Bogota
Medellin
Cartagena
Colombia · Multi-city itinerary
Colombia itinerary — December 2026
By Tripsapien Research · Updated May 20, 2026
December 2026 is one of the best times for the Colombia trip (Bogotá, Medellín & Cartagena). Daytime highs run from about 20°C / 68°F to 32°C / 90°F across the stops. Plan around 9–11 days for the full Bogotá, Medellín & Cartagena loop. Tripsapien checks every place on your list against your exact dates — hours, closures and booking pressure at each stop.
The route
About 9–11 days · 3 cities
Colombia's comeback trio: high-altitude capital Bogotá with its gold museum and Andean backdrop, the eternal-spring city of Medellín, and the walled Caribbean colour of Cartagena. Cheap domestic flights connect them.
Bogota
Bogota in December
Temperature
68°F / 46°F
20°C / 7.7°C
Precipitation
12d
2in · 50mm
Daylight
11.7h
December dries out, with holiday travel and clearer Monserrate views making early bookings useful.
December dries out, with holiday travel and clearer Monserrate views making early bookings useful.
City overview
Bogota is a 2,640m Andean capital where La Candelaria, Monserrate, TransMilenio corridors, universities, and northern dining districts stretch along the eastern mountains. The useful visitor map starts in La Candelaria, then moves north through La Macarena, Chapinero, Zona T, Parque 93, and Usaquen.
Food & drink
Bogota food is built for cool Andean weather: ajiaco santafereño is chicken-and-potato soup with guascas herbs, corn, capers, and cream, while changua is a milk-and-egg breakfast soup. Paloquemao Market, La Perseverancia Market, La Candelaria cafes, and Usaquen restaurants add tamales, arepas, chocolate con queso, lechona, empanadas, obleas, and fruit juices from both highland and tropical regions.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Monserrate
- 2Simon Bolivar Metropolitan Park
- 3Plaza de Bolivar
- 4Ciclovia
- 5Museo del Oro
- 6Botero Museum
- 7Museo Nacional de Colombia
- 8Paloquemao Market
- 9La Candelaria
- 10Usaquen
1Monserrate
4.7★ · 12,031outdoorThe church-topped mountain rises east of downtown with funicular, cable car, and walking routes to the summit. The altitude makes the view powerful but the climb demanding for new arrivals.
Wikipedia
2Simon Bolivar Metropolitan Park
4.7★ · 83,771outdoorOpen dailyThe huge west-side park is Bogota main green lung, with lakes, lawns, concerts, the botanical garden nearby, and cycling routes. It is easiest by taxi or a combined TransMilenio ride.
Wikipedia
3Plaza de Bolivar
4.6★ · 89,328outdoorOpen dailyThe national square is framed by the Primatial Cathedral, Capitolio Nacional, Palace of Justice, and city hall. It is the civic center of La Candelaria and the natural start of a downtown walk.
Wikipedia
Show 7 more sights
- 4Ciclovia
- 5Museo del Oro
- 6Botero Museum
- 7Museo Nacional de Colombia
- 8Paloquemao Market
- 9La Candelaria
- 10Usaquen
Neighborhoods
1La Candelaria
La Candelaria is historic, student-heavy, and steep, with Plaza de Bolivar, museums, colonial houses, churches, murals, hostels, and daytime walking routes.
2La Macarena and Centro Internacional
La Macarena adds galleries, restaurants, bullring streets, National Museum access, and a transition from old downtown to modern office towers.
3Chapinero
Chapinero is broad and mixed, with universities, LGBTQ nightlife, cafes, informal commerce, mountain-edge streets, and quick TransMilenio links.
4Zona Rosa, Zona T, and Parque 93
The northern dining and nightlife zone is polished and busy, with malls, bars, restaurants, hotels, and late-night taxi demand.
5Usaquen
Usaquen feels village-like despite the city around it, with Sunday markets, restaurants, old church streets, and leafy residential blocks.
6Teusaquillo and Ciudad Salitre
This central-west belt is practical and institutional, with parks, embassies, Corferias, El Dorado airport routes, and easier cross-city logistics.
Getting around
TransMilenio BRT, SITP buses, TransMiCable, and the TuLlave card cover most formal transit, while taxis and ride-hail handle late nights and mountain-edge neighborhoods. The altitude is real: plan gentler first-day walks, hydrate, and avoid sprinting up Monserrate or La Candelaria hills.
