Signature Colombia

Welcome to Bogota, Colombia’s vibrant and cosmopolitan capital, situated 2,600 metres above sea level in the Andean mountains.
In the evening, after settling into your hotel, you might choose to visit either the Chapinero or Usaquen districts and dine at one of their many restaurants which serve Colombian and South American cuisines such as arepas, ajiaco, asado, ceviche, empanadas, rondon and more.

Today you will tour Bogota’s main sights including La Candelaria, Museo del Oro, the Botero Museum and Monserrat Hill.
La Candelaria is the city’s old town, where you will find Plaza Bolivar, Bogota’s main square. There you can see Colombia’s Palace of Justice, the Capitol Building, the Cathedral of Bogota and the city mayor’s office. Nearby are buildings painted with colourful murals and street art.
Within the old city we will visit Museo del Oro, or the Gold Museum, which houses more than 55,000 pieces of gold jewellery and ornaments from Colombia’s various indigenous groups.
You will then head to the Botero Museum. It houses the works of Fernando Botero, a famous Colombian artist and sculptor, whose ‘Boterismo’ style depicts people and figures in an exaggerated manor.
We will then go to Monserrat Hill and ride a funicular (cable car) to the top to take in a panoramic view of the city.

You will fly from Bogota to Medellin, Colombia’s second largest city.
Known as the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ thanks to its excellent weather year round, Medellin is home to coffee plantations, flower farms and cloud forests.
Once a city with a notorious history, Medellin has had a complete makeover and is a safe and attractive city that now plays host to the Feria de las Flores (festival of flowers) each August.

Today you will enjoy a full day tour of Guatape. Located on a man-made reservoir, Guatape is an Andean resort town located east of Medellin that’s famous for its giant granite rock monolith known as Piedra del Penol. There you can climb its 740 steps to the top to take in spectacular views of the region.
You will then take a boat ride on the reservoir and see local’s enjoying water sports such as kayaking, fishing and sailing. Back In Guatape, we’ll wander through the village to see its churches and the colourful paintings that adorn the town’s houses.

Enjoy a half-day tour of Medellin. Visit a museum or memorial park and learn more about the gritty, dark recent history that made Medellin one of the most dangerous cities in the world. You will take the local Metro cable car to its final station, La Aurora and enjoy views of the city, from the mountains where poorer communities reside to the sprawling and modern valleys where the upper class live. Visit the neighbourhood of Comuna 13, which in recent history was a no go for residents of the city, due to being a gateway for drug trafficking and cartels, it has been transformed into a vibrant and colourful social project, known for street graffiti depicting how the area’s identity has changed. In 2002 the Colombian government launched Operation Orion to overthrow the cartel, culminating in air strikes which killed and injured hundreds. The operation succeeded, freeing the district from the guerrillas and paramilitaries control and allowing the community to redevelop.

From Medellin, you will fly to Cartagena, a city situated on Colombia’s Caribbean coastline.
Cartagena is famous for its walled old town and fortress, which were both listed as a world heritage site in 1984. After your arrival you might like to spend your time exploring the cobbled streets of this district and see the Monumento Torre del Reloj, a clock tower built between 1601 and 1631.

Today you will tour Cartagena, starting at the Convent of Santa Cruz de La Popa and its nearby monastery. Situated on top of Mount la Popa, the highest point in the city, the convent site provides excellent views.
Originally a wooden chapel built in 1607, the convent has since been reconstructed. Inside, you will find the image of La Virgin de la Candelaria, the patroness of the city. While the nearby monastery no longer houses the Augustinian monks who founded the convent, it has an attractive central courtyard you can visit.
The convent is located nearby our next stop, San Felipe castle-fortress. You will take a walk through the fortress, which is situated on San Lazaro Hill, and learn about its construction and how it once defended the city from pirate attacks. Now an artisan centre, it’s a wonderful place to purchase local handicrafts. Enjoy a walking tour of the hip and bohemian suburb of Getsamani and explore the old walled city on foot with your local guide who will point out hidden gems and share all of the history and fun facts about the city with you. You will also enjoy a range of local delicacies and try foods you can only find in the region of Cartagena.

Discover a corner of Africa in South America! This town, found by Benkos Bioho, a runaway slave who accompanied by 36 other slaves, hid in the area was the first slavery free town established in the country. The town has been declared by UNESCO to have intangible cultural heritage and has its own unique dialect and language and you will learn about their traditions and rituals. Meet the local artisans, who tell their stories through their crafts and enjoy a traditional lunch and music al performance, before returning to Cartagena.

On your final day in Cartagena you might choose to wander the historical districts of El Centro and San Diego to take one more look at the colonial architecture in the city’s old town before you are collected from your hotel and taken to the airport for your onward flight.