren Evans

December 18, 2017

<em>Café, con aroma de mujer</em> was one of the most successful Colombian TV shows of all time.

The Wildly Popular Colombian Soap Opera Even the Government Stopped to Watch

When coffee-induced passion was a matter of national importance.

by Mariana Zapata

November 17, 2016

The panorama of the Lost City. The round clearings, where houses once sat, extend down the sides of the mountains. Many believe that only a small portion of the Lost City has been excavated at this point.

A Visual Tour Through Colombia's Ancient Lost City

It's 650 years older than Machu Picchu.

by Gena Steffens

November 14, 2016