Colombian Art, Culture and Cuisine

Colombia's capital is as recognisable and enjoyable as any other in this continent. Packed with its colonial legacy, beautiful architecture, charming historical districts, museums recounting ancient to modern treasures and times, to sophisticated restaurants, shopping malls, local markets and much more. Your travel designer will advise you on how best to spend your time here and what aspects of Bogotá would suit you.

Early in the morning you will experience the excitement of the largest market of Bogota. Discover Paloquemao and its vast and colourful array of fruits, vegetables and flowers. This is where chefs and locals come to shop for some of the best ingredients in the city. Step off the tourist trail and meet friendly vendors, learn about traditional cuisine and enjoy tasting exotic fruits from Colombia’s most remote regions.

Today you'll explore independent art galleries in the neighbourhoods of Macarena and San Felipe with a local art expert who will share stories about the exhibitions, the artists themselves and the art scene in Bogota. Many of these galleries are hidden down quiet streets and behind unassuming facades and often the artist will be there and able to answer any questions and explain their work to you.

Visit maestro Fernando Botero’s impressive personal art collection where you will see the many masterpieces of his iconic voluptuous figures, alongisde works from renowned artists such as Dalí, Monet, Picasso and Matisse.

Enjoy a private coffee tasting session where you will be guided through its distinct flavours and aromas by a coffee specialist. Understand how the quality of coffee is affected by the cultivation process, and learn how to create the perfect cup using award-winning beans.

If ever there was an example of a city turning itself around, Medellin is a shining beacon. In the 90s it was one of the world’s most dangerous cities, but fast forward 25 years and it’s one of Colombia’s most diverse and exciting cities.

Nicknamed the City of Eternal Spring thanks to its consistently pleasant climate, the capital of Antioquia enjoys a favourable location between two Andean mountain ranges. There is so much going on here and its energy is undeniably contagious.

This tour focuses on the social and cultural transformation Medellin has undergone in recent years as it moves towards peace. In addition to visiting Medellin's downtown and famous Botero Plaza, you will also visit the neighbourhood which has undergone the most dramatic transformation; Comuna 13. By riding the escalators and metrocable, you can appreciate the magnitude and significance of this barrio, now inventively connected to the heart of the city. Your local guide will provide historical background on the neighbourhood’s complicated past, as you admire its colourful graffiti, emblematic of progression and change. You will also visit the centre of hip-hop and urban art founded with the intention of young people positively channelling their energies into artistic expression.

Learn about the city’s history at El Museo Casa de la Memoria. This museum is dedicated to Colombia’s years of war with the motto 'remember to not repeat'. It features works of local artists that have used art as an expression to communicate Medellin’s violent past. It will help you put events into perspective and admire even more this city that now stand stills as Latin America’s most innovative city.

Cartagena is Colombia's coastal gem and its most romantic city. The warm Caribbean breeze gathers up sounds of salsa music and the scent of the flowers that cascade down from the balconies of the rainbow-coloured houses that line its cobbled streets. Steeped in colonial and nautical history, Cartagena boasts impressive ramparts, forts and bastions as well as plenty of Spanish-style architecture. This is a city made for exploring: wind your way through the historic centre passing carts laden with juicy fruit and women selling coconut candies under the shade of the arches that ring the plazas. There are also fortifications to explore, museums to discover and lots of rooftops from which to sit and watch the world go by.

A local chef will teach you how to make some of Cartagena's most typical dishes such as ceviche, seafood soup in coconut milk and white wine, coconut rice, plantain chips and a few other Colombian secrets. The menu can be designed based on your preferences. The classes take place at a private house in the old city with a beautiful open-air kitchen and a refreshing dip pool.

Alongside a local foodie, discover the very best ceviche in town in this unique safari supper-style experience. As one of the favourite dishes found on the Caribbean coast, you will find the freshest seafood and top quality ingredients by sampling three different dishes in three different restaurants. Bon appetit!

Enjoy a tasting experience in which your local rum expert will guide you through how rum is processed and aged, in order to recognise its unique characteristics.