Architecture & Cultural Treasures
Bogotá , Nariño, Medellín & Cartagena
11 - 13 days
- Colombia: Experience our enchanted origins, landscapes, architecture, and cultural treasures.
One of the biggest exporters of flowers in the world, thanks to the millions of plants blooming across the country in every color of the rainbow. - - Indulge in a trip full of stories, good music, ancient treasures, and fun-filled memories that make Colombia a truly enchanted country.
- Visit some of the Colombian highlights including our landmarks, colonial and gothic architectural monuments, churches, and historical places will transport you to different times and moments of our country’s rich history.
- Taste our fresh farm produce fruits and discover a variety of diverse flavors, textures, and colors.
Enjoy traditional neighborhoods, great lookout spots, local-sport games, colorful villages, and local artisans, and get to experience a simple yet unique lifestyle.
- Feel the warm welcome of the Colombians that are extremely polite and appreciative by nature.
Get a sip of the world’s best coffee - Colombian coffee!
- Be charmed by numerous majestic landscapes and nature spots from lagoons, beaches, mountains, and wildlife.
- From tragedy to art, you will be mesmerized by the creative talents of Colombian street artists with their graffiti artworks that depict the country’s remarkable urban transformation.
Day 1
Welcome to Colombia! | Arrive in Bogotá
Start time: Not defined
Duration: 30 minutes - 1 hour
Overnight: Bogotá
It is great to have you here in Colombia! We are delighted about your visit and we’ll make sure you will enjoy your stay.
Bogotá is Colombia’s beating heart. It is an engaging and vibrant capital cradled by chilly Andean peaks and amazing people and sceneries.
You will be picked up with a welcome sign at El Dorado Airport by a private transportation service that follows all protocols. You will be taken safely and securely to your hotel. We ensure that your 30-60 minute drive will be comfortable and relaxing.
On the way to your hotel, your English-speaking guide will give you all the recommendations you may like to get the most out of your stay. Feel free to let the guide know your preferences.Start time: 6:00 pm
Duration: 4 hours
Overnight: Bogotá
The Exciting Colombian Beer and Tejo Tour
Although Colombia may not be particularly well known for its beer, every local could tell that there is a big culture around it. Tejo, one of the activities in Colombia that involve the greatest amount of beer is both a game and a sports event. It involves clay, rock-throwing, and small gunpowder envelopes.
Tejo has been played for over 500 years dating back to Colombian native indigenous populations.
This popular tradition has become a national sport in the country. Become a Tejo player on your visit! Try out your aiming as you calm your thirst down with some national beer. The game is accompanied by a full crate of beer, so be very well-prepared for it! This unique experience is something you won’t forget when you travel back home.
As part of this tour, you will also get to visit two beer pubs that are regarded as landmarks in Colombia. Thanks to their artisan, high-quality tasting beers. Enjoy the hip atmosphere of Chapinero, one of Bogotá’s emerging areas. You will get the chance to taste different beers and identify their differences in preparation and flavors.
Hop into the fun and get ready for an exciting and unique beer night with your friends in the wonderful city of Bogotá.Day 2
Paloquemao Farmer’s Market | Colonial Downtown & Monserrate
Start time: 8:30 am - 17:00 pm
Duration: 8 hours
Overnight: Bogotá
The first stop will be at Paloquemao Market. Here you can find fresh vegetables and other farm products. Most restaurant owners and locals buy here for weekly supplies. It is one of the biggest markets in Colombia.
The square has been in operation since 1972. It is located in an old abandoned railroad warehouse with rich color and culture. It is much more than a marketplace but also a popular attraction for locals and foreign visitors.
Browse Paloquemao market stalls for fruity tropical bounties such as guanábana (soursop), feijoa, pitahaya (dragonfruit), and lulo piled up in perfect pyramids. Paloquemao is where Bogotá’s top chefs go shopping.
This iconic market is surely a must-try. You sure would want to miss the aroma of steaming almojábana and enjoy some fresh juices. Just like the country’s diversity, you also get to immerse in the delightful and varied flavors of Colombia.
After that luscious trip to the top market of Bogotá, we are going to the Colonial Downtown of the city. Here you get to see a potpourri of preciously preserved colonial buildings house museums, restaurants, hotels, and bars peppered amid 300-year-old homes, churches, and convents.
