Miami
Welcome to Miami! There could hardly be a better stopover on the way to South America than the American Riviera.
The most famous district is Miami Beach, which is located on an island in front of the city. You can sunbathe during the day and enjoy the vibrant nightlife at the famous South Beach in the evening. Especially worth seeing are the Pérez Art Museum, as well as the artists' quarter Wynwood Art District with its countless galleries and booming street art scene.
Can't wait to feel that Caribbean flair? Little Havana and Little Haiti will get you in the right mood for the onward journey to Colombia. The impressive Everglades National Park is also not far from Miami.
On this 3.5-hour adventure tour, you will get to know the paradisical wilderness from its best side. Enjoy a ride in a propeller boat through the park, watch exotic animal species, like alligators, and watch an entertaining wildlife show. The tour only costs €39, including pick-up/drop-off, transfer and entrance fees.
Spend the night in the Miami Beds N’ Drinks for only €16 (eight-bed dorm).
Cartagena
Your first stop in Colombia is Cartagena. Flights from Miami to the ‘Pearl of the Caribbean’ start at only €100.
As it is directly located on the Caribbean coast, Cartagena will definitely get you in a holiday mood. It is also Colombia’s most beautiful city. After you have recovered from your trip to the beautiful beaches, visit Cartagena’s old town.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and draws visitors in with its narrow alleys, colourful colonial houses and cosy cafés. Must-sees include the lively quarters of El Centro and San Diego with their green parks, decorated palaces, churches and magnificent villas.
Party with other backpackers in Calle Media Luna, the centre of the party scene in Cartagena. Viajero Hostel Cartagena offers good accommodation for €15 in a six-bed dorm.
Cali
Continue on by plane to Cali for approximately €70.
This southwest Colombian city is considered the salsa capital. Every year, the world's largest salsa festival, La Feria de Cali, takes place here, where tens of thousands of people spend hours dancing to Caribbean rhythms and having a good time.
After the festival, the rhythmic sounds of salsa can still be heard everywhere in the city. The city centre offers several architectural highlights like monuments, churches and various museums.
Cali’s surroundings – its mountain landscapes and sugar cane fields – are something to see. Go on an excursion to the largest ecological reserve of dry tropical forest, Parque Natural El Vinculo, or visit the popular pilgrimage place, Buga, with the Basílica del Señor de los Milagros.
Stay overnight in the centrally located hostel, Casa Miraflores, for €8 (four-bed dorm).
Medellín
Fly to Medellín for €30. About 40 years ago, this city was still considered the world’s most dangerous city. Anyone who watched the series 'Narcos' knows the story of the Medellín cartel and the drug lord Pablo Escobar.
Medellín is surrounded by dense jungle, but the cityscape is characterised by modern skyscrapers and an innovative transport network with a metro system and cable cars.
Get to know another side of the modern metropolis and its street art by doing a tour through the favelas on the city’s slopes. The city in the mountains is also one of the most popular and at the same time cheapest, paragliding spots in the world due to its fantastic surroundings.
Enjoy the view during a tandem flight, dive into El Poblado and Lleras’s nightlife or visit the national park, Parque Arví, where you can plant a tree and watch it grow from home via webcam.
At Paisa City Hostel Medellín you’ll pay €11 per night in a four-bed dorm.
Bogotá
The next stop is Bogotá, the country’s capital. Domestic flights start from €30.
Bogotá is Colombia’s cultural and economic centre and is divided into different zones.
Zone G, for example, is the gourmet zone, where foodies can look forward to countless restaurants offering a wide variety of specialities.
The best place to party is in the bars and clubs in Zone T or the student district.
For shopaholics, the pink zone with cheap and traditional shops is the place to be. Buy a few nice souvenirs at the popular Sunday market in the Usaquén district.
The eight-million-people metropolis’ city centre holds a lot of Colombian history. You will not only find the parliament in the historical quarter La Candelaria but also the oldest colonial houses in Bogotá with colourful, artistically painted facades.
For a spectacular view, take the cable car to the local mountain, Mount Monserrate, where a small church towers high above the city. Overnight in a four-bed dorm (€11) in a centrally located hostel.
Cartagena
From Cartagena, fly back to Miami for about €140.
If you still have some money left from your holiday budget, visit the numerous shops downtown or at the Bayside Marketplace one last time; alternatively, just end your trip with a relaxing day at the beach.
The memories of your Colombia trip will surely put a smile on your face for a long time after you return home from Miami.
