Best Things To Do in Barranquilla, Colombia

Are you looking for what to do in Barranquilla?

THINGS TO DO AND SEE

  • Carnaval de Barranquilla: This is the most important tourist attraction in the city. Celebrated four days prior to the Ash Wednesday, the Carnival of Barranquilla is a spectacular multi-faceted culture and folk festival celebrated for four long days. The carnival involves colourful parades, dances, concerts, multicultural events and several other activities to do. One of the famous cultural festivals of the world, and the most important one in Colombia, it remains on the itineraries of thousands of visitors every year.
  • Museo del Caribe: A museum that houses the collection of Barranquilla’s and the Caribbean history.
  • Bocas de Cenzia: A place where the River Magdalena joins the Caribbean Sea.
  • Barranquilla Zoo: A huge wildlife sanctuary that is home to a wide range of flora and fauna species native to South America.
  • Pumarejo Bridge: The Bridge over River Magdalena that offers spectacular views.
  • Teatro Municipal Amira de la Rosa: The cultural heart of Barranquilla where a majority of workshops, performances and artistic presentations are held.

GUIDED TOUR

  • The Barranquilla tourist information centre has maps and a complete list of places open for the public to see. You can hire a tour guide for private tours in and around the city.

Below we have a list of things to do in Barranquilla and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Barranquilla getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Barranquilla with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Barranquilla

Here is the list of things to do in Barranquilla and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Museo Del Caribe

    4.5 (427 Votes)
    Museo Del Caribe

    Museum, Specialty Museum

    The Caribbean museum is located within the Caribbean cultural park and was opened to public in 2009. Being the first regional museum it houses a lot of collections which describe the evolution of Caribbean as a society. All the elements relating to social, cultural, economic, political dimensions are exhibited there. Besides this they have many exchange programs with foreign nations as well as ...Read more
  2. Zoo Of The City Of Barranquilla

    Outdoors, Park, Zoo, Aquarium

    An interesting place to visit to see different kind of animals and trees. The Zoo has about 500 animals and 140 species. From a humble beginning in 1952 as a small nursery to a full-fledged zoo with a lot of species, it has a great deal of variety. All kinds of animal species from Asian, African and American continents are present in the zoo along with an exquisite collection of flora too. A fu...Read more
  3. Castillo De Salgar

    4.6 (241 Votes)
    Castillo De Salgar

    Art And Culture, Art Gallery, Landmark, Historical Site

    A military fortification built in 1848 on the ruins of a previous fort San Antonio. Castillo Salgar has served many purposes since then. Some of them being a military fortification, a prison, an institution for disabled and a university of arts. Its architecture is distinctively colonial with vast corridors and archways. The construction is mainly defence oriented although some minor modificati...Read more
  4. Bocas De Cenizas

    Outdoors, Geological Formation, Park, Nature

    The Bocas de Cenizas is a canal that starts at the mouth of River Magdalena where it joins the Caribbean sea and is quite famous for its boating. The view from the pier as well as on route is breath-taking. There’s a small traveller train here that takes you till the very and comes back. It looks more like a hand wagon actually and accommodates about 10 people comfortably. You can also ta...Read more
  5. Catedral Metropolitana Maria Reina

    Church, Religious Site, Cathedral

    The Cathedral of Virgin Mary is a modern Cathedral whose construction took almost 30 years and was finished in the 80’s. Its unique modern architecture distinguishes it from all other cathedrals in terms of its sheer size and style. It can accommodate upto 4000 people with a plot of about 12,261 sqmt. The cathedral is 92 mts long, 38 mts wide and 38mts tall. A gigantic structure, the cath...Read more
  6. Plaza San Nicolas

    Outdoors, Landmark, Walking Area

    The Plaza San Nicolas is located at the heart of the city and was, in many ways, the heart of the city. The plaza is right in front of the cathedral of San Nicolas. A large open space where cultural gatherings and festival celebrations takes place. Also a favourite place of the military parades on July 20th or November 11th. The lights at the cathedral in the evening are a delight to watch. The...Read more
  7. Centro Comercial Buenavista

