If you have planned a business trip to Colombia, take advantage to know these inrecibles destinations. If cities like Cali, Cartagena, Medellín or Bogotá are within your plans, organize your agenda to have time to know these charming capitals that you will surely fall in love with.
Learn more about our local cuisine and gastronomic offer, or make cultural plans that allow you to connect more with Colombia. Here we leave some.
Bogota
Plaza of Bolívar Bogotá Courtesy: German Montes
The Colombian capital is undoubtedly one of the most important business centers in the region. There are several of the large national companies established and several multinationals that chose Colombia as their hub in Latin America are installed. It is also the perfect place to do business and learn how the economy of the country works. It is a cosmopolitan city with a varied cultural, gastronomic and musical offer.
What to eat
In Bogotá, you can try the best of Colombian and international cuisine. This city is becoming one of the most important foodies destinations in Latin America. Proof of this is that, for the second consecutive year, Colombia will host the best 50 Latam, and every year international events such as Alimentarte, or the Bogota Wine and Food Festival are held in August.
The offer of restaurants and bars will surprise you. Divided by areas such as the famous Zona G, Zona T, Usaquén, La Macarena or La Candelaria, in Bogotá you will find a wide sample of local and international cuisine. If you want to enjoy Colombian cuisine, you will also find proposals from different regions of the country.
Be sure to try typical dishes of the city such as ajiaco, almojábanas, or tamales to name a few. We also recommend visiting Paloquemao Square, one of the largest and most important squares in the country, where you will enjoy the great variety of fruits and ingredients that Colombia has.
Cultural plan
A plan to connect with the capital's culture is, without a doubt, to visit downtown Bogotá. Discover the imposing Plaza de Bolívar, where you will find the Primada Cathedral, the Congress of the Republic among other monuments of national interest full of history. Visit the Museum of the Bank of the Republic where the private collection of Colombian teacher Fernando Botero is located and which has temporary exhibitions of international artists. Other museums to know are the Gold Museum, which has the largest collection of pre-Columbian gold in the world, or the National Museum that houses about 20,000 objects such as archaeological pieces and works of art, and has been operating since May 2, 1948 in the building of the former Central Penitentiary of Cundinamarca.
There are also cultural spaces that take place at different times of the year such as the Book Fair, in April; the ArtBo art fair, in October, and others in which culture is the protagonist.
Medellin
Bandeja Paisa Courtesy Sebastian Sanint
Medellín is known as the city of eternal spring for its pleasant weather all year round. This Colombian city has enjoyed an architectural and cultural transformation that will leave you delighted. Discover a city that has been listed as one of the most innovative in the world and where fashion is a fundamental part of the city's development.
What to eat
One of the characteristics that identifies Medellín before the world is its food. Surely you have heard the fame of the paisa tray, which you will find in almost any restaurant in the city. This typical dish has more than 10 ingredients that will become an explosion of flavor.
Do not stay without trying the paisa dungeon, one of the dishes that most identifies the region. It is made with yellow corn and milk and served very cold with a little ground brown sugar. Other dishes that you will love are the arepa paisa made with fresh corn and the famous mondongo. Discover also an offer of restaurants that exalt the local product like El Cielo, Carmen, Oci or Barcal to name a few.
Cultural plans
In Medellín you will find many plans to enjoy. If you like nature and science, don't think twice about going to Parque Explora or get to know Arví Park, which you can reach through the Cable Metro, another of the city's attractions. From the heights you can see the magnitude of this metropolis that is still growing.
You can also visit the Museum of Modern Art of Medellín, Botero Square, the Antioquia Museum, Lleras Park, Barefoot Park, among others. Get the most out of the warm climate of this city and discover the warmth of its people.
Cartagena
Cartagena Courtesy Charly Boillot
Cartagena is the gateway for many foreigners who come to the country to do business. It is a magical and colorful city perfect to experience the magic and charm of Colombia. Take advantage of every free minute you have to meet, eat and learn much more about this coastal destination.
What to eat
Of everything. Once in Cartagena, the smells, colors and textures of local food will catch you. You will surely see the streets full of fruits, sprinkles, cocadas and juices, and you will also find the popular street fried foods such as carimañolas or egg arepa.
The city has an offer of restaurants for all tastes and here you will find a wide variety of dishes inspired by local cuisine. You will find options such as fried or sweaty fish, ceviches, rice, plantain or fried yucca, salads and a variety of creations based on seafood.
Cultural plans
In the first quarter of the year one of the most important cultural festivals in the country is held: the Hay Festival. Here intellectuals, artists, musicians, thinkers and writers from all over the world meet, and cultural projects of all kinds are known but with something in common: transforming the world. There is also the Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI), the oldest in Latin America, the International Music Festival and others that honor several areas of culture.
If your business trip is during another time, walk through the city, walk its walls, visit San Felipe Castle, discover the Getsemaní neighborhood or take advantage of a day at the Rosario Islands, a true paradise just one City boat time. For a more cultural plan, you can approach the Adolfo Mejía Theater and attend some theatrical or musical function.
Cali
Salsa Courtesy Mario Carvajal
Known as The ‘Salsa Capital of the World’, Cali is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, a perfect place to enjoy the charm of Colombia. Its warm climate, whose average is at 23 ° C (73 ° F), is perfect for making outdoor plans and making the most of all its corners.
What to eat
Cali has a defined gastronomic style where dishes created with local ingredients and influences from the Colombian Pacific stand out. You will find dishes where the main ingredient is bananas such as marranitas or aborrajados; chicken sancocho, a type of soup prepared with potatoes, cassava, plantain, chicken; there are also the valluna chop and the rice atollado.
Although you can try most of these dishes at local restaurants, be a witness to the delicious street food. There you will find several stalls, a mixture of fruits such as papaya, banana, pineapple, accompanied by ice scraping and condensed milk; Do not forget to try the lulate and shampoos, a drink with corn and fruits. Do not miss the chontaduro, a fruit from the palm that occurs in this region and delight yourself with desserts such as white delicacy and leg jelly.
Cultural plans
Cali enjoys several places dedicated to culture: among these you can visit the Municipal Theater of Cali, where great musical artists perform and concerts, plays and more are held; the Jorge Garcés Borrero Departmental Library, the La Merced Archaeological Museum, the Caliwood museum and others that are not only worth it for its varied cultural offer but also for the importance of its facades and its architecture.
Cali is recognized worldwide as one of the capitals of salsa, for that reason, knowing this rhythm and learning to dance it is one of the inevitable plans if you visit the city. Let yourself go and feel the rhythm of this musical genre characteristic of Latin music and be infected with the tumbao that the caleños put on each of their movements. In several sectors of the city you will find dance schools in which several classes are programmed for beginners and tourists. Do not miss the opportunity to learn with the experts! You can also attend the Delirio Salsa or Ensálsate shows that are an experience that you cannot miss in this city.
Visit La Ermita Church, whose neo-Gothic architectural style contrasts with the rest of the city. If you want to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors, go up to the Cristo Rey Monument, where you will enjoy the view of the entire city.
With these plans in mind, you will surely enjoy any city to which you travel for work. Each destination is unique, so be encouraged to know its culture and live those unique elements that identify Colombia and its inhabitants.
