Welcome to Barranquilla, the vibrant heart of Colombia’s Caribbean coast! Shakira’s hometown is the insider’s pick for travelers seeking an authentic taste of Caribbean lifestyle. Where the mighty Magdalena River meets the sea, Barranquilla pulsates with culture, history, natural beauty, and mouthwatering cuisine!
This dynamic city is reclaiming fascinating nature spots through innovative environmental restoration projects – for both locals and visitors to enjoy. These new attractions perfectly complement Barranquilla’s classic charms: its incredible music scene, unique Carnival, and cheerful people.
Uncover the best of Barranquilla with this insider’s guide to the top 19 things to do – 15 are within the city and 4 are day trips to the surroundings of Barranquilla. Number 15 is brand new – it just opened in December 2024!
Photo by Travelhapp, El Prado Neighborhood Barranquilla
Photo by Travelhapp, Parque Los Fundadores Barranquilla
Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the majestic Magdalena River on Barranquilla’s recently extended Malecón (Gran Malecón del Río), a scenic promenade stretching for miles and adorned with restaurants, cafes, and bars. On your way, you will pass by green parks, beautiful sculptures (including one of Shakira!), and refreshing fountains.
This is among the best things to do in Barranquilla in the late afternoon, when temperatures have cooled down a little. There are people around and bars open until late, just remember to book a transport service via an app to go back to the central areas of Barranquilla at night (see safety tips below).
Photo by Travelhapp, Barranquilla Malecón
Photo by Travelhapp, Shakira Statue, Barranquilla Malecón
Take a boat tour along the Magdalena River or try the new Ríobus “Karakalí”, an innovative river transport system connecting several river towns. The first Riobus routes have been activated in late 2023 and will gradually be extended.
Photo by Travelhapp, Barranquilla Riverbus (Ríobus Karakalí)
North of the Malecón of Barranquilla, you will find a fascinating wetland area: the Ciénaga de Mallorquín. A beautiful eco-park has been built as part of a significant environmental restoration and conservation effort. Doors are already open to visitors, offering a chance to enjoy a relaxing afternoon walk along the lengthy wooden pier.
During 2024 and 2025, the Eco Park will also start inviting visitors to engage in ecotourism activities such as kayaking, bird watching, guided tours, biking, and more. View pictures of of the Cienaga de Mallorquin Eco Park in our Instagram feed.
Photo by Travelhapp, Eco Park Ciénaga de Mallorquín, Barranquilla
Photo by Travelhapp, Sunset in Eco Park Ciénaga de Mallorquín, Barranquilla
The historical center of Barranquilla (centro) used to be quite decadent, and you will still find many street corners that are not exactly pleasant. However, the city is making efforts to revitalize the center and make it more enjoyable to explore for both citizens and visitors.
A good time to visit the center is Sunday morning when it is not too busy or hot. Stroll along the renowned Paseo de Bolívar until you reach the Iglesia de San Nicolás de Tolentino. This baroque church was built in the 17th century by the Augustinian order. It’s a great place to cool down while admiring the beautiful stained glass windows and enjoying the silence.
From San Nicolás de Tolentino church, walk down Calle 32 to reach “Callejón del Meao” or take Carrera 42 to reach “Callejón de Robertico.” (Both alleys are located in the area between Carrera 42B and 42C and Calle 30 to 33.) Relax at Plaza de la Aduana and admire the beautiful architecture of the Aduana building.
We recommend visiting the center during the day and staying in populated, touristy areas, avoiding streets that are either too busy or too empty.
Photo by Travelhapp, San Nicolás de Tolentino church in Barranquilla
Photo by Jdvillalobos, Aduana Barranquilla, CC BY 3.0 (mod.)
The Carnaval de Barranquilla is one of the most famous and colorful carnivals in the world. The Carnival Museum documents the history of the carnival, and its exhibits include impressive costumes, masks, and other artifacts.
Of course, visiting the actual carnival (usually around February/March) leads the top things to do in Barranquilla for carnival lovers. In Barranquilla, “pre-carnival” events start around two weeks before the official carnival, and you can feel the carnival vibe in the city as early as the beginning of January. A great place to immerse yourself in Barranquilla’s Afro-Colombian culture and enjoy live music and traditional Afro-Colombian dances during the carnival is Barrio Abajo.
Photo by larry penaloza, Carnival in Barranquilla
Barranquilla has a vibrant street art scene and you can view impressive graffiti and murals in many neighborhoods, including El Centro, La Loma, El Prado and Barrio Abajo.