    4.7 (303 Votes)
    Centro Comercial Buenavista

    Entertainment, Shopping Center, Specialty Shop

    A shopping mall sprawling over 12000 sqft that has everything you can think of under its roof. From famous foreign brands such as Gucci, addidas, marks and Spencer and a lot more to accessories, jewelleries, appliances etc the mall has it all. It has a lot of restaurants for refreshments as well as kid’s play area and cinema hall for recreation purposes. A perfect shopping destination for...Read more
  8. Plaza De La Paz

    4.6 (397 Votes)
    Plaza De La Paz

    Square, Cathedral

    Strategically located at the centre of the city of the city of Barranquilla Plaza de la Paz a huge open public square. The square was mainly constructed to accommodate the huge crowd who came to see Pope John Paul II on his Columbian visit in 1986. Other than that the Plaza is a regular favourite for festivities, celebration and sometimes protest too. The cathedral of Barranquilla stands at the...Read more
  9. Sala Del Carnaval Elsa Caridi

    Museum

    Casa Carnival is small but efficient museum displaying many carnival related stuff like costumes, masks and props. It’s an interactive museum which shows Audio visual content and explains the rich carnival history of Barranquilla. The carnival here throughout its evolution has grown as the second most popular in the world behind Rio’s carnival. The museum tracks its evolution and ex...Read more
  10. Antiguo Edificio De La Aduana

    Landmark, Architecture

    The Old customs house is a cultural centre of the city and houses libraries and archives. The building looks like a classic republican colonial building with a bright yellow shade and a brilliant view of the Atlantic. The building is home to Historical Archive of Atlántico, the Pilot Library of the Caribbean, the Caribbean Pilot Library Children and the Centre for Musical Documentation H...Read more
  11. Iglesia De La Inmaculada Concepcion

    Church, Religious Site, Cathedral

    A beautiful church located just minutes away from Hotel Del Prado. The church is dedicated to dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Mary, freeing her from all sins. It was constructed in late 40’s and was inaugurated by Bishop Carlos Valiente and has since then become one of the favourite places of worship for the local catholics. The beautiful image of Mary on the stained glass is a must...Read more
  12. La Troja

    4.7 (172 Votes)
    La Troja

    Food And Drinks, Pubs

    A place so famous you ask anyone and they’ll point you towards it. La Troja is a fun filled pub located on Calle 74 where you can have some of the best Salsa action going on. The place is perfect for a weekend trip with friends and loved ones. Apart from the dance La Troja has a great collection of cheap booze and good food. A must visit.
  13. Malecon Leon Caridi

    4.2 (340 Votes)
    Malecon Leon Caridi

    Walking Area

    The Malecon Leon Caridi is a beautiful walkway built right adjacent to the river Magdalena. The walkway is about 80mts wide and 700mts long running parallel to the river. It’s a nice calm place for a stroll early in the morning or during sunset. The breeze is strong and refreshing and the place has a serene vibe to it. The spot is also famous with a lot of cyclists and tourists.
  14. Iglesia De San Nicolas De Tolentino

    Church, Religious Site, Cathedral

    Located at the heart of the city St. Nicolas church has been under construction since the 17th century. A beautiful church with a strong Neo Gothic architecture it contains an invaluable relic, a piece of bone of St. Nicolas is embedded inside the altar. The San Nicolas Plaza is located just outside the church and is an important location for festivities and celebration.
  15. Paseo De Bolivar

    Statue, Food And Drinks, Street Market, Shopping Center

    One of the most important streets of Barranquilla for about 200 years and even today Paseo de Bolivar is the artery of the city. The street is the commercial and administrative hub of the city where a lot of offices are present along with many shopping & food outlets. There’s a statue of Simon Bolivar at the northern end. The street is otherwise also a beautiful place for a stroll dow...Read more