Colombia · HISTORICAL TOURS

The 15 Best History Tours in Colombia

24 tours  ·  from $12

Forts built against pirates, a free town founded by the enslaved, and thirty years nobody in Medellín wants repeated. The 15 below are priced and timed, and clear about who is telling the story.

Cartagena: Historic Center and Getsemaní Shared Walking Tour - Following the old route of slavery and trade
Cartagena Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Cartagena: Historic Center and Getsemaní Shared Walking Tour

1.Historic Center and Getsemaní Shared Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,716 reviews · 2h 30m · from $12Our pick

Join guides such as Álvaro, Dani, Legacy, Robert, or Ingrid for a 150-minute walk through Cartagena’s Walled City and Getsemaní. Expect colonial landmarks, slavery and independence stories, Gabo references, local tips, tropical heat, and a little salsa or champeta.

“Dani was a great guide! She knew so much information on all the places we went to. She was so fun and gave us amazing treats along the way. Highly recommend because she also gives you pointers on where to eat and visit while you are in Cartagena!”

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Shared Tour Cali's Historical Downtown - La Merced and the Calima Gold Museum area
Cali Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Shared Tour Cali’s Historical Downtown

2.Shared Tour Cali’s Historical Downtown

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 143 reviews · 2h 30m · from $13

Walk Cali’s historic center in English with Beyond Colombia, from La Merced and the Calima Gold Museum to Cayzedo Square and Jairo Varela. Expect about 7 km on foot, stories of Afro-Colombian culture, salsa, drug trafficking, protests, art, and a chontaduro tasting when available.

“Christian was amazing! The tour was very informative. Many stops for food and drinks and a lot of history explained. I will recommend this tour to anyone. Amazing!”

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Medellín: History & Local Life Essentials Tour on an E-Bike - Starting at NOI coworking in El Poblado
Cycling Tours, E-Bikes, Historical Tours, Medellin Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Medellín: History & Local Life Essentials Tour on an E-Bike

3.History & Local Life Essentials Tour on an E-Bike

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 130 reviews · 3h 30m · from $48

Ride a comfortable e-bike from Ciudad del Río through Medellín’s Creative District, San Antonio Park, Plaza Botero, Parque de las Luces, and Parques del Río. Guides such as Dayana, Dani, Toto, and Andrés share local history in English or Spanish while helping beginners handle city traffic.

“Great tour - the tour guide was great and down to earth, a really fun experience”

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Historical Shared Tour Salsa, Graffiti & Resistance in Cali - La Curva del Boulevard, food, and painted facades
Cali Salsa Tours, Cali Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Historical Shared Tour Salsa, Graffiti & Resistance in Cali

4.Historical Shared Tour Salsa, Graffiti & Resistance in Cali

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 107 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $14Top rated

Walk central Cali with a certified Spanish-speaking guide such as Cristian or Juliana, tracing salsa, street art, and popular resistance from Plazoleta Jairo Varela to Cimarrón Salsa Bar. Expect murals, city history, dance steps, instruments, food tips, and practical recommendations for salsa clubs.

“This is a free Walking tour by "Beyond Colombia" that viator charge for. I suggest booking directly for free and giving money as tips to the guide instead of giving money to Viator”

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Shared Tour of Bogota's Historic Downtown (La Candelaria) - Chorro de Quevedo and Bogotá’s first chapter
Bogota Tours, Historical Tours, La Candelaria Walking Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Shared Tour of Bogota’s Historic Downtown (La Candelaria)

5.Shared Tour of Bogota’s Historic Downtown (La Candelaria)

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 100 reviews · 2h 30m · from $13

Walk about 7 km through La Candelaria with an English or Spanish guide such as Juliana, Lorenzo, Leo or Byron. See Bolívar Square, Chorro de Quevedo, Botero’s museum area, El Embudo alley and the Concordia market, with chicha tasting when available.

“Leo was amazing!!! Very friendly and knowledgeable! He made the long walks feel like a breeze. I really enjoyed my time!!”

