Colombian CitiesThe largest Colombian cities all lie within the Northern half of the country. Bogota, Medellin and Cali are the largest, in that order, Bogota being the capital. Interestingly, they all lie above 1000m (3000 feet) and it's said that 80% of Colombia's population live at the 20% highest elevations throughout the country. Bogota is the highest of the three and the climate is conducive to work, there's no doubt about it. Barranquilla, famous for Shakira, and Cartagena are both located on the Cariebbean coast to the North. Bogota and Cartagena receive the greatest number of visitors and the latter, an enormous amount of tourists that jump ashore, if only for a short while, from cruise ships. BogotaBogota is much cooler than many think, at an elevation of over 2600 meters (8600 feet) and has a population of 7.3 million.There is a huge North/ South, Rich/ Poor divide. The North being the wealthy part that is. The city has a cosmopolitan feel and offers a varied and vibrant restaurant, bar and cultural scene. The city is of course rather large and the traffic is awful much of the time, so it can be a great relief to choose an area to take a taxi to in order to explore. I would personally recommend Usaquen, El Parque de la 93, La Candelaria for a slightly more “bohemian” and cultured feel and La Candelaria for a good selection of galleries, restaurants and cafes. MedellinMuch has been said about Medellin in this guide elsewhere, but in general, we can state that Medellin is the second largest of the Colombian cities at an altitude of 1500 meter (4600 feet) and probably, the best climate of all the major cities.The city, although large and populated, is far less international than Bogota and feels like a very different place. CaliI've yet to visit Cali but hear good things about the city, such as the nightlife and dance scene. It's warmer than Medellin at just under 1000 meters (3271 feet) and has a population of 2.2 million - a little less than that of Medellin.BarranquillaAgain, I've not been. It is the major port a little in from the Caribbean Sea on the Magdalena river. Population 1.1 million and roughly at sea level.CartagenaCartagena. In all honesty, I was skeptical for a long while and assumed the place was overrated. Not so.The famous tourist destination is in fact the 6th largest of the Colombian cities and has a long and important history as the main slave-port in Colombia and to South America when the Spanish first arrived. Therefore, the Colonial-style architecture, that has been very well maintained and restored is a genuine treat for those interested. The main area of interest is located within the small old town and to a lesser extent, in the slightly less secure Getsemani area. This is where the rich and famous come to play. It also draws artists and writers due to its special atmosphere and unique charm. Cartagena is very hot but the breeze, especially during the winter months, helps cool it down, particularly at during the evening and at night. At just under 1 million inhabitants, there is far more to Cartagena than just the modern high-rised Bocagrande and the old town. This is unfortunately a city with a lot of social problems and very high levels of poverty. The difference between the rich and poor is at an extreme in this place but you will be protected from this truth to some degree within the old town. That's the simple truth.
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