BOGOTA

BOGOTA CITY

Bogota is the capital of Colombia, is located in the center of the country on an extensive plain in the Andes at 2,600 meters above sea level, has a population of nearly eight million people from all over the world . It is a city as diverse as the entire country, is the most important cultural center of Colombia and a place with hundreds of sites to visit and activities to do.

Declared World Book Capital by UNESCO and Iberoamerican Capital of Culture by the UCCI, Bogotá has become one of the most important cities of the continent, with public spaces such as plazas, streets and modern avenues. Its Mass Transit System is considered one of the most important in Latin America and a model for transportation systems in the country and the continent. The city has the world’s largest bicycling network –the Ciclovía, which covers close to 300 kilometers.

Bogotá has a varied nightlife offering domestic and foreign tourists alike different options and styles; a permanent cultural agenda that is reflected in its more than 60 museums and art galleries; the most famous Rock Festival of the continent and the most important theater festival in the world, the Iberoamerican Theater Festival; 29 religious temples that are part of its heritage; 4,500 parks; close to 50 shopping malls and outlets where visitors can purchase the latest fashion and creations by haute couture Colombian designers.

The gastronomy in the city also deserves to be explored and enjoyed, here the typical local and foreign food is wide recognized as one of the best in Latin America. You can try the typical dishes of the region as the melting pot, the stew, tamales or almojábanas and try fruit juices and desserts Colombians.

In areas and shopping centers in Bogota are all you want, the best shopping of clothes, shoes, accessories, jewelry, technology, antiques, crafts and anything that look. Here shopping is delight in their stores and end the day at one of the bars or restaurants in the city

http://www.colombia.travel/es/turista-internacional/destino/bogota

CALI

CALI




Cali is known in Colombia as the capital of fiestas, street partying, dancing, and salsa as Cali's Salsa Clubs are among the most famous in the entire continent. Among many other things you can experience on your vacations, the people from Cali have developed a playful and hedonistic culture in harmony with the natural surroundings and country life.

Cali is a great place for tourism and leisure. The capital of the department of Valle del Cauca has become a mecca for tourism thanks to the beauty of its women, its historical sites, and a multitude of spots for day and night entertainment. Cali is one of the major economic and industrial centers of the country, and the main urban, economic, industrial, and agrarian city of southwest Colombia.

On Sundays, the caleños worship rivers. They go en masse to bathe in the cool streams and rivers that flow down the hills, the favorite being the Pance river. The daring walk upstream to the campgrounds of the Fundación Farallones, where guides are always ready to tour the park with visitors. Lodging is available for extended stays in the park.

Cultural activities flourish around centers like the Instituto Departamental de Arte y Cultura, the Instituto Popular de Cultura, the Teatro Municipal, the Museo de Arte Moderno La Tertulia, the Sala Beethoven, the Escuela Departamental de Teatro, and the Universidad del Valle.

The traditional cuisine of Cali and the department of Valle del Cauca can be easily identified. It is a fusion of the region’s Spanish, Quechua, and African heritage with the culinary secrets of Antioquia. Favorites are the sancocho de gallina (hen stew), arroz atollado (pork sausage, beef ribs, and oxtail in a rice stew), tortilla soup, aborrajado (ripe plantain with melted cheese), toasted green plantain with hogao (a stir-fry of onions and tomatoes), and tamales. Sugarcane plantations inspired a variety of desserts such as cookies, manjar blanco, gelatina de pata (cow’s hoof gelatin with molasses), coconut sweets and champús, a beverage made from corn, the pulp of the lulo fruit, pieces of pineapple, cinnamon, and brown sugar syrup.

http://www.cali.gov.co/publicaciones.php?id=643

MEDELLIN

MEDELLIN CITY

Let's just get it out of the way up front: throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Medellín was considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world for its size, and had a highly disproportional homicide and kidnapping rate. It was the home of the drug lord Pablo Escobar and the so-called Medellín Cartel, who virtually took over the city during that time. Since his demise in the mid-1990's, the cartel was disbanded and the city rebounded tremendously. In 1991 there were 6500 murders in the city, by 2009 the murder rate decreased to 2900. During the first 3 months of 2010, 503 murders were reported.

In November of 2010 the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning regarding Medellín, citing a surge in crime and kidnappings in the metropolitan area, warning that U.S. citizens have been targets of violence. Despite these recent developments, it's safe to say that the city is better off today than 20 years ago. Paisas, the residents of Medellin, are proud of their city's progress, and are ready to move forward with vigor.

