Itinerary Details
Independent Magical Colombia With Medellin
Day 1 ARRIVE IN BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA Arrive in Bogotá, where your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.
Day 2 BOGOTÁ • Included private sightseeing starts in a lively local market in the heart of the city, where you will learn about traditional Colombian food. • Continue walking through the well-preserved colonial part of the city, La Candelaria, before visits to the Gold Museum, housing one of the largest collections of pre-Hispanic gold, and the Botero Museum, featuring famous paintings from well-known artist Fernando Botero. • Cap your day off with a funicular ride up to Mount Monserrate at 10,000 feet for expansive views of Bogotá. (B)
Day 3 BOGOTÁ • Today is free to explore the modern city of Bogotá on your own. (B) Today’s I-Time Tips Today, perhaps take an optional tour to Zipaquirá’s fascinating underground salt cathedral. More than 600 feet underground, you will find this monumental architectural masterpiece built inside a salt mine. Following the labyrinth of tunnels, you will find Stations of the Cross, angels, and the Madonna statue inside this unique underground cathedral. Today, it is still a popular pilgrimage site.
Day 4 BOGOTÁ–PEREIRA (COFFEE TRIANGLE AREA) • Board your flight for Pereira in the heart of the Coffee Triangle of Colombia, the third-largest producer of coffee in the world. • After lunch in a typical restaurant, your Local Host takes you on a visit to a coffee farm to learn about the process, from planting and roasting to tasting. Walk through lush plantations, uncover the secrets of the production process, and expand your palate with the help of local baristas who share the fine art of coffee tasting. • Stay in a beautiful hacienda dating back to 1888 for the next two nights. (B,L)
Day 5 PEREIRA (COFFEE TRIANGLE AREA). EXCURSION TO COCORA VALLEY, SALENTO & FILANDIA • Drive through the region of Quindío to Cocora Valley with your Local Guide, where you will find Colombia’s national tree, the Palma de Cera—the highest palm tree in the world. Help preserve this protected species of tree through a small ritual that includes planting one of these very rare palm trees. • Next, stop in Salento, a typical village of this region, where you have time to walk through the small but vibrant streets. • Continue to Filandia, another village boasting gorgeous views of the vast Andes Mountain range. (B,L)
Day 6 PEREIRA (COFFEE TRIANGLE AREA)–CARTAGENA • Fly to Cartagena on the Caribbean coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of well-preserved colonial architecture. • Upon arrival, your private guided tour includes a visit to the Monastery of La Popa. Built on a hillside at the beginning of the 17th century, it features panoramic views of the city, its beaches, and the bay. • Next, tour San Felipe Fort, built to protect the city from pirates as well as the British and French. Head into the walled colonial city and see the brightly hued streets and plazas of Old Cartagena. • End the day with a tour of the San Pedro Claver Convent, housing impressive Pre-Columbian artifacts. (B)
Day 7 CARTAGENA • Today is free to explore on your own. (B) Today’s I-Time Tips Perhaps take an optional excursion to see the old colonial city by horse carriage. Ride past churches, squares, and old houses with balconies full of flowers.
Day 8 CARTAGENA–MEDELLIN • Fly to Medellín, the second-largest and most progressive city in Colombia. Cradled in the Aburra Valley, Medellín is one of the most beautiful in South America and is dubbed the “City of Everlasting Spring” due to its mild, year-round climate. • Upon arrival, you will be met by your Local Guide and transferred to your hotel. (B)
Day 9 MEDELLIN • Your included private sightseeing begins in the area of Santo Domingo Sabio, located between mountains. Ascend via cable car up the side of mountains and into the valley, taking in impressive views of the narrow streets full of visual and musical delights. • Learn about local culture as you reach the Biblioteca España, a unique structure that has become a symbol of the revitalization that has happened in the area. • Next, visit Parque Berrio to see one of Fernando Botero’s most famous sculptures, La Gorda (The Fat Lady). • Also visit the Antioquia Museum that houses the largest collection of Botero’s works. • End your day at the Paisa Village, a replica of the quaint villages of the region. (B)
Day 10 MEDELLIN Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