We can also visit the Colón Theater, San Carlos Palace, San Ignacio Church, Nariño Presidential Palace, Bolívar Square, City Hall, and the Cathedral. For a more unforgettable trip to the Colonial downtown, we will bring you to The Museo de Oro (Gold Museum), home to the most extensive collection of pre-Hispanic gold works in the world.
These city treasures are the main attractions you can’t miss in Bogotá. After that, you get to enjoy a fantastic view of the whole city on a cable car ride to Monserrate Hill. Ready your cameras for the magical bird’s eye view scenery of the cityscape.Day 3
Flight from Bogotá to Pasto. Discover The Surprise City of Colombia
Today is your last day in Bogotá, but we are sure that you will leave with a big smile on your face and a big heart that surely would wish to stay for longer.
Enjoy your delicious breakfast at your hotel and based on the time of your departure flight, you will be taken to El Dorado Airport by a private transportation service and your English-speaking guide.
We do sincerely hope to see you soon in the city! There are more things to experience and discover in Bogotá.Private Transportation Service
Welcome to Pasto! You will be picked up at the airport by a private transportation service to get you to your hotel. The approximately 60-70 minutes ride is guaranteed to be relaxing, comfortable, and hassle-free.
On the way to your hotel, your English-speaking guide can give you all the recommendations you may like to get the most out of your stay.
San Juan de Pasto, the city of the department of Nariño in southern Colombia, has been the region's cultural and religious administrative center since the time of the colony.
Nuno de Los Pastos, which means “Knot of the Pastos” and also known as “Massif of Huaca”, is the Andes orographic complex or knot formed in Colombia by the merging of the terminal Andes mountain ranges including Cordilleras Oriental, Central, and Occidental. It is located in the Ecuadorian province of Carchi and the Colombian department of Nariño.
Here, you get to witness a breathtaking view of the dazzling landscapes and various shades of green. Thanks to hundreds of small plots with crops of different produce.
From Pasto, you can access lagoons, volcanoes, moors, warm valleys, and tropical beaches.Start time: Transfer in and out under request. City Tour at 2:00 pm (if applies)
Duration: 4- 5 hours
Overnight: Pasto
Discover Architectonical Treasures at our Surprise City
Discover San Juan de Pasto, the "Colombia’s "Surprise City.” Start your day by visiting the downtown templates recognized for their Republican architecture, colonial time images, woodcarvings, and Quito art paintings. Your guide will walk you through the stories that give Pasto the recognition of a cultural city.
To get to know the historical and cultural part of the city, we will visit the Nariño main square and, of course, the carnival museum, where you will appreciate why this department breathes art.
Don’t forget the Pasto varnish mopa-mopa workshops which include three traditional trades such as harvesting, woodworking, and decorative varnishing. The unique artisanship and technique are declared one of the most valued cultural heritage of Colombia.
Go deeper into the culture of beautiful Colombia and go to a gastronomic experience where you get to participate in the elaboration of Artisanal ice cream called the famous “paila ice cream”. The city tour will be capped off with a coffee cupping activity that will be spearheaded by an expert barista.Day 4
Las Lajas Shrine & Its Majestic Route
Start time: 8:30 am - 6:30 pm
Duration: 10 hours
Overnight: Pasto
On this day, you will discover the stunning beauty and calming Las Lajas Sanctuary. It is a gorgeous basilica church built in the early 1900s with imitation gothic architecture.
This church is located in the Guáitara river canyon which is one of the seven wonders of Colombia. The British newspaper ‘The Daily Telegraph’ considered the church as one of the most beautiful churches in the world among its list of 23 churches. It is because this church’s location and architecture are perfect.
After breakfast, you will take a trip of about two hours from Pasto to the city of Ipiales. On the way, you will learn different aspects of the history, culture, and geography of the people from Nariño.
Once you arrive, you will visit the commercial area to see some lovely handicrafts. Then, we will take you to descend to the Sanctuary, where the image of the mestizo or Lady of the Lajas is located.
You can make a spiritual encounter with yourself, pray, attend the celebration of the Eucharist, and delight in the impressive architecture of the Sanctuary. The pace is up to you when we get here.
Also, you will have the opportunity to visit the museum and its low levels. You can enjoy some short walks that fill you with energy and help you release more happy hormones.
