Latest News

Eight Colombian towns nominated for UN’s Best Tourism Villages 2025

By The City Paper Staff - May 15, 2025

From the snow-capped Andes to the warm turquoise waters of the Caribbean, Colombia has nominated eight remarkably diverse rural towns for UN Tourism’s Best Tourism Villages 2025. These standout destinations—celebrated for their cultural depth, natural richness, and community-driven tourism—tell the story of a country where sustainability meets soul.

Hiking Boyacá’s majestic El Consuelo páramo

By Richard Emblin - June 24, 2024

The páramo of El Consuelo in the departments of Boyacá and Santander is a majestic high-altitude wetland that draws attention for its unique biodiversity and ancient frailejón plants. Local conservation efforts are underway to protect this vital ecosystem from climate change and human activity.

Tópaga: A coal mining town with a revolutionary history

By Richard Emblin - June 19, 2024

Discover Tópaga, a hidden gem in Colombia’s Boyacá department where rich history, stunning natural beauty, and unique cultural heritage await adventurous travelers.

Estoraques de Floresta: A natural wonder in the Boyacá highlands

By Richard Emblin - June 18, 2024

A stunning natural rift valley with towering limestone columns is one of many unique attractions for those visiting the department of Boyacá.

Sweet slow travel in Iza and the Boyacá highlands

By Richard Emblin - April 19, 2024

Embark on a journey to Iza, where the serene landscapes of Colombia’s Boyacá highlands meet the rich tapestry of tradition, offering a retreat into the heart of artisanal craftsmanship and culinary delights.

Heat wave causes wildfires to rage in Bogotá’s Cerros Orientales

By The City Paper Staff - January 22, 2024

Amidst a relentless heat wave, wildfires blaze in Bogotá’s Cerros Orientales, fueled by the El Niño phenomenon, prompting a city-wide firefighting effort and heightened vigilance.

Pensilvania, Caldas: Encounter with history and hospitality

By Richard Emblin - August 22, 2023

In a remote corner of the department of Caldas lies Pensilvania, a small town with a big heart. Once the obligatory stop for muleteers, the town is now embracing bird watching and agricultural tourism.

Colombia’s indigenous peoples lead first census of Andean Condor

By Richard Emblin - February 17, 2021

Some 300 volunteers conducted the first census of the Colombian Condor. The census involved indigenous communities from the departments of La Guajira to Nariño.

The Dutchman who found his Gouda in the Colombian Andes

By Charlotte Harrison - April 26, 2019

Tobias Rijnsdorp is helping transform a rural community in Cundinamarca with HolaAndes, a Gouda cheese production company that uses a 19th-century recipe.

Royal Botanic Gardens to house seed bank from Colombia’s páramos

By Jacqueline de Klerk - June 1, 2018

The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew has received the seeds of 50 plants native to Colombia, including three Espeletia, a frailejón from the páramos of Boyacá.

Cool and “steamy” escapes for St.Valentine’s in Colombia

By The City Paper Staff - February 9, 2018

A romantic escape to the beach can leave you exhausted. Here, some destinations that will sweep you off your feet for St.Valentine’s in Colombia.

The 43rd Mono Núñez Festival celebrated at the Teatro Mayor

By The City Paper Staff - April 27, 2017

On Saturday, April 29, the Teatro Mayor launches the 43rd edition of Colombia’s most important Andean music event, the Mono Núñez Festival.

Paramo Santurban

Colombian high court rules against mining in fragile ‘páramos’

By The City Paper Staff - February 9, 2016

A court ruling Monday protects Colombia’s high mountain moorland or páramos from mining and mineral exploration.