Colombia's next puente festivo runs from Saturday, October 10 to Monday, October 12, 2026. A puente festivo is a long weekend: under Law 51 of 1983 (the Ley Emiliani) most public holidays move to the following Monday, so the country gets about 18 three-day weekends a year, and everyone drives out of the cities at the same time. Near Bogotá or Medellín, the typical price of a finca (a country house you rent whole, usually with a pool, for a group or a family) runs from about COP 500,000 to COP 1,000,000 per night, depending on the destination. If you haven't booked yet, there is still time: this guide tells you where to look first and where you'll find the most options at the last minute.
What is celebrated on October 12?
Since Law 2347 of 2024, the holiday once known as Día de la Raza (Columbus Day) is called the Day of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity of the Nation. In 2026, October 12 falls on a Monday, so there is nothing to move: the long weekend is Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
This year the long weekend comes right at the end of the October school break (semana de receso): in public schools the break runs from Monday, October 5 to Monday, October 12, and in Bogotá classes resume on Tuesday, October 13. That is why it fills up more than a normal puente. And if your family can manage it, leaving on Saturday, October 3 and coming back on Monday, October 12 gives you ten days at a finca. Private schools set their own calendars, so check yours. How to make the most of that week is in the school break guide.
How much does a finca near Bogotá cost for the long weekend?
These are the typical nightly prices owners ask on Finkeros, as of September 29, 2026:
| Destination | Typical price per night |
|---|---|
| Melgar | COP 600,000 |
| La Vega | COP 500,000 |
| La Mesa | COP 550,000 |
| Villeta | COP 850,000 |
| Girardot | COP 890,000 |
| Anapoima | COP 1,000,000 |
All of them are hot-weather destinations (tierra caliente, the lowlands where it runs 23–35 °C, 73–95 °F), except La Mesa and La Vega, which are temperate. Melgar is the most searched destination near Bogotá and also one of the cheapest, so it is the first to fill up. If it's your plan, book it this week. Anapoima and Girardot have more supply and more large fincas, so they leave a bit more room. For a trip without three hours on the road, Villeta and La Vega are less than two hours away on the highway toward Medellín.
More options in the guide to fincas near Bogotá and the one to the hot lowlands of Cundinamarca.
And near Medellín?
| Destination | Typical price per night |
|---|---|
| Barbosa | COP 750,000 |
| Santa Fe de Antioquia | COP 800,000 |
| Sopetrán | COP 800,000 |
| Girardota | COP 900,000 |
| Copacabana | COP 955,000 |
| San Jerónimo | COP 1,000,000 |
Barbosa and San Jerónimo are the most searched destinations near Medellín. The good news if you book late is that Antioquia has plenty of supply for groups: most fincas in Barbosa and Copacabana take 20 people or more, and through the Túnel de Occidente, San Jerónimo, Sopetrán and Santa Fe de Antioquia add up to many options with a pool. See the guide to fincas near Medellín.
And near Cali?
Prices are lower around Cali. In Cali itself a night runs about COP 775,000, in Palmira COP 850,000, in La Cumbre, cool and up in the mountains, COP 650,000, and in Dagua, on the road to the Pacific coast, COP 350,000, the cheapest option in the area. More detail in fincas near Cali.
For a large group?
For 20 people or more, the typical price per night is about COP 760,000 in Barbosa, COP 950,000 in Copacabana, COP 800,000 in Anapoima and COP 1,000,000 in San Jerónimo. Split across the group, a two-night long weekend often comes to less than COP 100,000 per person. If there are more than 20 of you, filter by capacity from the start: large fincas are the first to be booked on a long weekend.
How to find a finca a few days before the long weekend
1. Look in the next municipality over. If Melgar is full, try Carmen de Apicalá or Girardot; if Anapoima is full, La Mesa or Tocaima. They are a few minutes away and usually have availability when the main destination doesn't. 2. Contact several fincas on the same day. On a long weekend the owner goes with whoever confirms first. Message or call three or four at once and go with the first one that confirms dates and price. 3. Ask for the long-weekend price, not the single-night rate. Many owners charge for the whole weekend, two nights minimum. Also ask about checkout time on Monday: some extend it if nobody is arriving that day. 4. Start with the approved fincas. For the approved fincas we verify that the finca exists, that the photos are of it and that the contact is real. It doesn't replace your own care with the payment, but it saves time when you're booking in a hurry. 5. Ask for a covered area. October is rainy season in central Colombia. A finca with a kiosk (an open-sided thatched shelter) or a covered dining area saves the weekend even if it rains in the afternoon.
After this one, when is the next long weekend?
The next one is All Saints' Day, from Saturday, October 31 to Monday, November 2, and after that the Independence of Cartagena, from Saturday, November 14 to Monday, November 16. For both, it's best to book three to four weeks ahead.
Frequently asked questions
When is the October 2026 long weekend?
From Saturday, October 10 to Monday, October 12, 2026. Monday the 12th is the Day of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity of the Nation, formerly called Día de la Raza.
How much does it cost to rent a finca for the October 12 long weekend?
Near Bogotá, the typical price owners ask on Finkeros runs from about COP 500,000 per night in La Vega to COP 1,000,000 in Anapoima. Near Medellín, from COP 750,000 in Barbosa to COP 1,000,000 in San Jerónimo. Many charge for the whole long weekend, two nights minimum.
Can you still find a finca for the long weekend?
Yes. A few days out, what works best is looking in the municipality next to the most popular destination and contacting several fincas on the same day.
What is the most searched finca destination near Bogotá?
Melgar, in Tolima. It is also one of the cheapest hot-weather destinations, with a typical price of about COP 600,000 per night, so it pays to book it before the others.
Does it rain in October?
October and November are the second rainy season in central Colombia. It usually rains in the afternoon, so a finca with a large covered area is the best guarantee that the long weekend goes well.
How we calculated the prices
The typical price is the median nightly price owners ask in the rental listings published on Finkeros as of September 29, 2026, excluding out-of-range values (less than COP 150,000 or more than COP 10,000,000 per night). It is the asking price, not the price paid, and it does not distinguish by season: on a long weekend, some owners charge more.