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The launch of “Paso a Paso, Caminando hacia la Pascua con María,” aims at strengthening religious and cultural tourism across Bogotá and Cundinamarca ahead of Semana Santa 2026.

Bogotá to welcome 500,000 Easter visitors with expanded Semana Santa programme

By The City Paper Staff - February 25, 2026

Bogotá and the department of Cundinamarca are preparing to receive up to half a million visitors during Semana Santa 2026, as the Mayoralty unveiled an ambitious tourism campaign aimed at positioning the Colombian capital as a leading Easter destination in Latin America. Branded “Paso a Paso, Caminando hacia la Pascua con María” (Step by Step, […]

A pre-Columbian flute is one of many artifacts in the exhibition Colombia: En un aliento. Photo courtesy: Banco de la República.

Colombia in a Breath: Wind Instruments That Tell the Story of a Nation

By Richard Emblin - January 29, 2026

Musical instruments are far more than tools for producing sound: they embody the cultural identity of a territory, carrying spiritual meanings, collective memory, and the deep-rooted expressions that shape a community’s history. Colombia en un Aliento 2026 (Colombia in a Breath 2026) invites audiences on a sonic journey through the country’s wind instruments, encouraging reflection […]

A Spanish Royalist flag of the Extremadura Batallion recovered by Republican troops. Photo: Richard Emblin

Colombia’s National Museum Marks 200 Years with “Inspire, Move, Convoke”

By The City Paper Staff - December 12, 2025

Two centuries after its founding in the turbulent aftermath of the Wars of Independence, the National Museum of Colombia is marking its bicentenary with one of the most ambitious exhibitions in its history. Inspirar, conmover y convocar: el Museo de la nación (1823–2023) opens this week in Bogotá, inviting visitors to reflect on 200 years […]

Long lost Spanish Fort discovered in the depths of Cartagena bay

By Richard Emblin - March 6, 2025

A long-lost Spanish fort, San Matías, has been rediscovered submerged in Cartagena Bay, Colombia. Built in 1567 to defend the city, the fort was dismantled in 1626. The discovery opens new insights into the region’s colonial defense system.

Colombia’s Ministry of Culture faces backlash over 500th anniversary of Santa Marta’s founding

By Richard Emblin - September 6, 2024

Colombia’s Ministry of Culture faces a backlash after downplaying Santa Marta’s 500th anniversary. Local leaders, including the mayor and the Academy of History of Magdalena, criticized Minister Juan David Correa for dismissing the event’s national significance.

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.

Colombia’s Petro honors Carlos Pizarro’s Hat as cultural heritage

By The City Paper Staff - June 18, 2024

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro designates Carlos Pizarro’s iconic beige straw hat as Cultural Heritage in a solemn ceremony at Bogotá’s Casa de Nariño.

A Century in Stamps: Banco de la República’s Philatelic Tribute

By The City Paper Staff - October 6, 2023

Celebrating a century of cultural heritage, Banco de la República honors its legacy with a philatelic collection, showcasing Colombia’s patrimony in stamps.

With Kogi masks, Colombia wants more ancestral treasures to return home

By Richard Emblin - September 4, 2023

With the return of the Kogi Kágaba masks, Colombia wants to reclaim more ancestral treasures from overseas museums. So far this year, an average of 50 objects are returning home every month.

Bogotá’s IDT opens San Juan de Dios Hospital to tours

By Richard Emblin - November 1, 2022

Bogotá’s District Institute of Tourism has opened the doors of the San Juan de Dios to guided tours, and opportunity to visit one of the oldest hospitals in South America.

Bogotá’s IDT offers historic tours of city’s Cementerio Central

By The City Paper Staff - October 14, 2022

Bogotá’s District Institute of Tourism (IDT) has reopened the historic area of the Central Cemetery – Cementerio Central – to visitors, with guided tours that recount the history of this famous landmark,

Cali Salsa declared Intangible Cultural Patrimony of Colombia.

By The City Paper Staff - July 26, 2022

The fast steps, gyrating hips and sultry moves of Cali’s legendary dance – salsa caleña – has been recognized by Colombia’s Ministry of Culture as Intangible Cultural Patrimony of the Nation; and important step toward the eventual listing of the dance, with all its cultural manifestations, on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Hertiage (ICH). “For […]