Theme Week Colombia – Bogotá

24 June 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  19 minutes

La Candelaria, the historical district © flickr.com - Pedro Szekely/cc-by-sa-2.0

La Candelaria, the historical district © flickr.com – Pedro Szekely/cc-by-sa-2.0

Bogotá, officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (lit. ‘Holy Faith of Bogotá) during the Spanish Colonial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city of Colombia, and one of the largest cities in the world. The city is administered as the Capital District, as well as the capital of, though not part of, the surrounding department of Cundinamarca. Bogotá is a territorial entity of the first order, with the same administrative status as the departments of Colombia. It is the political, economic, administrative, and industrial center of the country.   read more…

Theme Week Colombia – Santa Marta

23 June 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

Tayrona National Natural Park © Felipe Restrepo Acosta/cc-by-sa-4.0

Tayrona National Natural Park © Felipe Restrepo Acosta/cc-by-sa-4.0

Santa Marta, officially the Distrito Turístico, Cultural e Histórico de Santa Marta (English: Touristic, Cultural and Historic District of Santa Marta), is a city on the coast of the Caribbean Sea in northern Colombia. It is the capital of Magdalena Department and the fourth-largest urban city of the Caribbean Region of Colombia, after Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Soledad. Founded on July 29, 1525, by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, it was one of the first Spanish settlements in Colombia, its oldest surviving city, and second oldest in South America. This city is situated on a bay by the same name and as such, it is a prime tourist destination in the Caribbean region.   read more…

Theme Week Colombia – Cali

22 June 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  14 minutes

Cali as seen from Christo Rey Hills © David Alejandro Rendon/cc-by-sa-3.0

Cali as seen from Christo Rey Hills © David Alejandro Rendon/cc-by-sa-3.0

Santiago de Cali, or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,227,642 residents according to the 2018 census. The city spans 560.3 km² (216.3 sq mi) with 120.9 km² (46.7 sq mi) of urban area, making Cali the second-largest city in the country by area and the third most populous after Bogota and Medellin. As the only major Colombian city with access to the Pacific Coast, Cali is the main urban and economic center in the south of the country, and has one of Colombia’s fastest-growing economies. The city was founded on 25 July 1536 by the Spanish explorer Sebastian Belalcazar.   read more…

Theme Week Colombia – Medellín

21 June 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  9 minutes

Downtown Medellin © JIMENA MARTIINEZ/cc-by-sa-4.0

Downtown Medellin © JIMENA MARTIINEZ/cc-by-sa-4.0

Medellín (officially the Municipality of Medellín; Spanish: Municipio de Medellín) is the second-largest city in Colombia after Bogotá, and the capital of the department of Antioquia. It is located in the Aburrá Valley, a central region of the Andes Mountains, in northwestern South America. According to the National Administrative Department of Statistics, the city had an estimated population of 2,508,452 according to the 2018 census. With its surrounding areas, encompassing nine other cities, the metro area of Medellín is the second-largest urban agglomeration in Colombia (in terms of population and economy), with more than 4 million people.   read more…

Theme Week Colombia – San Andrés Island

20 June 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  8 minutes

© Leviathan7/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Leviathan7/cc-by-sa-3.0

San Andrés is a coral island in the Caribbean Sea. Politically part of Colombia, and historically tied to the United Kingdom, San Andrés and the nearby islands of Providencia and Santa Catalina form the department of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. San Andrés, in the southern group of islands, is the largest of Colombia. The official languages of the department are Spanish, English, and San Andrés–Providencia Creole.   read more…

Theme Week Colombia

19 June 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  14 minutes

The Axis of Peace and Memory, a memorial to the victims of the Colomibian conflict in Bogotá © Felipe Restrepo Acosta/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Axis of Peace and Memory, a memorial to the victims of the Colomibian conflict in Bogotá
© Felipe Restrepo Acosta/cc-by-sa-3.0

Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country mostly in South America with insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuela to the east and northeast, Brazil to the southeast, Ecuador and Peru to the south and southwest, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Panama to the northwest. Colombia is divided into 32 departments. The Capital District of Bogotá is also the country’s largest city hosting the main financial and cultural hub, and other major urbes include Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta, Cúcuta, Ibagué, Villavicencio and Bucaramanga. It covers an area of 1,141,748 square kilometers (440,831 sq mi), and has a population of around 52 million. Colombia is the largest Spanish-speaking country in South America. Its cultural heritage—including language, religion, cuisine, and art—reflects its history as a colony, fusing cultural elements brought by immigration from Europe and the Middle East, with those brought by the African diaspora, as well as with those of the various Indigenous civilizations that predate colonization. Spanish is the Official language, although English and 64 other languages are recognized regionally.   read more…

The port city of Cartagena in Colombia

25 June 2012 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, UNESCO World Heritage Reading Time:  9 minutes

Colonial street © Cbrough

Colonial street © Cbrough

Cartagena de Indias is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department. The city had a population of 892,545 as of the 2005 census, making it the fifth-largest city in Colombia and giving the Cartagena urban area the status of fifth-largest urban area in Colombia. Cartagena is a centre of economic activity in the Caribbean, as well a popular tourist destination. Activity and development of the Cartagena region is dated back to 4000 B.C. around Cartagena Bay by varying cultures of indigenous peoples. The Spanish colonial city was founded on June 1, 1533 and named after Cartagena, Spain. Cartagena served a key role in the development of the region during the Spanish eras; it was a center of political and economic activity due to the presence of royalty and wealthy viceroys. In 1984, Cartagena’s colonial walled city and fortress were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.   read more…

Overview Theme Weeks

27 December 2011 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Bon voyage, Theme Weeks Reading Time:  21 minutes

Theme Weeks (Latest addition: January 2025) In irregular intervals we publish Theme Weeks about cities, regions, and countries. Here you can find the complete list.   read more…

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Country overview

9 November 2011 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  5 minutes

In addition to the regular search function, a country overview is available here. Click on the country name to see all currently available blog entries.   read more…

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