Colombia

Cartagena is Colombia-lite. They have been getting a steady stream of tourists for decades even when the rest of the country was totally screwed up. It’s nice but was my least favorite city that I visited. I liked staying in Getsemani but most people stay inside the old walled city. Getting ripped off is a much bigger concern than any actual physical violence. It is certainly safer than New Orleans or Atlanta or something like that. There is a nice free walking tour that you can find online. Our guide was great and gave us some good recommendations for non touristy eating places.

Most fun I had was going to a baseball game but not sure what the season is. The field was out by the old fort which you will want to tour anyway so maybe poke around while you’re over there.

Don’t hail cabs off the street, have your hotel do it for you. You can use Uber but it’s illegal in Colombia. You won’t get in trouble but the driver could and many will refuse rides to obvious foreigners. We used Tappsi and it’s great but I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t speak Spanish. If you do, Colombian Spanish is very clear and easy to understand.

You probably don’t have time with only a week but Santa Marta, and especially Minca, are awesome.

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Cartagena is Colombia-lite. They have been getting a steady stream of tourists for decades even when the rest of the country was totally screwed up. It’s nice but was my least favorite city that I visited. I liked staying in Getsemani but most people stay inside the old walled city. Getting ripped off is a much bigger concern than any actual physical violence. It is certainly safer than New Orleans or Atlanta or something like that. There is a nice free walking tour that you can find online. Our guide was great and gave us some good recommendations for non touristy eating places.

Most fun I had was going to a baseball game but not sure what the season is. The field was out by the old fort which you will want to tour anyway so maybe poke around while you’re over there.

Don’t hail cabs off the street, have your hotel do it for you. You can use Uber but it’s illegal in Colombia. You won’t get in trouble but the driver could and many will refuse rides to obvious foreigners. We used Tappsi and it’s great but I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t speak Spanish. If you do, Colombian Spanish is very clear and easy to understand.

You probably don’t have time with only a week but Santa Marta, and especially Minca, are awesome.

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I second the Getsemani rec but understand it would be equivalent to like staying in the Bywater/Marigny vs French Quarter CBD. Not for everyone.

I also second the Minca recommendation but again this is a niche recommendation and probably not doable for a week trip. I traveled all over Colombia and Minca was one of my favorite places. I call it niche, because there's really no tourist draw. It's a small little town up in the mountains that has a lot of hippy europeans homesteading and running hostels. I stayed in a mountainside hostel owned by some French hippies and it was wonderful.

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Please come back and post some pics, maybe a small trip report

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I will arrive in Medellin on the 30th anniversary of Pablo Escobar's death.

Im trying to improve my spanish some more, but I hope to go to colombia next year. No place in the world I want to go to more than Colombia.