(8 Days / 7 Nights)
Romancing Colombia
There’s simply “something” about Colombia. It’s a country full of robust rhythms where the cadence of the people and life is so alive and palatable.
Kick off in mountainous, high-altitude Bogotá, a city of contrasts between colonial architecture and modern skyscrapers. The cultural scene is on fire thanks to young, passionate chefs, coffee roasters, baristas, designers, artists, and fashion mavens. Dive into the history, the charming neighborhoods, the markets, and ateliers to go deep and meet the artisans and designers. So traditional yet cutting edge.
Finally, land in Cartagena…ayyy, que romantico! The walled city feels as if it’s straight out of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel. Here, the mélange of colorful city squares, vibrant markets, colonial architecture, and epic ceviche and mojitos will make you swoon.
Colorful palenqueras expertly balance tropical fruit on their heads. While in town, join a local chef for a private cooking lesson in Colombia’s Caribbean cuisine, learn to salsa with the maestros, learn the art of crafting cocktails, take sail out to the paradisiacal Rosario Islands to bask in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.
The best part? The Colombian people. Their joy for life is palatable.
Ingredients
The word is out. Colombia’s food scene has finally stepped onto the global stage thanks to handful of pioneering chefs exalting the regional foodstuffs and an international love of arepas. Colombia is certainly the land of fried carbs yet also a paradise for exotic fruits and many unknown foodstuffs given the myriad of altitudes and eco-systems. By far, eating your way through the country is the best way to discover not only the culture, but also the people (and hands) that lovingly make this delicious cuisine.
Things We Love
Dancing until Dawn: A fiesta is just one song away in Colombia. Colombians are always ready to dance the night (or day) away, so naturally, salsa, merengue, and music are a way of life in Colombia. That vibrant, infectious rhythm just gets under your skin until you hardly realize you are sashaying when you walk, when you sit, and sometimes when you sleep. Best way to nail that spin? Let us hook you up with salsa maestro.
Sailing in the Rosario Islands: Cartagena may be the jewel of Colombia’s Caribbean coast, but the city beaches are far from paradisiacal. To experience those turquoise waters and sugar-sand beaches you have further afar to the Barú peninsula and the Islas de Rosario, a beautiful archipelago in the shimmering the Caribbean Sea. Spending a day on a island hopping is the best way to take in the islands by snorkeling, swimming, and an occasional beach stop. Mojitos optional. Paradise found? Absolutely.
Street Eats: Colombians have a cosa, this thing, for sweet treats, fried carbs, and…street food. In fact, street food is such an institution throughout the country that it’s the best way to take the pulse of the landscape culturally. Don’t miss the arepa con huevo, the obleas (wafers) with caramel, delicious pillowy rolls called almojábanas, and juicy meat empanadas fried to perfection. There’s also a fruit stall on every corner and plaza to to get chopped fruit or fresh juice to balance it all out. Moderation, no?
How It Works
This is a small group trip with limited space. Please contact us for a full itinerary with prices. If you have a private group or the dates don’t work, write us to discuss made-to-measure options using this itinerary as a base.
You can also click the ‘Make it Happen’ button to the right of this page to get in touch.
and the meaningful