Medellin
Medellin in December
Temperature
81°F / 64°F
27.3°C / 17.8°C
Precipitation
15d
3.7in · 95mm
Daylight
11.6h
December dries somewhat and turns festive, with Christmas lights and busy evening streets.
December dries somewhat and turns festive, with Christmas lights and busy evening streets.
City overview
Medellin fills the Aburra Valley with a metro spine, cable cars up steep comunas, springlike weather, and neighborhoods that changed sharply over the last generation. Most visitors split time between El Poblado for hotels and food, Laureles for a calmer local base, Centro for museums, and San Javier or Comuna 13 for guided street-art walks.
Food & drink
Medellin food is Antioquian: bandeja paisa, arepa paisa, mondongo, sancocho, chicharron, buñuelos, empanadas, mazamorra, and fresh fruit juices. Mercado del Rio, Plaza Minorista, La 70, Envigado fondas, and El Poblado dining rooms give a broad first pass.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1El Castillo Museum
- 2Museo Casa de la Memoria
- 3Jardin Botanico
- 4Parque Explora and Planetario
- 5Metrocable and Santo Domingo
- 6Comuna 13 escalators and murals
- 7Parque Arvi
- 8Pueblito Paisa and Cerro Nutibara
- 9La 70 and Laureles nightlife
- 10Plaza Botero and Museo de Antioquia
1El Castillo Museum
4.7★ · 15,091indoorOpen dailyThe Gothic-style house in El Poblado was built in the 1930s and now holds decorative arts, gardens, and valley views. It is a calm contrast to nearby malls and traffic.
Wikipedia
2Museo Casa de la Memoria
4.6★ · 6,857indoorClosed MonThe museum addresses conflict, displacement, and memory in Medellin and Colombia through testimony and installations. It gives necessary context beyond nightlife and cable-car views.
3Jardin Botanico
4.7★ · 44,335mixedClosed MonThe botanical garden has orchids, palms, a lake, iguanas, and the timber Orquideorama pavilion. It sits beside Universidad metro station, Parque Explora, and the planetarium.
Show 7 more sights
- 4Parque Explora and Planetario
- 5Metrocable and Santo Domingo
- 6Comuna 13 escalators and murals
- 7Parque Arvi
- 8Pueblito Paisa and Cerro Nutibara
- 9La 70 and Laureles nightlife
- 10Plaza Botero and Museo de Antioquia
Neighborhoods
1El Poblado and Provenza
El Poblado is hotel-heavy and international, with Provenza restaurants, Parque Lleras bars, malls, steep side streets, and late-night ride-hail demand.
2Laureles and Estadio
Laureles is flatter and residential, with tree-lined avenues, La 70 nightlife, cafes, the stadium, and quick metro access.
3Centro and La Candelaria
The center is intense and daytime-focused, with Plaza Botero, Museo de Antioquia, churches, markets, commerce, and the city old civic layer.
4San Javier and Comuna 13
The west-side hillside district is known for guided mural walks, outdoor escalators, viewpoints, local vendors, and the San Javier metro link.
5Envigado
Envigado is technically its own municipality but functions as a southern neighborhood for many visitors, with plazas, fondas, restaurants, and a more local evening pace.
6Aranjuez and Universidad
This north-central area links the botanical garden, Parque Explora, the planetarium, university stops, and transit routes toward Santo Domingo.
Getting around
Medellin Metro, Metroplus buses, trams, and Metrocables use the Civica card and make the city easier than its steep hills suggest. Ride-hail or taxis are practical for late El Poblado, airport transfers, and cross-valley moves that the metro does not serve directly.
Cartagena
Cartagena in December
Temperature
89°F / 77°F
31.5°C / 24.9°C
Precipitation
3d
1.4in · 35mm
Daylight
11.4h
Sea
84.9°F
29.4°C
December dries out quickly, with Christmas and New Year demand pushing up old-city and island prices.
December dries out quickly, with Christmas and New Year demand pushing up old-city and island prices.
City overview
Cartagena is a Caribbean port where the walled colonial city, Getsemani street art, fortress lines, and modern Bocagrande beach towers sit around a hot, humid bay. The useful traveler map is Centro and San Diego inside the walls, Getsemani just outside the clock tower, and Bocagrande, Manga, Crespo, or La Boquilla for beaches, hotels, and airport access.
