Colombian Culture: Richness and Diversity

Cultural diversity in Colombia is reflected in a varied architecture with a network of towns considered Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación (National Cultural Heritage) where you can see the combination of different cultures in places including Barichara, Giron, Honda, Lorica, Mompox, Monguí, La Playa de Belen, Salamina, Santafe de Antioquia, Villa de Leyva, Aguadas, Jardin and Cienaga, among others.

Colombia is a country with a rich indigenous history and culture and many of these distinct cultures are represented by what is known in Colombia as artesanias, or artisan crafts.

Literature in Colombia is an important part of Colombian culture with regional emphasis, like the Valle del Cauca which is the setting for the novel Maria by Jorge Isaacs; Santander in the novel La Otra Raya del Tigre (The Other Stripe of the Tiger) by Pedro Gomez Valderrama; the Caribbean in the narrative of Gabriel Garcia Mbrquez who rose to fame with his world famous novels like Amor en los Tiempos del Colera (Love in the Time of Cholera), El Otofio del Patriarca (The Autumn of the Patriarch) and Cien Ados de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude) which earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982.

The country’s cultural tradition is perpetuated in the twenty-first century with the hosting of international events such as the Hay Festival, a meeting of writers, journalists and thinkers from across the world; the Cartagena Festival International de Musica (Cartagena International Music Festival); the Festival Iberoameri-cano de Teatro de Bogota (iberoamerican Theater Festival Bogota),the most important theater festival of its kind; the Feria International del Libro (International Book Fair) and the festival International de Cine (International Film Festival), among others.

The mix of cultures in the country is also reflected in its gastronomy and it has one of the most varied cuisines in Latin America. Colombia has eight culinary regions (Caribbean, Pacific and South-West, Antioquia and the Coffee Region, the Santander region, Tolima and Huila, Cundinamarca and Boyacá, Orinoquia and Amazonia, San Andres and Providence), each with a large variety of dishes.

Tours & Tickets in Colombia

General Information About Colombia: National symbols of Colombia – Colombia: living history – Geography of Colombia – Economy of Colombia – Languages of Colombia

Practical information about Colombia: Climate – How to get to Colombia – Visa, Customs, Documentation and Taxes – Embassies and consulates in Colombia – Health and vaccination – Emergency numbers – Culture of Colombia – Measures and Electricity – Currency of Colombia

Tourist Information about Colombia: General Information – Practical information about Colombia – Adventure Colombia – Hotels and accommodations in Colombia – How to Get to Colombia – Gastronomy in Colombia – Colombia’s Best Festivals and Carnivals – Tourist Attractions in Colombia – Foreign Embassies and Consulates in Colombia – Tips and advice for travel in Colombia – Top 10 Colombian Travel Destinations – Natural regions of Colombia – Cultural Tourism in Colombia – UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists – UNESCO Heritage Sites in Colombia – Top 10 amazing places to visit in Colombia – Colombian Cuisine – Tourism of Nature

Travel Guide of Colombia: Colombia Travel Guide – Amazonas – Antioquia – Arauca – Atlántico – Bolivar – Boyacá – Caldas – Caquetá – Casanare – Cauca – Cesar – Chocó – Córdoba – Cundinamarca – Guanía – Guaviare – Huila – La Guajira – Magdalena – Meta – Nariño – Norte de Santander – Putumayo – Quindio – Risaralda – San Andrés y Providencia – Santander – Sucre – Tolima – Valle del Cauca – Vaupés – Vichada