Get your cameras ready!
The marvelous landscape where the Sanctuary is located is mesmerizing and we are sure that this will become your favorite place in the city. You will be accompanied by your expert guide who will also detail the history of the image and the sanctuary.
We will cap off the visit to the Sanctuary by taking a cable car tour where you can see the imposing Guaitara Canyon that crosses the entire department of Nariño from South to North.
We will continue the trip to the Republic of Ecuador and cross the border, visit the old custom houses, and arrive at the Tulcán cemetery to find its famous unique pieces carved on the trees of Cyprus.
End the day touring the local market and return to the city of Pasto.Day 5
The Charming and Mysterious Cocha Lagoon
Start time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm <br>
Duration: 8 hours
Overnight: Pasto
Today, you will visit La Cocha Lagoon. It is a volcanic crater lake where the island of La Corota is located. You also get to see the second largest lake in Colombia - Laguna de la Cocha - along the road to the Putumayo department.
La Cocha Lagoon is located 40 minutes from Pasto in a place full of charm, magic, great vibes, high energy, and natural beauty.
The most fun part of visiting this mysterious lagoon is the experience along the way where you get to enjoy a lovely walk where Instagramable houses surround you. They are mostly made of Swiss-influenced wood adorned with beautiful flowers all over their balconies that embellish the landscape in a magical way.
This perfect scenery is an eye-candy, especially for photographers.
We will visit a typical country house full of human warmth. Have a tour through a reservation of self-sustaining civil society, where we find water births, organic crops, a home garden, guinea pig farms, and farm animals.
These lovely families will offer us a typical snack of the area prepared by them with products from the same reserve. All food is organic and cultivated by the farmers where tourism is their very source of income. It also allows them to preserve the environment by keeping everything fresh and clean.
If you want to know more about Colombia, you should experience the warmth of its people. They will welcome you with big smiles and you will surely feel at home.
After the visit, we will sail by boat through the Lagoon until we reach the smallest natural park in Colombia - La Corota Island. Marvel in the incomparable beauty of its path where you can explore its ecosystems, flora, and fauna.
At the end of the road, you will learn a beautiful myth about the creation and formation of the Lagoon.
A truly magical experience you can share with your loved ones!Day 6
Pasto to Medellín, Fondas Experience (Local Saloons)
Welcome to Medellín! You will be picked up with a welcome sign at Medellín Jose Maria Cordova Airport by a private transportation service and taken to your hotel.
The drive will be approximately 40-60 minutes to your hotel. On the way, your English-speaking guide can give you all the recommendations you may like to get the most out of your stay.Cortesía del Bureau de Medellín y Medellin.travel
Start time: 6:00 pm
Duration: 4 hours
Overnight: Medellín
Fondas Experience
In the afternoon-night, you will be picked up at your hotel to be transported to one of the most traditional nightlife experiences in the city called Las “Fondas”. They are local bars located in the suburbs of Medellín.
These bars are exotically decorated featuring traditional Colombian music. Delve into the wonderful world of Fondas and absorb the lively charm of Medellín's downtown.
In the old times, farmers usually stop there to take a break with their mules and horses to enjoy the typical “Aguardiente” liquor. They were considered traditional shops throughout the Andean mountains.
They have become a very popular destination for the locals to have a good time. The decorations include common artifacts, traditional appliances, paintings, and religious icons that reflect the cultural heritage of the so-called Paisa Culture.
This tour will take you to several local “Fondas”.
*This tour is only available from Thursday to Saturday in the eveningDay 7
The City of Eternal Spring and Its Story of Transformation
Start time: 8:00 am
Duration: 8 hours
Overnight: Medellín
On this day, you get to explore and learn more about the rich history of Medellín. Stroll through the hustle and bustle of the City of Eternal Spring to the famous Botero Plaza located in Parque el Berrio with an exhibition of Colombian artist Fernando Botero.
In its downtown and historic center, you will also get to see 23 outdoor bronze sculptures which are now a landmark in the city. It would be best to take photos beside the sculptures to add to your travel memories.
After that, you will take the Metro Cable up to Santo Domingo. The cable car was constructed to make the inner city more accessible to people from the outskirts of town and allow the visitors to take a glimpse of the lives of the marginalized population.
