Colombia

Discover Colombia

Fun Foods

Arepas, Empanadas, Pandebono, Buñuelos, Tequeños, Cholado

Spanish explorers searched Colombia for a city made of gold. They never found it. But they were looking in the right country.

The Muisca people created the legend of El Dorado. Their chiefs covered themselves in gold dust and dove into sacred lakes. When conquistadors heard these stories, they invaded.

Spain took over in the 1500s and stayed for 300 years. Indigenous people suffered terribly. Their populations dropped and cultures nearly vanished.

But their influence still shapes Colombia today.

Simón Bolívar changed everything in 1819. He marched an army through frozen mountain passes to surprise the Spanish. His victory freed Colombia and four other countries.

Colombians celebrate August 7, the day of that famous battle, as a national holiday.

The country struggled with conflict for many decades. Families suffered through hard times that lasted generations. But Colombia has rebuilt, and the results are worth seeing.

Cartagena's walled city looks like a pirate movie set. Bogotá sits high in the mountains with world-class museums. The Coffee Region grows beans on misty hillsides you can explore by jeep.

Colombia has more bird species than any country on Earth. Over 1,900 different kinds live here. Caribbean beaches, Amazon jungle, and snow-capped mountains all fit in one place.

All that exploring works up an appetite. Arepas show up at every meal. These thick corn cakes come stuffed with cheese, eggs, or shredded meat.

Bandeja paisa is a monster plate. Beans, rice, plantain, avocado, chorizo, and a fried egg all pile on top.

Carnaval de Barranquilla explodes every February. Four days of dancing and parades take over the city. Cumbia rhythms pound while people wear wild costumes and masks.

Gabriel García Márquez, one of the greatest writers ever, came from here. He won the Nobel Prize for books full of magic. Shakira grew up here too, shaking her hips before she shook the whole world.

Colombians call their country "the land of a thousand rhythms." Music plays everywhere, and people dance like nobody's watching. That joy runs deep in a nation that's overcome so much.