Colombia Classic Luxury

Your Classic Luxury Journey begins with a stay in Bogota.

On arrival, begin your journey with a stay in Bogota.

Accommodation: Hotel Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia

Explore key sights in Colombia’s capital.

Head to the historic center of Bogota known as La Candelaria. This archaic suburb has great significance in the country’s history because of its cultural heritage and is also a great example of Spanish colonial time architecture.

Visit the main square Plaza de Bolivar, where a statue of the great emancipator Simon Bolivar is located. The Cathedral, on the eastern side of the plaza, is constructed on the same spot where the first church was built in Bogotá in 1539 and houses an important collection of religious artifacts such as textiles and artworks collection that has been built over four centuries. Stop to admire other sites such as the Palacio de Justicia, the Mayor of Bogotá’s offices called the Edificio Liévano, the oldest school in the county called San Bartolome and the Casa de los Comuneros.

The tour continues with the Botero Museum, a colonial house exhibiting some of Fernando Botero´s works of art and in addition pieces from his own personal collection that includes works by Picasso, Renoir, Dalí Matisse, Monet and Giacometti.

Next is the Gold Museum which has a permanent exhibition of some 32,000 pieces of gold, 20,000 stones, ceramics, and textiles all precious to the Quimbaya, Calima, Tayrona, Sinu, Muisca, Tolima, Tumaco and Magdalena cultures.

No visit of Bogota is complete without a stop at the vibrant Paloquemao Market, where you will experience real local life as you stroll from one vendor to another learning about the local culture.

Accommodation: Hotel Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia

Venture out to explore Zipaquirá’s famed Salt Cathedral.

Take a leisurely hike at Guatavita Lake.

Travel through the Bogotá Savannah and glance at the beautiful countryside. After a journey of roughly just over an hour you’ll reach the impressive Salt Cathedral, a true achievement of engineering. The name Zipaquirá refers to Zipa, the leader of the Muisca tribe and the chief of these rich salt mines.

Walk through tunnels, passing the 14 Stations of the Cross and continue to the dome. The dome is lit in such a way that it allows one to contemplate the universe and the relationship between man and nature. After, reach the enormous cross carved into the saline rock and finally, the three naves of the Cathedral that represent the birth, life, and death of Christ.

Head to explore Lake Guatavita, famous for being the place where the Muiscas performed the ritual that gave rise to the legend of El Dorado; the lake possesses an overwhelming beauty that can only be understood when visiting it. Enjoy lunch in the town Zipaquira before heading back to Bogota.

Accommodation: Hotel Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia

Enjoy a tour of Colombia’s Caribbean jewel.

Fly to Cartagena. Enjoy a tour of Colombia’s Caribbean jewel.

Start with a visit to the San Felipe Fortress, erected in honor of the poet from Cartagena, Don Luis Carlos López, made famous for his sonnet “A mi ciudad nativa” It was built on San Lázaro hill to defend the city from pirate attacks.

Walk around the fortress and learn how the castle was constructed, the engineering feats, the tunnels, underground galleries, and passageways. Then continue on to the Ciudad Vieja (old city) to visit the Convent and Church of San Pedro Claver which was built in the middle of the XVII century and owes its name to the “apóstol de los esclavos.”

Pay a visit to the handicrafts zone of the Bovedas, a collection of archways built into the city wall of Cartagena that were used until the end of the 1700s to house armaments and then later as a prison in the XIX century. Nowadays it is an artisan center where one can appreciate local handcraft.

Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Santa Clara

Head out to wander the cobblestone streets of Cartagena’s colorful historic centre.

Immerse yourself in Cartagena’s local history and culture, starting in Bolivar Park, shaded by large trees and with four fountains the park has a statue of the great Liberator at the center. Around the square is the Gold Museum, which exhibits a fine collection of archeological objects dating back to the pre-Hispanic period; and the Inquisition Palace, recognized for its large baroque style door. The Inquisition held its meetings here and it was also the prison and torture chambers of presumed heretics, opponents of the Catholic Church.

In Colombia, coffee is an art form. From the mountain terraces where the beans are grown and picked to the rich aroma as you take a sip, every step in the process is carefully considered. Your coffee crawl includes visits to some of Cartagena’s best cafés that will take you on a journey of discovery, learning all there is to know about Colombia’s rich coffee culture and sampling some of its finest brews along the way.

Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Santa Clara

Venture out on a boat to explore the Beautiful Rosario Islands.

The Archipelago del Rosario is located approximately one hour from Cartagena. The national park is ringed by coral reefs and lapped by clear blue waters and is the habitat for a large variety of marine fauna. The park covers 120,000 hectares and comprises the underwater shelf and the coral reefs to the west of the island of Barú, the reef that shields the Nuestra Señora del Rosario archipelago as well as the islands of Tesoro, Rosario, Múcura and Maravilla.

The 23 coral islands and islets were formed some 5000 years ago, due to ancient volcanic activity that pushed up the continental shelf and create these coral reefs. Three ecosystems thrive here: coastal lagoons, the mangroves surrounding them and a tropical forest. There will also be free time for snorkeling and relaxation. Lunch during the excursion.

Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Santa Clara

End your Colombian adventure.

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight from Colombia.