What To See In Colombia

Since it is no longer a destination for the daring ones and country has left behind decades of civil war, Colombia has been reborn as one of the "hottest" destinations in South America. What to see in Colombia? Well, the country offers majestic high mountains, the coast and the jungle, that's without mentioning the impressive archeological sites and vibrant culture. Ten years ago Colombia was famous only thanks to the drug traffickers and the guerrilla groups and paramilitary organizations. Now, however, when these groups go through their weakest period, this country can enjoy a renaissance of tourism. 

What has been preserved along periods of violence was calm and splendid scenery, which has a lot to offer, from the Amazon basin, large lakes surrounded by mountains and the Caribbean Coast, and manmade archaeological wonders - archaeological digging unearthed the rich histories, colonial houses that decorate the city and Guajira peninsula, which houses over 100,000 nomadic Indians.

The urban center of the country is the city of Bogota, in which 20% of the inhabitants of Colombia live. This pre-Columbian ancient city, the capital of the Chibcha Indians, kept mixing new and old colonial buildings and traders with skyscrapers. Another big attraction is the colonial port of Cartagena, with its spectacular walls, palaces, monasteries and impressive balconies. Colombia is still a treasure waiting to be discovered by modern travelers.

What To See In Colombia: 

Bogota

• Go to the heights of Bogota, 2,600 meters high. Historical attractions include the Capitol (the Congress) and the Cathedral (Capilla del Sangrario) on the main square, Plaza Bolivar.

• Get carried away by the El Dorado dream - visit the gold Museum in Bogota, which houses an extraordinary wealth of pre-Columbian treasures. Take the cable car up and atop the mountain to see the city from the East.

• Visit the Museo Botero, where you can see the voluptuous carvings made by Colombian artist Fernando Botero, as well as his paintings.

• Travel to Zipaquira and enter the Salt Cathedral, an underground church built in a salt mine in a mountain. Stalactites and salt crystals are crowded with crosses and chapels.

• Join the Carnival Barranquilla parties, during which the industrial port is transformed by the colorful costumes, energetic dances and lively music. Parades are exceeded in greatness only by Rio.

• Visit Tayrona National Park, 35 km south of Santa Marta, to see one of the most popular parks in the country. The main attractions are the deep bays, shaded by Palm trees, beautiful beaches and volcanic mud.

San Andres

• Climb the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta covered by jungle, to see the archaeological ruins of Ciudad Perdida (Lost City), discovered in 1976.

• Fly out to tropical islands San Andres and Providencia, off the coast of Colombia. Here was once the seat of the English pirate Captain Henry Morgan.

• See the over 500 mysterious pre-Columbian stones and burials in one of the most fascinating archaeological sites, San Augustine. It is the largest group of religious monuments and megalithic sculptures on the continent.

• Stay at one of more than 300 coffee farms that offer accommodation for tourists and provide hiking through fields of coffee, as well as horse riding, fishing, mountain biking and excursions to local villages.

What To See In Brazil

Brazil is the largest and most influential country in South America, occupying almost half of the continent. It is one of the largest economic giants in the world and adored for football professionals, production of coffee and music, as well as specific samba and bossa nova. Two-thirds of Brazil's population lives in areas on the coast, meaning that life takes place on the beach, for both locals and tourists. What to see in Brazil besides the beach? People are the essence of this country and, while Brazil is home to a multitude of ethnic groups with diverse economic statuses, there are a few features that all the inhabitants have in common, such as energy and passion.

Brazilians enjoy parties, regardless of the situation. Rio is the hottest destination, especially during the Carnival. The dancers expose their mastery, music resounds and summer temperatures increase. Bodies of all ages, colors and sizes color the sun kissed beaches Copacabana and Ipanema. Brazil's landscape is as diverse as its inhabitants. Few tourists venture away from the beaches, but a trip to the interior will look like a different country, which has a lot of interesting things to offer to the visitors. Besides the most tropical of the Amazon, Brazil is enjoying realms of wildlife-rich wetlands of the Pantanal, canyons and caves in the Atlantic Forest and Diamentina Chapada, which keeps most of the coast of Brazil.

Brazil's population is a mixture that includes indigenous people, descendants of African slaves and followers of European colonists. This variety is reflected in the food, architecture, music and culture of Brazil. Precisely this diversity of places, people and traditions, makes Brazil one of the most interesting tourist destinations.

What To See In Brazil

• Take the train on the rack railway in Rio de Janeiro to Corcovado (Hunchback) and enjoy the most beautiful views in the world, under the arms of the Redeemer (Christ the Savior).

• Admire the spectacular Iguacu falls. The area around the falls is a national park with an abundant wildlife.

• Explore the colorful city of Salvador da Bahia, with Pelourinho colonial buildings and cobblestone streets. Here are a number of impressive churches. Afro-Brasileiro Museum offers an insight into afro-Brazilian culture.

• Visit the futuristic city of Oscar Niemeyer, Brasilia. The city created by the famous architect has many sites on the World Heritage list of UNESCO.

• Visit Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon. Transformed by the rubber boom of the 19th century, the city has a few exceptional colonial buildings, including Teatro Amazon and the Centro Cultural Palacio Rio Negro, which contains archives by naturalist Alexandre Ferreira.

Paraty

• Stroll on the streets of Paraty, a charming town that was once the main port for the export of gold. Its richness is reflected in the colonial buildings such as the Church of Santa Rita, built by freed slaves.

• Photograph the beauty of nature in the Brazilian Pantanal. This area supports several large wildlife ecosystems.

• Join the carnival atmosphere of the historic city of Olinda, a colorful colonial city that was once the center of Brazil for the slave trade.

• Travel to the coast city of Fortaleza, a popular resort. An hour away by car lies the village of Jericoacoara, between white dunes of sand and turquoise sea.

• Visit the ruins of 300 years of the Jesuit missions in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Among the most fascinating are Sao Miguel das Missoes.

Fortaleza

• Feel the German atmosphere of Blumenau and Joinville, in the State of Santa Catarina, where many German immigrants lived. Here perpetuates the German atmosphere and culture, as well as the Oktoberfest Festival.

• Go to the State of Minas Gerais, to admire the colonial architecture. Due to the mines of gold and diamonds, the state is abundant with Baroque art.

• Go to the mouth of the Amazon, in Belem, a port with an exceptional historic center. Goeldi Museum has a fascinating collection of tropical plants. In the docks, every morning takes place the market Ver O Peso.