FamilyTakeFlight view on : Colombia

When thinking of Colombia, you may instantly link the violent past that plagued the country with drug cartels, crooked government officials, and all sorts of violence that put a negative snapshot on this country. While this may have been accurate a very short time ago, what we experienced was far from that. From warm people and amazing food to brightly colored buildings and an extremely beautiful country, we were able to explore a small part of the massive country known as Colombia. This is becoming a major tourist destination and more and more, the country is building up its tourism resources to accommodate travelers from around the world. Below is what we learned while traveling to Colombia :

Places visited : Medellin and surrounding areas.

Time spent in country : 7 days, 6 nights

Language barrier : Almost everyone in Colombia seemed to speak English, or worst case, broken English. It was not too difficult to communicate but we did have some guesses at what we were ordering on a menu. Overall, they welcomed us speaking terrible Spanish and laughed at our misspoken words.

Transportation from US to Colombia : We found great deals on a Spirit Airlines flight that brought us down for extremely cheap. We only had a short layover in Ft. Lauderdale and flew from Chicago to Medellin for around $300 per person roundtrip.

Transportation while in country : After landing at the airport, we were able to get on their WIFI and order an Uber. The city center was about 50 minutes to reach but it was nice scenery on the way. We saw everything from roadside fruit stands and rundown shops to high-end high rises. While at our hotel, we used Uber for the majority of our transportation. We did use a taxi a few times but Uber just felt safer and easier when traveling abroad.

Hotel : The hotel we stayed at was Dann Carlton Medellin. It was a modern hotel that was very nicely decorated for Christmas (December travels). It had a large pool area that we spent a lot of time at and a couple restaurants. They also had a buffet breakfast included in the stay which worked out great to save on eating out.

Food : One of my favorite part of Colombia was the food. They make great food and their passion shows through the abundance and variety of food they would serve you. My favorite meals were a meat plate that would have about 5-6 different style of meats from sausage to a smothered chicken to ribs. Of course, a lot of rice and plantains are also on the menu but everything was all very, very good. It was not hard to enjoy every meal when were there and never had trouble finding a restaurant or finding food for our kids to eat. We were also able to easily find milk in the grocery store for the kids, but note it comes in a container and you buy it warm.

Excursions and things to do : We spent most of the days exploring the areas and there was not a lack of attractions in Medellin. A few places we visited : Nutibara Hill (high point in Medellin), Parque Arvi (large park with hiking trails), El Penol (Huge rock overlooking lake), Guatape (town with magnificent colored buildings, exactly what you think of when you hear Colombia), Christmas tour through some of the busiest neighborhoods and on the river. My favorite place to visit in Medellin was Comuna 13. This was the location of Pablo Escobar’s cartel and was once one of the deadliest places in the world. It has since been transformed to accommodate tourists and is safe to visit but it pretty amazing to see all the history, buildings, and colorful works of graffiti that has brought this area from a crime ridden neighborhood to a tourist attraction worldwide.

Cost of living : The US dollar had a great exchange rate when it came to Colombian pesos, which is the currency of Colombia. We stayed is a very nice hotel for under $100/night. The tours were reasonable and the daily items like grocery items and souvenirs were largely under regular prices that Americans are used to. Where I really splurged was the restaurants. There were so many times I would order one of the largest meals on the menu and it would come out to about $12-$14. Lunch and breakfast were around $6-8. Overall, it is an inexpensive place to travel.

Did we have kids with and would we recommend : Yes, both boys joined us for this trip. The Latin American culture is very, very welcoming to families and little kids. Being very family oriented, we never had an issue with restaurants, tours, shops, etc. They loved to see our boys’ blonde hair and would wave to them often as we explored. Even more so, my oldest made friends with a little Chilean boy and they both played on the playground like they were old friends. Even though they were not able to speak the same language, they played just like any other kids would.

What to expect : Medellin is HUGEEEE. I don’t mean skyscraper huge but just an urban sprawl like I was not expecting. The houses seem to go on forever and there are so many people. The cost is cheap and you can do a lot without breaking the bank. Tours are inexpensive and they cover a lot. It was one of the busiest places I have ever seen in the world but it was an extremely welcoming culture and I cannot wait to go back!

Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Cost: 5/5 Stars

Safety: 3/5 Stars

Food: 4/5 Stars

Convenience/Functionality: 3/5 Stars

Beauty/Charm: 3.5/5 Stars