Barranquilla is the city of music and dance and attending concerts ranks among the top things to do in Barranquilla. Interesting addresses include the Aduana Piano Bar in the Center and La Casa de la Cumbia in the El Prado neighborhood which hosts live music covering many different Colombian genres (Cumbia, Vallenato, Salsa, etc.). Check out @killacultural on Instagram for upcoming events (in Spanish).
Remember that in Colombia, it is always advisable to take a pre-booked transport when you go out at night. It’s both cheap and safe, and it’s the standard way Colombians move around at night. (More information below.)
If you love to dance salsa or want to learn, Barranquilla has no shortage of options. The salsa club La Troja in the Riomar neighborhood was founded in 1983 and has been a local favorite ever since. The club hosts live concerts of talented local and national musicians every night and attracts a diverse crowd of Barranquilleros and foreigners. Other salsa clubs, which are popular among locals, include Tibiri (barrio El Prado), Son de Negro (barrio El Golf) and Rumba en el Solar (an outdoor venue in barrio El Bosque).
Photo by Hector Pertuz, Street dancing in Barranquilla (mod.)
Barranquilla is known as a culinary heaven with a wide array of great restaurants in all price classes. Enjoy traditional Caribbean food by the river at Cucayo in the Caimán del Río restaurant complex (see Google Maps). Typical caribbean dishes include seafood in different variants accompanied by coconut rice and plantains. Yummy! For an upscale fusion experience try Kinto Elemento (Google Maps) or Palo de Mango (Google Maps) in El Prado. You can find several other fine restaurants very close-by.
The Jardín Botánico Armando Dugand Gnecco is a peaceful oasis within the city of Barranquilla where you can connect with nature and enjoy native and exotic vegetation.
Bocas de Cenizas is the point where the Magdalena River flows into the Caribbean sea. To get to Bocas de Cenizas, take a taxi to Campamento de Flores and then board the rustic artisanal train to Bocas de Cenizas. We recommend to go in a group and possibly with a local guide.
Access got easier in 2024 with the new Riobus (see above) and the new touristic train “tren de las flores”.
Photo by Denis Jacquerye, CC BY-SA 2.0, Bocas de Cenizas (mod.)
Unfortunately, some of Barranquilla’s most interesting museums are temporarily closed, including the Museo del Caribe (Caribbean Museum), the Museum of Modern Art, and the Museo Romántico (Romantic Museum). Currently, we have no information when they will reopen but restoration should start in 2025. Please check recent user reviews on Google Maps to see if there are any changes.
However, a museum still open to the public and worth visiting is the Mapuka Museum (Google Maps), the Archaeological Museum of the Karib Peoples. This fascinating museum offers a journey through 20,000 years of Caribbean history, presenting exhibits on first civilizations, pre-Hispanic cultures, and colonial impact. They also host art workshops, including drawing and pottery. Check their Instagram feed for current events.
Photogenic Puente Pumarejo is an architectural marvel spanning the wide Magdalena River, and offering stunning views. Watch out for your belongings near the bridge, though.
While you can catch a glimpse of the sea from high-rise buildings, the central districts of Barranquilla are not directly located by the coastline. However, in December 2024, Barranquilla’s first public beach, Puerto Mocho, was opened! It can be accessed via the new tourist train, Tren de las Flores, departing from the Las Flores train station (Google Maps) in Riomar.
This beach represents a remarkable environmental restoration effort, and work is ongoing to recover additional stretches of the beach for public use.
Moreover, new bike paths and pedestrian walkways run along the train route, offering an active and scenic way to explore the area.
Apart from the amazing things to do in Barranquilla, you will find additional interesting options nearby. The following activities and sights are located in the surroundings of Barranquilla, making great day trips.
Puerto Colombia is one of Colombia’s oldest ports, located just 30 minutes away from Barranquilla and easily accessible by bus or taxi. While it may not be the country’s most picturesque seaside town, it offers a refreshing city escape, perfect for a leisurely walk or enjoying a delightful meal by the sea.
In 2024, several restaurants with sea views debuted in the newly constructed International Gastronomic Center along the sea promenade near the pier. Another beautiful dining option is Kilymandiaro Sunset Paradise at Pradomar Beach (view on Google Maps).
Things to see in Puerto Colombia include the old train station, the lengthy wooden pier, the sea promenade (Malecón del Mar), the glass lighthouse (“farola”), and the colonial San Antonio de Salgar castle. Pradomar Beach and Salgar Beach offer opportunities for water sports enthusiasts, with activities such as paddle boarding and (kite) surfing.
Please note that the different sites are quite far from each other. It would take you approximately two hours to get from the wooden pier in the center to Salgar Beach in the north by foot, with the road not always being pedestrian-friendly and the sun being “bravo”, as they say in Colombia (meaning “ferocious, fierce”). However, there is a project in planning to extend the sea promenade all the way to the lighthouse.