While enjoying the spectacular view from the cable car, your guide will help you learn more about Medellín which houses the warmest and friendliest people in the world.
On this day, you also get to discover one of the most transformative communities in Colombia -The Comuna 13.
It is among the most visited places in Medellín. If you are looking to experience the unique culture of the city, Comuna 13 tour is a perfect way to explore its rich art and history.
See firsthand the positive changes that occurred in the area since its dark times. You will be amazed by the ability of its people to completely turn their community around for the better by raising awareness and life-changing programs which include stress artists who sparked and ignited hope in the area by telling their stories through graffitis.
Their message of hope for a better community, which they have already achieved, can be seen in their artworks.Day 8
Colorful Colombia: Flowers, Nature & Villages: Silletas, Guatapé & El Peñol
Start time: 8:00 am
Duration: 10 hours
Overnight: Medellín
You will start the day in the small village of Santa Elena which is located only an hour outside of Medellín. It is home to a great variety of traditional flower farmers.
The flower arrangements of the Flower Festival (“Feria de Flores”), called “silletas” have an impressive history and are now regarded as a cultural symbol of Medellín.
On this tour, we will be visiting an organic flower farm and experiencing the traditional peasant culture of Santa Elena.
After that, we are going to drive to Guatapé which offers a peaceful break from the city while also featuring a stunning panoramic view of nature and the surrounding scenery from the top of its hill.
Upon arrival, we will start off with the Rock of Guatapé in Antioquia. This is among the main attractions of Medellín. This gigantic granitic monolith is pretty much visible wherever you are in the city. This massive stone has been formed millions of years ago. The ancient Tahamies Indians, former inhabitants of the region, used to worship the Guatapé Rock.
Climbing the rock will take 740 steps and is approximately 220 meters high, but will be very rewarding. As you reach the top, you can get a panoramic view of the beautiful Peñol Reservoir. The magical and breathtaking views of the region will surely render you speechless.
The fingers of the lake sprawling amid the vast expanse of the green mountains, this 360-degree magical view is a must-see in Colombia.
After that awe-inspiring experience, you will be transported to Guatapé proper. It is famous for its church and colorful village. Whether you love photography or not, you surely won’t get enough of this place. It is renowned as one of the most colorful towns in the whole world.
Truth be told, it will be pretty hard to find a street in Guatapé that is not worthy of being admired and photographed. Ready your lens and take as many pictures and videos as you like.
Guatapé is known for the fresco-like adornment of its traditional houses with brightly painted bas-relief depictions of people, animals, and shapes. Walk through the streets, where your specialized guide will inform you about the history of typical houses, ¨zocalos¨, and this unique culture.
Enjoy a delicious typical Colombian lunch at the waterfront of the Guatapé reservoir. You may also explore the lake on a boat ride and take time to stroll and relax at your own pace.Cortesía del Bureau de Medellín y Medellin.travel
Day 9
Medellín to Cartagena, Street Food Tasting to the Sound of Gabo Stories
Welcome to Cartagena! You will be picked up with a welcome sign at Rafael Núñez Airport by a private transportation service and be transported safely to your hotel.
You can relax during your approximately 15-20 minutes drive. On the way to your hotel, your English-speaking guide can give you all the recommendations you may like to get the most out of your stay.Start time: 9:00 am
Duration: 3 hours
Overnight: Cartagena
Gabo Street Food Tour
Explore the traditional Caribbean Colombian gastronomy and discover the flavors of the magical realism of Nobel Prize author Gabriel Garcia Márquez.
Relive the magic of some of his most celebrated texts along the street while enjoying some of the bites and drinks that Gabo served to his characters in the delicious passages excerpted from “Love In The Times Of Cholera”, “Of Love & Other Demons”, and the laureate “One Hundred Years Of Solitude”.Day 10
Discover the Queen of America - Flavor Journey with a Rum Tasting
Start time: 9:00 am
Duration: 4 hours
Overnight: Cartagena
The city is designed like a fortress because it used to be the principal shipping port of gold from the New World back to Spain.
The stone ramparts helped protect it from countless pirate attacks, including Sir Francis Drake's most famous of all.
Talking about this rich history, on this day, you get to visit numerous plazas, the church, the monastery of San Pedro Claver, and the Basilica Minor cathedral.