Food & drink
Cartagena food is coastal and Afro-Caribbean: arepa de huevo, posta negra cartagenera, coconut rice, fried fish, ceviche, cazuela de mariscos, mote de queso, patacones, and cocadas. Portal de los Dulces, Plaza de la Trinidad street stalls, Bazurto Market tours, and old-city seafood restaurants give the clearest range.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Walled City and Las Murallas
- 2Torre del Reloj and Plaza de los Coches
- 3Getsemani and Plaza de la Trinidad
- 4Las Bovedas
- 5Castillo San Felipe de Barajas
- 6Convento e Iglesia de San Pedro Claver
- 7Plaza de Bolivar and Museo del Oro Zenu
- 8Convento de la Popa
- 9Museo Naval del Caribe
- 10Palacio de la Inquisicion
1Walled City and Las Murallas
4.8★ · 33,963outdoorOpen dailyCartagena walls were built and expanded from the 16th to 18th centuries to protect the Spanish Caribbean port. The ramparts link bastions, sea views, plazas, and sunset walks around Centro and San Diego.
2Torre del Reloj and Plaza de los Coches
4.7★ · 36,081outdoorOpen dailyThe clock tower is the main gate into the old city, opening onto Plaza de los Coches and the Portal de los Dulces. It is the most practical meeting point between Getsemani and the walled core.
3Getsemani and Plaza de la Trinidad
4.7★ · 12,337outdoorOpen dailyGetsemani was once a working neighborhood outside the walls and now mixes murals, hostels, restaurants, music, and Plaza de la Trinidad evenings. It is a short walk from the clock tower.
Show 7 more sights
- 4Las Bovedas
- 5Castillo San Felipe de Barajas
- 6Convento e Iglesia de San Pedro Claver
- 7Plaza de Bolivar and Museo del Oro Zenu
- 8Convento de la Popa
- 9Museo Naval del Caribe
- 10Palacio de la Inquisicion
Neighborhoods
1Centro
Centro is the polished walled core, with the clock tower, Plaza de la Aduana, cathedral, Bolivar square, colonial balconies, boutique hotels, and heavy daytime foot traffic.
2San Diego
San Diego is quieter and residential inside the walls, with Las Bovedas, Plaza de San Diego, small hotels, restaurants, and easy rampart access.
3Getsemani
Getsemani feels colorful and social, with Trinidad square, murals, hostels, bars, street food, and restored houses between the walls and Castillo San Felipe.
4Bocagrande and Castillogrande
Bocagrande and Castillogrande are modern beach-and-condo strips, with high-rise hotels, malls, bay views, and easier taxi logistics than the old city.
5Manga
Manga is a bayfront residential district with republican houses, marinas, restaurants, and bridges linking the old city to the port and bus routes.
6Crespo and La Boquilla
North of the center, Crespo holds the airport approach while La Boquilla adds fishing villages, beach hotels, mangrove canoe tours, and a less colonial rhythm.
Getting around
The walled city and Getsemani are best on foot, with taxis or ride-hail useful for Bocagrande, Manga, La Popa, the airport, and late returns. Buses and Transcaribe serve longer local moves, but visitors usually save them for daylight and simple routes.
Best time to do the Colombia trip
In December, the Colombia trip runs daytime highs from 20°C / 68°F to 32°C / 90°F, with nights down to about 8°C / 46°F at the coolest stop. It is one of the wetter months, with up to 15 rainy days at the wettest stop. Weighed across all 3 stops, December is one of the best times to travel.
The most comfortable months across Bogotá, Medellín & Cartagena are January, February and December, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall at every stop. December 2026 is one of the best months to go.
Check this route against your dates
Tripsapien starts with the sights on this page or places you paste, then checks hours, closures, booking pressure and neighborhoods for your exact December dates — across every city on the Colombia trip.
Plan this Colombia tripCommon questions about the Colombia trip
- When is the best time to do the Colombia trip?
- The most comfortable months across Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena are January, February and December, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall at each stop. December is one of the best times — see the per-stop weather below for the exact picture in December 2026.
- How many days do you need for the Colombia trip?
- A comfortable Colombia trip runs about 9–11 days, allowing roughly Bogota 3, Medellin 3, Cartagena 3 nights plus travel between stops. Add a day if you want a slower pace or extra day trips.
- What's the route for the Colombia trip?
- The classic order is Bogotá, Medellín & Cartagena. Each city below has its own December weather, events and top-sights list.
- Will the sights be open during my December Colombia trip?
- Opening days and hours vary by weekday, season and public holiday, and they differ from city to city on a multi-stop trip. Paste your Colombia list into Tripsapien and it checks every place in Bogota, Medellin, Cartagena against your exact dates, flagging closures and what needs booking ahead before you go.