Insider tip: If you like ghost stories, ask the locals to tell you about “La Novia” (the bride)…
Photo by Travelhapp, Los Inmigrantes Sculpture, Puerto Colombia Sea Promenade
Photo by Travelhapp, San Antonio de Salgar castle, Puerto Colombia
To get to some beautiful Caribbean beaches, you have to drive around 45 min south from Barranquilla. Santa Verónica, Puerto Velero and Caño Dulce are great beach destinations. Santa Verónica is also an up-and-coming kite surfing destination, especially at Salinas del Rey. Have a look at our TikTok video to get an impression. Santa Veronica is still pretty off the beaten path and many restaurants only open during the weekend and in high season.
There are local buses going south that can drop you off along the road. You can also look for other solo travelers to share a taxi. Taxis are very affordable in Colombia and you can negotiate the price beforehand with the driver.
The Parque Isla de Salamanca is a protected area with a unique ecosystem that includes mangrove forests, endemic wildlife and little beaches. Visiting the park makes a great day trip from Barranquilla. To get to Salamanca Island you can take the bus from Terminal de Transporte de Barranquilla towards Santa Marta and hop-off after about 35 minutes at the Los Cocos visitor center (view on Google Maps). You can also go by boat from Malecon Puerta de Oro in Barranquilla (view on Google Maps), although this option may not always be available.
Photo by Pavel Dodonov, CC BY 2.0, Isla Salamanca Barranquilla (mod.)
An interesting stop on your way to Santa Marta is the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta, the largest Ciénaga (marsh/wetland) in Colombia. Not only can you explore the mangrove forests with their diverse flora and fauna, the Cienaga is also home to several colorful floating villages with stilt houses, including Nueva Venecia and Buenavista.
To get to the Cienaga Grande from Barranquilla, take a bus towards Santa Marta and, after about 1 hour 20 min drive, hop off near Puente Puebloviejo (locally known also as “Puente de La Barra”). From there, head to the tourist pier in the Isla del Rosario neighbourhood (view on Google Maps) where you can take a boat to explore the Ciénaga Grande.
Photo by gabinete, CC BY-SA 2.0, Nueva Venecia (mod.)
El Prado, Alto Prado, El Golf and Riomar are great neighborhoods to stay for solo (female) travelers. The center (Centro) is not considered particularly safe by locals, especially at night.
Thanks to the excellent bus connections in Colombia, it’s very easy reach Barranquilla from other cities cheaply and smoothly.
If you plan to go out at night, it is, like everywhere in Colombia, advisable to book transport via an app like Uber, Didi, or InDrive, even for short distances. This is very cheap in Colombia, and locals do the same. You should not walk alone at night or around remote areas.
Check out our safety tips for Colombia and our intro guide for traveling alone in Colombia.
Hikes in nature are better done in a group and/or with a local guide. Join our Colombia Solo Travelers Facebook Group to search for like minded solo travelers near you. (Our focus is on female solo traveler needs and interests.)
Barranquilla features a tropical savanna climate with high humidity. Temperatures in Barranquilla typically range from around 28°C to 33°C (82-91°F) during the day and fluctuate around 24°C (75°F) at night; the “coldest” months in Barranquilla are January and February with a maximum temperature of approximately 31°C (88°F). The driest months are January to March while the most rain tends to fall in October. The dry months usually also feature a nice breeze which makes them a very enjoyable time to visit.
For carnival aficionados, the carnival season is undoubtedly the best time to visit Barranquilla. However, if you’re a solo traveler who isn’t particularly fond of crowds, you might consider visiting during the pre-carnival period. During this time, you can enjoy pleasant weather and get a taste of the carnival culture without the large crowds. Pre-carnival starts right on new year’s day!
Barranquilla is strategically located between Santa Marta and Cartagena, two of Colombia’s top travel destinations. So, you may stop over in Barranquilla when traveling between those cities. We warmly recommend a detour to the amazing colonial river town Mompox (Santa Cruz de Mompós) when traveling between Barranquilla and Cartagena. Read more about Mompox in our article on Things to do near Cartagena (scrolling down the page to “Where to go next”) or Things to do in Hidden Gem Valledupar.
Check out the bus connections on Rome2Rio:
Bus from Barranquilla to Cartagena on Rome2Rio (2,5 hours)
Bus from Barranquilla to Mompox on Rome2Rio (6-8 hours)
Bus from Barranquilla to Santa Marta on Rome2Rio (2 hours)
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Last Update: March 7, 2025
Image Credit: Top Image (mod.) by Erick Salas Agudelo
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