This is another great chance to stroll along the narrow cobbled streets lined with colonial houses.
Then, you will visit the Castle where the Spaniards sought to protect the city from the attacks of the English in the seventeenth century known as "El Castillo De San Felipe de Barajas."
Visit the Getsemani neighborhood, one of the most traditional and popular sectors of the city. You will enjoy a guided scenic walk and get to visit different streets. You will surely appreciate the graffiti that adorn some streets in the area.Start time: 6:00 pm
Duration: 1.5 hours
Overnight: Cartagena
Rum Tasting
Want to explore new flavors and textures? Try the nectar of the Gods in Cartagena with this premium rum tasting experience. This tour will walk you through the history and brewing process of the country’s most prized exports.
Savor the Caribbean groove in this private tour.
Discover new flavors and textures and learn to distinguish between a good cocktail and our exquisite liquor.
This exceptional experience will be led by one of the most celebrated mixologists in Colombia. He will guide you and show you that the mysterious world of liquor goes way beyond a bottle.
As part of the main service, chocolate is offered too for rum tasting.
The tasting is based on different rums from our Colombian culture accompanied by the best chocolates in our land.
Did you know that the best rums in the world are classified as Colombian artisan rums? You will recognize the different notes of coffee, caramel, vanilla, and much more. You will learn how to distinguish them in this tour.
The tasting consists of Colombian rums, spirits, and infused rums. During the tasting, you will learn about the origin and the process of making each rum presented to you. Our tasting lasts approximately 1.5 hours.Day 11
Barú Town & Beach at the Rosario Islands
Start time: 8:00 am
Duration: 9 hours
Overnight: Cartagena
Indulge yourself in the warm, crystal waters of the Caribbean. You will be picked up from your hotel and transported to Barú for about an hour of travel.
Barú is a peninsula often called an island, bounded by the Bay of Cartagena, the Dique Canal, and the Caribbean Sea.
Upon arrival, you will enjoy a typical breakfast in a local family house of one of the native people.
After that, we will take a boat to Isla Grande in the archipelago of the Rosario Islands.
The Rosario Islands are an integral part of one of Colombia’s most important national parks. The only park in the country that is primarily underwater. As such, the islands and surrounding waters are well preserved and protected which means you can enjoy their wonders as nature intended.
The fun tour doesn’t end there. We will stop at one or two spectacular spots for snorkeling. Then, you will finally be able to enjoy and rest at the beach.
A luscious lunch with fresh fish prepared by locals will then be served. It is an experience you wouldn’t want to miss when visiting Cartagena.Day 12
Palenque: The first “free town” for Africans in the Americas
Start time: 9:00 am
Duration: 7 hours
Overnight: Cartagena
On this day, you’ll be leaving the city on a day trip to visit the town of San Basilio de Palenque.
Centuries ago, Cartagena was Colombia’s main port of entry for slaves abducted from Africa.
During the 17th century, escaped slaves built isolated forts in the jungles surrounding Cartagena. Palenque, located just over an hour from Cartagena, is the only fort that survived during the intervening years.
Today, the Afro-Colombian inhabitants of San Basilio de Palenque have preserved many of the customs of their African ancestors. You will be able to see it in the traditional dress of the ‘palenqueras’ — women who sell fresh fruit and other goods out of baskets often carried on their heads.
You'll speak with the locals, learn about their heritage, and enjoy a traditional lunch.
This will be a full day of knowledge, camaraderie, and incredible music and food.
You will also learn about their traditional hairstyles and understand the importance that hair played for their ancestors in the construction of their recipes and the path to freedom.
As we continue the tour, we will also visit the square in the Tronconá neighborhood and other significant places.
Then, you will be taken back to the city of Cartagena.Day 13
Adiós Colombia! Departure. Transfer out Cartagena
Today is your last day in Cartagena. Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, and based on the time of your departure flight, you will be taken from the city of Cartagena to the Rafael Núñez International Airport by a private transportation service.
Thank you so much for visiting Colombia. It is a great honor to tour you in our country. We hope you had a great time and we hope to see you again.
Have a safe flight back home!
Information & Documents
Recommendations
- Private Itinerary.
- We can customize the itinerary according to your travel preferences and budgets.
- Accommodations can be arranged based on your preferences: Comfort, Luxury, Boutique, Eco-lodges.