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Explore Colombia’s colonial towns

Mompos

Wander the cobbled streets of any one of Colombia's unspoilt colonial towns of the interior. Mompós, for example, is a sleepy riverside town, once a thriving trade post, which retains the impressive colonial architecture of a more prosperous era.

In the heart of Colombia's less-visited interior lie a number of delicious colonial towns and villages which reflect the lazy pace of life in the Andes.

The sleepy riverside town of Mompós was once a thriving trade post and the scene of a crucial victory in Simón Bolívar's war for independence. However, ever since the silting up of the river – formerly the lifeblood of the town – it has had a backwater feel and a sense of having been forgotten by the centuries. Its architecture certainly recalls a different era, and a walking tour of the cobbled streets and beautiful, brightly painted churches is the perfect way to slow yourself down to Mompós' languid pace and explore its most picturesque and historic corners.

Other towns we recommend you check out include Villa de Leiva, It is within touching distance of Bogotá so can be busy at weekends, but you'll delight to its flowery courtyards and broad, peaceful plaza. Barichara and Santa Fé de Antioquia are also worth a visit.

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From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

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    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

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    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

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