Barranquilla Guide

About Barranquilla

 
Barranquilla is a vibrant city located close to the Atlantic (or Caribbean) coast between Cartagena and Santa Marta. Famous for the Barranquilla Carnaval the city is representative of what many imagine South America should be like. As well as being one of the largest cities in Colombia it is also one of the safest, although you should take appropriate precautions as you would in any large city.

Barranquilla is a city of more than 1.4 million people split between the north (el Norte) and the south (el Sur). As in many Colombian cities the north is the more affluent area of the city where the professionals and business owners live and work and the best restaurants, bars, night clubs and hotels can be found. Whereas, the South is home to the majority of the population of Barranquilla and is where the poorer barrios (neighbourhoods) are located as well as the football stadium and Barranquilla’ s airport Ernesto Cortez International Airport which is about forty minutes by taxi from the north of the city and many of the hotels in Barranquilla. The wealth of the city gradually is depleted the further south you go with the worst and often most dangerous neighbourhoods on the outskirts where the city continues to expand.
 
Located almost at sea level and on the edge of the River Magdalena near the Caribbean coast there is a large port and industrial area which is within easy reach and has in the 20th Century contributed greatly to the growth of the city, making it the fourth largest in Colombia.
 
 
For information of specific aspects of Barranquilla see below 
 

The contents of this guide to Barranquilla are not aimed at someone who has been living in the city of Barranquilla for years but will hopefully provide a good introduction for those who have not travelled to Barranquilla or Colombia before.