It is said in Colombia that every stone you turn holds a song underneath. Colombian artistic culture is diverse and rich in various sensory experiences: sounds, colors, odors and nuances. Each region of the country offers different ways of seeing the world and transmits them through in unique music, dance, theater and literature. Therefore, it is worth visiting each of the cities in the country to discover all of the culture one can experience.
These are some cultural experiences in the main cities of the country.
Cartagena
Salsa Bars Tour
Duration: 4 hours
The center of Cartagena breathes salsa at night. The tour begins at 8:30 PM when Fidel, a dancer, warms up and breaks the ice by taking the night’s first steps towards the statue of Joe Arroyo, the famous salsa singer from Cartagena. The night is set: visit La Charanga, El Koreano and Vueltabajero, some of the best salsa bars to bring out the rhythm and dominate the dance floor.
Picós de Champeta
Duration: 5 hours
The picós are a tradition of the Colombian Caribbean coast. They originally consisted of putting a set of speakers on the street and arranging the party around them. Today they are large events to enjoy the rhythm of champeta. This tour passes through the picó Rey de Rocha, one of the most important in the city, to learn about the history of this movement, its anecdotes and then finish with basic dance lessons to enjoy champeta as one must.
San Basilio de Palenque
Tour to learn about the Palenquera culture
Duration: 5 hours
Two hours from Cartagena, San Basilio de Palenque was declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2005. The palenques were communities founded by African Maroons seeking refuge during the 17th century. The San Basilio is the only one still standing. Throughout the tour you will learn about the history of the town and enjoy the music and dance that make it so famous. An unparalleled cultural experience.
Barranquilla
Caribbean Museum
Duration: 3 hours
Paying tribute to the memory of the Caribbean implies recognizing the arrogance with which its inhabitants face the sun to compose majestic works, both literary and musical. Think of Gabriel García Márquez, but don’t stop there. The Caribbean museum divides into five themes (nature, people, word, expression and action) the cultural contribution this region has made to the country’s artistic tradition, passing through vallenato and cumbia music.
Carnival House
Duration: 3 hours
The house where the Carnival House operates was built in 1929, which makes it a cultural and architectural jewel in itself. Within the colonial-style façade, the Barranquilla Carnival Foundation organizes the Carnival, one of the largest, most colorful and attractive music, dance and folklore parties in the country. The House offers handicrafts, gastronomy, and music to visitors all year round.
Medellin
La Pascacia Cafe Bar
Duration: 2 hours
Located in the center of Medellin, this cafe not only serves coffee. But also food and drinks and eventually serves as a partying location. It was born of the initiative of musical groups and the alternative media of the city; therefore, it is an essential place to get to know the new artistic scene of the region.
Tour in Commune 13
Duration: 4 hours
Also known as the “Commune 13 Graffiti Tour”, this tour aims to show how music and urban art have elevated a community thanks to teamwork. The commune is a neighborhood located on on a steep hillside. Thus, from below it is easy to see how the façades of the houses make up a mosaic of images full of color thanks to the graffiti artists that have intervened in the area. Along the tour some of these artists will talk about their works and many others will perform hip-hop and break dance.
Tango tour
Duration: 4 hours
The king of tango, Carlos Gardel, died in a plane crash in Medellin in 1935. Since then, the city has become a must see place for lovers of this musical genre. The tour runs through La Casa Gardeliana, a small museum dedicated to the Argentine idol, the tango patio bars, Goodbye Boys, The Last Cafe, and Gardel Square. It includes some basic lessons to dance like a professional.
Bogota
Bogota's cumbia tour
Duration: 5 hours
Mario Galeano is the Colombian musician and producer who managed to position cumbia as a cutting-edge musical rhythm throughout the world. He’s the mastermind behind Ondatrópica, Los Pirañas and Frente Cumbiero, groups that perform in the best bars and clubs in the United States and Europe. On this tour you can visit Galeano’s house and enjoy a private concert with some of the Bogota's cumbia groups of the moment: La Perla, Break Rays and the Tricofero de Barro.
Andrés Carne de Res Chía
Duration: 4 hours
With 30 years of experience, this restaurant is considered one of the best in the country and unique in its class in the world. The peculiarity of Andrés Carne de Res is that this extraordinarily bizarre place is considered a partying place by some, and a restaurant by others. In a weekend more than 10,000 people can go to enjoy live music, and dance and eat as in the best of Latin carnivals.
Cali
Latino Swing dance school
Duration: 2 hours
The Latino Swing School and Company has a show that presents the main Latin dance rhythms dancers who have won in which award-winning dancers participate. As a school, it offers dancing lessons for couples or groups that guarantee hours of much movement, warmth and fun to the sound of Latin music.
Delirio
Duration: 6 hours.
Delirio is a foundation made up of Colombian dancers and circus artists. It has set up various kinds of stagings that combine, fearlessly, salsa and circus. The shows are condensed doses of the Pacific culture that moves to the rhythm of salsa and timbale, in such a way that they are a sensory experience loyal to the cabaret show.
