Barranquilla (Colombia)

Barranquilla, or "La Puerta de Oro de Comlombia" (Colombia's Golden Gate), is a port city of 1.1 million inhabitants located on the western side of the Magdalena River on Colombia's northern coast A rapidly expanding metropolis, it is Colombia's fourth largest city after Bogotá, Medellín and Cali.

Think huge skyscrapers, sublime beaches and American-style shopping malls and you'll get a good idea of what Barranquilla looks like. It really does have to be said that Shakira's birthplace is a modern, fun-loving place. Both an urban metropolis and a coastal resort, Barranquilla is a pleasant city with a nightlife that's somewhat … lively. Barranquilleros, as the inhabitants of Barranquilla are known, are inveterate party-goers. Partying for them means staying out right into the early hours of the morning and enjoying the sounds and rhythms of cumbia, which is both a lively, cheerful style of music and an energetic dance in which partners sway and swing their hips and pelvises in close proximity to each other.

When it comes to interesting things to see in the city, be sure not to miss the Museo del Caribe, where you'll get to learn a little more about the history of the area; the wonderful Castillo de Salgar; the cathedral located at Plaza de San Nicolás, and Bocas de Ceniza, which is the point where the Magdalena River opens out into the Caribbean Sea.