Explore Colombia’s colonial towns

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.