Best Time to Visit Colombia

One country, several climates

Colombia doesn't have one best time. Altitude matters more than the calendar. Bogotá sits high in the Andes, so it's cool and often grey, even in its "best" month of January. Medellín is mild year-round, which is why people call it the city of eternal spring. Cartagena and Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast are hot and sticky, and Cali sits somewhere in between.

If you're visiting more than one region, pick the month that suits your main stop. Then pack for the rest.

Dry seasons and wet ones

The Caribbean coast is best from December to March. Days are sunny, and the sea breeze takes the edge off the heat. Cartagena hits 31°C in March, so you'll want a long lunch in the shade inside the old walled city. Barranquilla is just as good in those months. Both get their heaviest rain in October, when streets can flood fast.

Bogotá and Medellín are wettest in May, and both have another rainy spell in the second half of the year. Bogotá's best month is January. Medellín does well in June and again from October to December. Cali is best from July to September, and April is its wettest month.

Rain here often comes as an afternoon downpour, not a whole day of grey. So plan museums, like Bogotá's Gold Museum, for later in the day.

Holidays, events and crowds

High season follows Colombian holidays. Christmas and New Year are busy everywhere, especially in Cartagena. Semana Santa, the week before Easter, is another peak, when many Colombians head for the coast and small colonial towns. Long weekends happen often too, because many public holidays move to a Monday. Expect full buses and higher prices on those dates.

Medellín's Feria de las Flores, the flower fair, takes place in early August. It's a good reason to visit outside the usual best months. Cali's big dance event, the Feria de Cali, runs in late December.

Want quiet? Try the shoulder months, like late January after the holiday rush, or June in Medellín. Low season is mostly the rainy months, and you'll often find emptier sights then.