Enchanting Colombia: A Magical Journey Through Cities and Landscapes

Welcome to Bogotá! Located at 2,644 meters (8,671 feet), Colombia’s high-altitude capital is a charming yet hectic blend of old and new. With a wealth of cozy cafes, interesting museums, and ancient churches, cosmopolitan Bogotá is full of surprises. Your adventure begins with an orientation walk at 4 pm. Look for a note in the hotel lobby or ask at the hotel reception where your group will meet. There will be a formal welcome meeting at 8:00 pm for the entire group, including those who missed the orientation walk. Afterward, why not head out for a group dinner?

Today we will say goodbye to Bogotá, but not for long, and head to Cartagena on the Caribbean coast. Upon arrival, we will check into a hotel in the old town. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Latin America, protected by UNESCO. The city is decorated with colorful buildings with wooden balconies, many churches and squares, and all this beauty is surrounded by a defensive wall and impressive fortresses. After the city tour of Cartagena, we will visit the San Felipe fortress (San Filipino) a fortress surrounded by legends and mysteries that has never been occupied by enemy soldiers. The complex of buildings covers the entire hill and a system of tunnels has been installed in the area that allows you to enter and exit the fort secretly. Walking through the charming historic streets and crossing the expressive squares, we learn about the early days of Cartagena and how the Catholic Church gained an important role in the city. The afternoon is free to enjoy delicious food, coffee, and other Colombian drinks in the many cafes of Cartagena, which are full of life until the night.

Playa Blanca, south of Cartagena, on the island of Barú, is one of the most beautiful beaches in Colombia. It is a beautiful beach with white sand and crystal-clear water, which is worth visiting. Playa Blanca is beautiful and worth visiting, but it is one of the most visited beaches, so it can sometimes get very crowded, however, walking along the beach would help you get away from the crowds and find a less crowded space along this beautiful beach in Barú, Cartagena. It is important to note that in Playa Blanca you will find many vendors who will spend all their time in front of you offering you their products. Some of them can sometimes be quite insistent, so I recommend that you respond in a very kind but forceful way with a “No Thanks” if you are not interested in the product or service they are offering you. This advice also applies to masseuses or oystermen. If you are not going to buy or access the service, I also recommend that you do not receive the famous “little sample”, as you will most likely have to pay for it at the end.

Today we will transfer to Cartagena airport and fly to Medellín. Along the way, learn a little more about the city’s fascinating history. Once notorious in the 1990s for its international reputation as one of the most dangerous cities in the world (due to Pablo Escobar’s infamous drug cartel), Medellín has transformed into one of South America’s most exciting cities. And some of the country’s best museums, parks, and architecture (as well as a much safer and more comfortable atmosphere now) make it easy to see why its popularity is growing. When you arrive, you will explore this beautiful city on an orientation walk with your leader and then spend your free time