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Medellin Historic Walking Tour - Meeting at Alpujarra and starting with the railway
Historical Tours, Medellin Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Medellin Historic Walking Tour

6.Medellin Historic Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 86 reviews · 3h 30m · from $14

Walk central Medellín with an English-speaking local guide such as Suzie, Dio, Julio, or Hernán. Visit Alpujarra, Plaza Botero, El Hueco, and San Antonio Park while learning how the city changed. Expect history, personal stories, local tips, and a fair amount of walking for $14.

“Dio was great, we learned tons of history and saw a lot!”

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From Medellín: Private Pablo Escobar History Tour - Starting in El Poblado at Parque de la Memoria
Historical Tours, Medellin Tours, Pablo Escobar Tours, Private, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Medellín: Private Pablo Escobar History Tour

7.Private Pablo Escobar History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 84 reviews · 4 hours · from $63

Spend four hours with a private English or Spanish-speaking guide tracing Pablo Escobar’s Medellín. Visit Parque de la Memoria, Barrio Pablo Escobar, his grave, and the house where he died. You can also add Comuna 13, with guides such as Carlos Andres, Manuel, Andres, and Jhon offering local context.

“our tour guide Jhon was so professional, knowledgeable and made the tour so special. I definitely recommend this company to anyone looking for a accurate and true insight into the life and times of Pablo Escobar. Jhon lived through these times and he told the story very nice and had a personal touch to the story. thank you so much”

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Historical tour Bogota - Museums, Botero, and the cultural block
Bogota Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Historical tour Bogota

8.Historical tour Bogota

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · from $19

Walk through Bogotá’s historic center with a local guide such as Paula, Ricardo, Jennifer, or Diana. Over three hours, you’ll visit Bolívar Square, Chorro de Quevedo, La Concordia Market, the Botero area, and Rosario Square while learning about Colombia’s history, art, politics, food, and daily life.

“I really enjoyed the tour! All the information provided was very interesting and not tiring at all. About 3 hrs tour thu La Candelaria, it was really nice and fun.”

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Cali: Walking tour of the historic center - Walking into Cali’s historic center
Cali Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours

Cali: Walking tour of the historic center

9.Walking tour of the historic center

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $41

Join Valley Adventours for a two to three-hour walk through central Cali, led by guides such as Julio or Marcela. You’ll visit La Merced, the Gold Museum, historic churches, salsa landmarks, and the Cali River, with a typical drink included.

“Get to know Cali and its iconic places, dance some salsa and spend some entertaining time with jn friendly guideby expert in Cali history.Auto-translated”

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Trekking History and Indigenous Heritage in Minca + Cacao & Coffee + Waterfall - Following trails shaped by Tayrona heritage
Coffee Experiences, Hiking & Trekking, Historical Tours, Santa Marta Tours, Tour Reviews

Trekking History and Indigenous Heritage in Minca + Cacao & Coffee + Waterfall

10.Trekking History and Indigenous Heritage in Minca + Cacao & Coffee + Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 63 reviews · from $41

Meet your bilingual guide in Minca’s central park for a medium-difficulty trek through Tayrona heritage trails. Visit Cabanas Bosque Cacao, an Arhuaco family farm, learn about cacao and coffee, taste both, and finish at a natural waterfall. Guides may include Jorge, Andrés, or Santiago.

“Jorge is knowledgeable, social and happy to answer any questions. The tour was informative and fun. A great start to your stay in Minca.”

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Visit Palenque with natives : history, culture and ancestral legacy - Meeting Benkos Bioho at the monument
Cartagena Tours, Historical Tours, San Basilio de Palenque Tours, Tour Reviews

Visit Palenque with natives : history, culture and ancestral legacy

11.Visit Palenque with natives : history, culture and ancestral legacy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $102

Travel from Cartagena to San Basilio de Palenque for a six-and-a-half-hour private cultural tour led by local guides such as Neudis, Romeo, Royman, and Victor. Learn about Palenque language, music, medicine, faith, murals, boxing, and food, with lunch and bottled water included.