Medellín is a vast city built north to south in the Aburrá valley and surrounded on either side by majestic mountain ranges. The wealthier classes live in the well-protected hillside neighborhood of El Poblado, and the more traditional suburban neighborhoods, Laureles and Envigado. This is far removed from the action and commotion which are found in the city's center. There are the busy markets and a thriving street life that make up much of the city's charm. The city is home to a half-dozen universities, accounting for a vibrant cultural and nightlife scene fueled by thousands of young adults from all over the country. Medellín is also Colombia's largest industrial center, and home to factories making everything from designer clothing to Toyota SUVs. The city's northern hills are flooded with rural refugees from the ongoing civil war and their ingenuity in making a living is impressive. People sell anything from crayons to guinea pigs to garden earth in the bars in order to make a living.

As a relatively newer city, the architecture has a decidedly modernist appeal, which goes hand in hand with the progressiveness of its residents. Medellin also has the first (and only) Metro system in Colombia. And, for international travelers, Medellín is perhaps most famous for the Botero Museum, whose namesake is arguably the most famous modern artist alive today. It is also known for its perfect climate, as witnessed by its nickname "city of the eternal spring". Enough to make your trip worthy.

Traveler be aware: The best advice is to use common sense. Remember, common sense is the least common of all senses. As modern and picturesque as it may seem, listen to advice from the locals as to neighborhoods to stay out of. The city safety report is online.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Medell%C3%ADn

BARRANQUILLA

Barranquilla

Barranquilla is located on the western shore of the Magdalena river to few kilometers of its opening in the Caribbean Sea. It is airport, marine port, fluvial and communications too.
Barranquilla is well-known like la puerta dorada of Colombia for being the entry point to the country of advances like aviation and the telephone, thousands of foreigners and sports like soccer and the baseball too. Also known him like La Arenosa and Curramba la Bella.

Their 154 kilometers lodge more of a million inhabitants whose common characteristic is the spontaneity and the joy of the people of the Caribbean, are dedicated to the work in four productive sectors: the industry, the services, the commerce and the transport. It excels among them the manufacturing and metal mechanic industrial activity, the chemical production of foods and drinks, preparations and substances. The temperature average is of 28 degrees Celsius, Barranquilla has a pleasant climate during good part of the year. It rains in May to June and August to November.

Barranquilla is a city surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes, like Bocas de ceniza and Puerto Colombia with its historical wharf and its beaches. Places of special attractive like the Prado Viejo, the old Building of the Customs, the Theater Amira de la Rosa, the Romantic Museum, the Museum of Modern Art of Barranquilla, Zoological and the neighboring populations where in the course of the year diverse festivals are celebrated.

The Carnival of Barranquilla is the more important popular and gladdest celebration of the Colombian Caribbean, where the jovial and creative spirit of our people is reflected with more force, and our property affirms to the Caribbean. In 1888 (eighteen eighty eight) appears a figure denominated Rey Momo (symbol of the mask). In 2002 (two thousand two) The Carnival of Barranquilla is declared by the Senate of the Republic Cultural Patrimony of the Nation. And finally in 2003 (two thousand three) The Carnival of Barranquilla is declared by UNESCO, Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Patrimony of the Humanity.

Barranquilla has been cradle of eminent personages of the life artistic and cultural of the country, among them writers, poets, painters, escultores, musicians, historians, film directors, journalists, speakers, who have left in in stop the name of Colombia, and obtained prizes and awards for national good of the arts and letters. To name a few of them: Los de adentro, moises angulo (musicians), Alejandro obregón (painter), Sofía Vergara (actress), Ivan rene Valenciano and edgar renteria (sportsmen) and the most famous latin pop worldwide singer Shakira.

OUR LAND

IN A PLACE SPLIT BETWEEN THE CARIBBIAN SEA AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN YOU WILL FIND ONE OF THE JEWELS OF AMERICA

COLOMBIA IS A LAND OF ENCHANTING RAINFORESTS SPECTACULAR MONTAIN, A PRODUCER OF EXTRAORDINARY EMERALDS, AND OF CURSE SMOOTH RICH COFFE.

COLOMBIA IN NUMBERS/ BASIC INFORMATION ON COLOMBIA

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  Inhabitants : 44.050.000



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  Area of colombia : 1.141.748. km2 ( 440. 831 square miles)



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  urrency : peso colombiano (COP)



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  Spoken lenguages: Spanish, Chicha, Quechua.



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  Borders with: Brazil, Panama, Ecuador, Vevezuela, Peru



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  Capita: Bogota



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  Seat of the congress/parliament:Bogotá



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  Seat of the government :Bogotá



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  Head of seat and government chief : Juan Manuel Santos.



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  Tipycal products : Coffe .