The cities of Colombia may be daunting, but it has some wonderful towns, Caribbean beaches, mountains, valleys, and Amazonian rainforest. Bogotá, the country's capital, is vibrant and diverse, a city of futuristic architecture, colonial churches and museums, along with beggars, shantytowns, drug dealers and traffic jams. There is also a lively arts and entertainment scene. This mixture of prosperity and poverty makes it one of the world's most fascinating cities.

Cartagena is really two separate cities. The original walled colonial city is now the district of El Centro, nearby is the modern beach and high-rise district of Boca Grande. In Boca Grande modern high-rise apartment buildings, condos, and hotels line the beaches. In El Centro, you step back in time to narrow cobblestone streets and ancient forts.