The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá
Built 660 feet underground in the world’s largest halite (or rock salt) mine, this Roman Catholic church outside Bogotá is decorated with icons and architectural details carved from salt. It’s a favorite spot for day trippers from the city as well as religious pilgrims.
The Coffee Triangle
Caffeine addicts should make a pilgrimage to the fertile valleys of the Caldas, Risaralda and Quindío departments, where coffee fincas (farms) produce some of the world’s most sought-after beans. Follow the process from plantation to roaster to cup, and then learn about all the intricacies of aroma and flavor during a tasting.
Tayrona National Natural Park
There’s a wildness to the boulder-strewn beaches in this Caribbean-facing national park. In fact, if you time your visit during the low season (not December or January), you might find yourself sharing the jungle trails and sand with more tropical birds and tiny monkeys than fellow human visitors.
The Lost City
Built around the year 800 (650 years before Machu Picchu!), La Ciudad Perdida was a Tayrona settlement tucked into the coastal mountains near the Caribbean Sea. In 1972, treasure hunters rediscovered the city, with its 170 stone terraces, plazas and web of streets. Now, adventurers can access it on a 27-mile, roughly-five-day hike.
The Botanical Garden of Medellín
The centerpiece of this newly renovated 34-acre garden is the stunning Orquideorama, a honeycomb-like canopy made of metal and pinewood slats that harbors an orchid garden and a butterfly reserve.
