By now, you maybe know that Encanto, Disney’s latest movie, depicts a magical Colombian family, but its story is not the only amazing characteristic, but its true depiction of Colombian culture.
And this is a result of years of traveling and studying different regions of Colombia. From the central valleys filled with haciendas cafetaleras, to its diverse rainforest and its Caribbean cities full of history.
That’s why we enlist some of the must-visit destinations in Colombian that you should add to your bucket list if you loved Encanto.
Valle de Cocora, the inspiration for Encanto’s village
Right between Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali -Colombia’s main cities-, you can find Valle de Cocora, the inspiration of the village where the casita of the Madrigal family is located.
Its mountains adorned by 200 feet palm trees were the inspiration Byron Howard and Jared Bush, directors of Encanto.
The best part of this place is that it is located in the heart of the Eje Cafetero (Coffee Axis), meaning you can visit haciendas cafetaleras where you’ll learn about Colombian coffee and its process.
Chocó, the Colombian rainforest
Located on the Colombian west coast, this is the place that was an inspiration for Antonio’s room. The Chocó rainforest is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in Colombia and is the house of animals such as jaguars and tapirs.
Caño Cristales, the rainbow river
This is one of the most magical destinations in Colombia, especially if you love nature. This river is colored yellow, blue, black, green, and red thanks to its plants that change colors between July and November thanks to sunlight.
It has been named the prettiest river in the world and it was certainly an inspiration for Encanto’s river, where Abuela and Maribel reconcile.
It is located in La Macarena National Park, an ecological meeting point of the Andes, Amazonia, and Orinoquia regions, making it a truly unique area of Colombia for flora and fauna.
Barichara, picturesque streets
Remember the opening scene of Encanto when Maribel sings throughout the village and stone-paved streets with colorful houses are presented? Well, Barichara is the inspiration behind this.
The village is well-known for its 18th century perfectly preserved houses, so much that it feels like a town lost in time.
Cartagena, the flowered-balcony village
If you loved the colonial village vibes that casita has, as well as seeing the streets flooded with colorful flowers and want to spend a really nice time listening to Colombian music, then you must visit Cartagena.
This coastal city is one of the most important for its architectural and cultural richness.
Encanto’s flower balconies, pastel-colored houses, and even the central court casita has, was inspired in Cartagena’s constructions.
Aracataca and its yellow butterflies
This little town on the northeast coast of Colombia not only is the birthplace of Gabriel García Márquez but also a sanctuary for butterflies.
Of course, this place was an inspiration for yellow butterflies that reference not only Gabo’s literary work One Hundred Years of Solitude, but as well the fauna richness of Colombia.
In Aracataca you can visit Márquez’s house while admiring the village of the butterflies.
Valledupar, the place of Vallenato
Did you love Encanto’s music? Then you love Latin-American rhythms and of course, vallenato, salsa, and champeta are the Colombian ones.
In Valledupar you can learn more about Vallenato, a Colombian genre born out of African and European rhythms. If you visit this village in late September or early October, you’ll have the chance to live the vallenato festival that, surely, fills the streets with people dancing and singing.
Bogotá, the house of ajiaco
If you pay attention during Isabela and Mariano proposal dinner, you may have noticed that Madrigal family’s choice of dish was no more than ajiaco, a Colombian traditional soup from rainy Bogotá.
If you happen to visit the capital, then you should go to La Puerta Falsa, a tiny restaurant located in the historic capital and where you can eat the famous ajiaco made out of a broth of different types of potatoes, corn on the cob, some chicken, avocado, capers, and thick cream.
The quest for the perfect arepas
Arepas, a very traditional Colombian dish, has many interpretations in different Colombian regions, so if you want a crispy arepa stuffed with cheese, then you should visit the Boyacá region; however, if you look for arepas de huevo, meaning stuffed with a fried egg, then go to Caribbean cities like Barranquilla or Cartagena. But if you look for different arepas, maybe try one filled with chicharron (deep fried pork skin), a classic in the Santander district.
Medellín, the city of flowers
Encanto without its flowers will be nothing and it was Medellín the city that inspired this. In here, they have la Fería de las Flores, famous for its Desfile de Silleteros, a farmworkers parade that carry flower arrangements on their backs.
