CAPITAL BOGOTA - POPULATION 46 MILLION - AREA 1,138,910 SQ KM -OFFICIAL LANGUAGE SPANISH
You'll still hear of the long-prevalent kidnappings, muggings and guerrilla wars, but Colombia's rates of violent crime and paramilitary membership continue to drop. With basic vigilance the country remains one of the best 'new' destinations for tourism in South America. In March 2010 one of the world's largest theatre festivals, the biannual Iberomerican Festival, will once again be hitting Bogota, while the annual Rock in the Park concert shakes things up in October 2009. To escape city smog take to the trails of the beautiful Rio Claro reserve or hike the stunning cloud forest routes of the Parque Nacional de Los Nevados, watched over by the still-smoldering Nevado Del Ruiz volcano.
CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA
It's no wonder Gabriel Garcia Marquez set his passionate novel of obsession, Love in the Time of Cholera, in Cartagena - this tropically sultry city simply oozes Caribbean city-break chic. During the day stroll hand-in-hand through the streets of Ciudad Amarullada (the walled colonial city) where candy-colored mansions with balconies overflowing with flowers are a culture-vulture couple's dream. But it's when the sun goes down that this city really sizzles. Unashamedly sexy, Cartagena's colorful nightlife will have you and your loved one salsa-ing happily into the future together. |
