Andrea Morita

Here are 5 reasons why it’s not dangerous to travel to Colombia: • Peace Agreements between the Colombian Government and the FARC In 2016, the Colombian Government and FARC (Extreme insurgent and terrorist organization in Colombia) signed peace agreements ending a 50-year conflict. The New York Times included Colombia in its famous list “52 Places to go in 2018”, as one of the places to visit, highlighting its hotels, natural paradises, biodiversity, and treasures. The World Travel Awards recognized Colombia as the best tourist destination in South America for the LGBT Community. In addition, the country has things for all tastes: from beautiful beaches such as the Tayrona National Park, to heritage villages such as Barichara and magical places like Caño Cristales, the most beautiful river in the world.

It was declared “the most innovative city in the world” by the Urban Land Institute in 2013 and is now filled with modern plazas, contemporary artworks, an impressive botanical garden and a metro rail system that has been rated as one of the best in the world. THE NATURE IS NEXT LEVEL To say that Colombia is a pretty country would be a dramatic understatement, as it contains some of the most breathtaking and diverse natural environments in the world. The coral barrier reef located near the San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands northeast of Cartagena, is one of the largest in the world and offers crystal clear turquoise green water, as well as a wide variety of marine flora and fauna. Recently declared a UNESCO world heritage site, it features incredible giant rock formations and rock paintings that go back 20,000 years, and is largely closed to tourists – but you can book a flying tour with a specialist operator for a glimpse of this magical landscape from above.

Football offers the perfect excuse to break with the routine and come together to laugh, dance and support the team that makes the entire nation feel proud of being Colombian. Colombians are always ready to go big with celebrations, especially to watch football, and parties tend to be organized whenever the Colombian football team plays in the World Cup. It’s important to know where to watch a match, but that’s rarely a problem in Colombia where there is always a friend or favorite relative willing to lend their home so their guests can watch a game. Why not join Colombians in some of the most joyful moments of their lives as they live every kick of the World Cup with the Colombian football team, and inspire the world with their sabrosura?

Bandeja Paisa is basically a selection of local flavours, a taste of Colombia on a plate, and generally features rice, avocado, plantain, beans and a LOT of meat including sausages (both chorizo and morcilla, or blood sausage), chicharrón (fried pork rind) and minced beef. Like many Colombian dishes, it varies depending on who is making it, so you can enjoy different versions around the country, all served with rice, avocado and ají dipping sauce on the side. A popular way to eat them is as patacones, which are green plantains flattened and twice fried then served as little patties topped with anything from beans to meat or the tomato-based relish called hogao. Bananas are also often transformed into cayeye (a breakfast dish made from mashed guineos, a type of green banana), as well as little fried plantain balls known as marranitas when stuffed with pork and aborrajao when filled with cheese.