“Victor was absolutely amazing! He's very knowledgeable, personable, funny, and engaging. We couldn't ask for a better guide. The residents of Palenque were all so kind and welcoming to us. It really felt like home. Also, the lunch.... it was the best meal I've had since being in Columbia! I would take this tour again in a heartbeat just for the feels!”

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7-hour City Tour of Historic Bogotá with Monserrate - Walking through La Candelaria’s old streets
Bogota Tours, City Tours, Historical Tours, Monserrate Hill Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

7-hour City Tour of Historic Bogotá with Monserrate

12.7-hour City Tour of Historic Bogotá with Monserrate

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 47 reviews · 7 hours · from $118

Spend seven focused hours exploring Bogotá with a private bilingual guide such as Juan Carlos, Carlos, or Lifred. Ride up Monserrate, walk La Candelaria, visit major museums and plazas, and taste Colombian fruit, juice, and coffee. Private hotel transport keeps this broad city introduction easy to manage.

“The Bogotá tour was simply fantastic. Our guide, Juan Carlos, was not only extremely competent but also very friendly and relaxed. He guided us through the city with a lot of knowledge, gave us exciting insights into history and culture, and we learned a lot about coffee and regional fruits in the tastings. What was particularly impressive was the combination of iconic attractions like the the Botero Museum and the top view from Monserrate including rainbow and La Calenderia . The tour was perfectly organized, including transportation, food, and a pleasant atmosphere. I highly recommend the tour and especially Juan Carlos as a guide – an unforgettable experience in Bogotá!…”

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Santa Marta A Historical & Street food Experience - Bolívar Park puts Santa Marta’s story in public view
Colombian Street Food Tours, Dining Experiences, Food, Food & Drink, Historical Tours, Santa Marta Tours, Tour Reviews

Santa Marta A Historical & Street food Experience

13.Santa Marta A Historical & Street food Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 41 reviews · 2 hours · from $56

Meet a history, journalism, or anthropology guide in Santa Marta’s old center for a two-hour walk through the Tairona Gold Museum, cathedral, plazas, churches, cemetery, and local food stops. With Sergio among the guides, expect history, architecture, fruit drinks, ceviche, lulo, and empanadas.

“The tour is very expensive and is not value for money. The guide hurried through the experience. It felt very rushed.”

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Mangroves, cultural fishing, black heritage town and lunch - Learning to Cast a Fishing Net
Cartagena Tours, Fishing, Historical Tours, Lunch Experiences, Tour Reviews

Mangroves, cultural fishing, black heritage town and lunch

14.Mangroves, cultural fishing, black heritage town and lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 29 reviews · 3 hours · from $49

Meet at Favipan Crespo for a private three-hour trip to La Boquilla. With guides such as Alex and Luis, you’ll cruise mangrove tunnels, try casting a local fishing net, learn about Afro-Caribbean life, and eat coconut-seasoned seafood by the beach.

“Everything was just as described, our guide was knowledgeable and easy to talk to about anything. 10/10”

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From bogota: Salt Cathedral tour a Cultural Heritage Tour - Entering the Salt Cathedral
Bogota Tours, Historical Tours, Salt Cathedral Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From bogota: Salt Cathedral tour a Cultural Heritage Tour

15.Salt Cathedral tour a Cultural Heritage Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · 6 hours · from $70

Travel from Bogotá to Zipaquirá with a private driver-guide, then explore the Salt Cathedral’s Stations of the Cross, chapels, and giant illuminated cross. You can join a cathedral group or use an audio guide in several languages before enjoying free time, local food, and a Colombian snack.

“O passeio foi muito bom! O guia, Sr. Sebastián, foi extremamente atencioso e fez toda a diferença na experiência. O transporte também foi ótimo, tudo muito bem organizado. Foi um passeio interessante, enriquecedor — realmente vale a pena fazer!”

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New in Historical Tours

★ 3.6PRIVATE TOUR OF MAIN SQUARES, HISTORICAL SITES + LOOKOUT POINTFrom $593 reviews
★ 5.0Tour to The Cathedral – History of Pablo Escobar and his ImpactFrom $1603 reviews
★ 5.0History, Culture & Coffee ExperienceFrom $1525 reviews

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