• Avianca
• British Airways
• Etihad Airlines
• Lufthansa
• Iberia Air
• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Air France

• Heathrow to Colombia (BOG) on a direct flight: 5 hours and 10 minutes
• Manchester to Colombia (BOG) via one stopover: 7 hours and 40 minutes
• Birmingham to Colombia (BOG) via one stopover: 7 hours and 20 minutes
• Heathrow to Colombia (MDE) via one stopover: 8 hours and 30 minutes

Yes, Avianca Airlines is the only airlines that operate direct flights to Colombia from UK. The said itinerary is expected to cover the flight distance in minimum possible time.

There are eleven international airports in Colombia. Among the busiest airports in Colombia are the El Dorado International Airport at Bogotá, José María Córdova International Airport at Medellín, Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport at Cali and Rafael Núñez International Airport at Cartagena.

El Dorado International Airport serves Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia. In 2016, the airport served over 31 million passengers. The airport has two runways both of them 3.8 kilometres long. The airport and the staff received raving reviews from the UK based ranking website Skytrax. The airport is considered the best and the busiest in South America.

José María Córdova International Airport at Medellín has a single 3.5-kilometre runway to meet its demands and has served about 7 million passengers in 2017. The airport is only 45 minutes away from the city centre of Medellín. A large number of South American and western United States airlines are bound for this airport every week.

Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport at Cali has served upwards of 6 million people in 2017. The airport’s runway is 3 kilometres long. Due to the excellent climatic conditions at Cali, the airport is among a handful of airports that are open 24/7/365. The airport is 25 minutes away from the city centre of Cali.

The UK passport holder does not require a visa to enter Colombia. A British national is allowed to stay within Colombia for a period of 90 days but an application to the immigration office Migración Colombia can extend the stay 120 days further. However, the total number of days a visitor can remain in Colombia within a 12 month year period should not be more than 180 days. The British government advises its citizens, not to overstay their visa tenure.

The best time to book a flight to Colombia would be at the end of January or the beginning of February. As the Colombian economy grows, the millions of Colombian expatriates gain the financial capacity to fly back during the holidays to Colombia. This has elevated the prices. However, the time after the holidays but before the wet season and the Santa Semanta festival is ideal for booking holidays to Colombia.

The colonial architecture of Colombia is unlike any other. It stems out of Spanish colonialism but is embellished by the local tapestries, influenced by the extinct Mayan and Inca cultures. Religion in the country makes this architecture all the more sacred.

• The Monserrate is a church atop the high mountains surrounding the city of Bogota. The Church is beautifully designed but the views all around the church are mind-blowing. The church peers off the cliff of the mountain, guarding the city of Bogota and provides spectacular panoramic views.
• The Fort of San Felipe in Cartagena is an insight into colonial Colombia. The fort was built in 1536 and was named after the King Philip II of Spain. The fort has been excellently maintained and attracts tourist by the thousands.
• Zipaquira Salt Cathedral in Bogotá is among the man-made spectacles of the world. The Cathedral was first built in by miners, but by then it was a small church underground. Later, in 1995 it was extended to its current form and the lighting made the inside of the church more awe-inspiring.

Colombian culture is reconciliation between the pagan native and the Catholic cultures. The festivals that are celebrated in Colombia are usually dictated by the ideology.

• Carnaval de Negros y Blancos or the festivals of the blacks and whites start from the 2nd to the 7th of January every year and is celebrated in the city of Pasto. Every day is celebrated with a new theme and has a special separate history. The festival has been inducted into the UNESCO “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity” list in 2009.
• The festival of Santa Semanta is celebrated in the city of Popayan in the April or May. The Easter procession is lead by the Catholic priests and is followed by wooden floats that depict biblical events. The event is considered the most sacred in Catholic Colombia.
• The festival of flowers perfumes the air in early August in the city of Medellín. The 10 days of the festival is an exhibition of different sorts of flowers. Competitions are held for the best flower arrangement. The colours and aroma of agapanthus, carnations, chrysanthemums, gladioli, lilies, orchids, roses, and sunflowers overcharge the senses.

The best time to visit Colombia is in the dry season. Most of Colombia has a tropical climate. The Amazon rain forest spreads in the south of the country and influences on the climate of the country as well. There are two dry and two rainy seasons in Colombia. The dry season stretches from December to March and then, later in July to August.

The best to get around in Colombia, generally, is through the road network. Fortunately, most cities are connected by highways and metallic roads in the north. The south of the country is more desolate and proper transport infrastructure lacks in the region. So stick to the road and tolerate the traffic jams, the destination would be near enough.

Colombia attracts tourists looking for warm sun and an exotic charm. The booming tourism industry has encouraged hotels and inns to pop up throughout Colombia. Following are a few hotels with the best services in Colombia.

• Hotel Almirante Cartagena Colombia
• Hotel B3 Virrey
• Diez Hotel Categoria Colombia
• Holiday Inn Express Bogota – Parque La 93
• Hotel El Dorado