Grand Tour of Colombia

Departure from Sofia airport at 06:15 on a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. Arrival at 07:50 and continuation to Bogotá at 13:55. (Airfare is outside the package price of the trip.) Landing in the Colombian capital at 19:25. As well as being located in the centre of the country, Colombia's capital rises 2,640m in the Andes, making it the third highest city in South America after the capitals of La Paz and Quito. Welcome, transfer from the airport to the city centre and check-in at the hotel  Estelar La Fontana Bogota 5* in the modern part of Bogotá with plenty of bars and nice restaurants. Free time for acclimatization and dinner. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today is dedicated to the beautiful capital of Colombia, also called the „Athens of South America“. 
Our full-day program begins about 50 km from Bogotá with a visit to the town of Sipakira and the unique Salt Cathedral, built 200m underground in the salt rock. Although the church is a strong attraction for tourists from all over the world, as well as for local pilgrims with over 3,000 visitors every Sunday, it does not actually have a bishop or even the official status of a cathedral in the Catholic world. The old cathedral was built in 1954, and some of its galleries were carved by the ancient Muis people. As the building was constructed in an active mine, for security reasons the church was closed in 1990. However, soon afterwards a competition was launched to build a new cathedral and after only 5 years the new structure was built 60 m below the old one. Drive back to Bogotá and walking tour of the Old Town or the so-called „La Candelaria”, typical for its colonial architecture and cobbled streets: the Plaza Bolívar with the most important buildings around, the National Congress, the Capitol (outside), a visit to the Cathedral, the Palace of Justice and City Hall (outside), the Teatro Colón (outside), the Library of Luiz Ángel Arango (outside), etc. Lunch included at a local restaurant where you will taste the typical flavors of traditional Colombian cuisine.

Next is a visit to The Museum of Gold with more than 55,000 gold works and objects from before the Spanish invasion of the country. The museum itself is housed in a bank building and is extremely heavily guarded. Among the museum's most interesting exhibits is the golden raft depicting the Legend of El Dorado, according to which the indigenous Muisco tribe used to offer hundreds of precious gold objects as gifts to the gods by throwing them into Lake Guatavita. In this way they hoped to appease the deities and restore the disturbed balance. Visit the house of the famous Latin American revolutionary Simón Bolívar - House Quinta de Bolivar. Return to the hotel and free time to immerse yourself in the vibrant nightlife of the capital. Overnight.

Breakfast and transfer to the airport for your flight to Medellin. Colombia's second largest city will charm you with a mix of old colonial architecture and new modern solutions. You will immerse yourself in the "Land of Eternal Spring" with its historic squares filled with modern sculptures, parks, greenery and lots of flowers. It's no coincidence that they call Medellín the "Capital of Flowers". Hotel accommodation Poblado Plaza Medelin 5*.
The sightseeing tour starts with a walking tour in the historic center of Medellín - Candelaria district: the Cathedral and the artistic Botero Square, named after Medellín's most famous artist - Fernando Botero. In the square there are 23 sculptures in the artist's own unique style called Botterism. His recognizable style in art is characterized by exaggerated proportions of animals, people and parts of the human body. This suggests that all his artwork is „fat“ and very humorous! Next we visit the most famous district „Commune 13“, which has preserved the atmosphere of an authentic ghetto, with its colourful and noisy street life, boiling to the rhythm of rap and beat-boxing. Enormous graffiti by local artists tell stories of the struggle of poor refugees against the tentacles of the drug cartel, their quest for a free and just life. Tourists are only allowed to enter the commune with an escort from their community, who will ensure the safety and friendliness of the locals and guide you through the maze of narrow streets, passageways and panoramic terraces. Traversing the neighborhood, you'll ascend the unique escalator streets to the top of the hill with spectacular views of the city. Return to the hotel. Free time for dinner. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel and full day excursion to the „Green part of Colombia“ - Guatape. The route passes through the greenest part of the country with many „colorful“ villages, towns and pastoral landscapes. Included is a rickshaw tour of the town of Guatape with its many colorful pastel-hued houses and free time for lunch and a walk. Optional ascent of the granite rock massif of El Piñol (entrance fee payable locally) or time to enjoy the panoramic views in the area of this unique natural phenomenon. Next, take a boat ride on the calm waters of Guatape Dam and visit Viejo Pinol, a life-size recreation of the central square of the old settlement that remained submerged under the waters of the dam. When the construction of the water reservoir and power plant began in 1970, the local people managed to save part of the old church and important buildings around it - they dismantled the buildings and moved them to the neighbouring hill, preserving the atmosphere and colour of their birthplace. Return back to Medellín. Free time for dinner. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel and free day to explore the city. Optional -
Full-day excursion to a coffee and cocoa farm, lunch included. The tour
„Coffee and Chocolate“ is perfect for you if you love breathtaking landscapes and
you prefer to be surrounded by the freshness of nature. During
this tour you will visit two different authentic farms: one for cocoa, and
the other for coffee, both relatively close to town. The place will not only
learn, but you will also participate in all steps in the production of
high-quality coffee and cocoa beans - from planting the seeds to
the baking and packaging of the product. In addition to this experience,
is offered a delicious traditional lunch served on the farm with an amazing
panoramic view (drinks to be ordered and paid extra).

After breakfast, transfer to Medellín airport for your flight to the Caribbean coast - Santa Marta. Also known as the „Pearl of Colombia“, this was the first settlement founded by the Spanish conquistador Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1525. The unforgettable landscapes, with its green vegetation, blue sea, yellow sun and sand, and the contrast between the beaches and the white-peaked Sierra Nevada mountains, make Santa Marta a must-stop on our journey. This is also the place where the famous revolutionary and national hero of the whole of South America, Simón Bolívar, spent his last days. Welcome and accommodation at the five-star hotel complex Hotel Irotama del Lago 5*, located on the first line in the resort area of the town.

Breakfast. Free day to relax on the shores of the warm Caribbean Sea - the hotel's private beach, around the pools and bars in the complex. On site, you can sign up for coral reef diving or stroll through the colorful streets of the historic downtown area, and explore more gold jewelry exhibits at the Tyrone Gold Museum. You can take beautiful pictures of colonial architecture if you visit the Simon Bolivar House Museum.
If you want to spend a more active day, we offer a full-day catamaran excursion to Tairona National Park. Departure by minibus from the hotel to the port of Santa Marta, where you will board the cruise boat. During the one-hour sail you will enjoy beautiful bays and azure expanse, and snacks and cold soft drinks are available on board. In Tayrona National Park, you'll disembark on the beautiful sandy beach of Bahia Concha, where you can spend the day enjoying the crystal clear water or stroll along the park's trails amid thick tropical foliage. Lunch included, served by the boat crew. Return to Santa Marta and free time for dinner and nightly entertainment.

After breakfast we depart overland for Cartagena, following the curves of the blue Caribbean coast. Our first stop will be in the town of Barranquilla, birthplace of the famous pop singer Shakira. After a short tour of the town, we will relax and have lunch at a local restaurant. We continue our journey west and as we approach Cartagena, we will visit the famous Convento de la Popa Monastery, towering on La Popa hill above the city. The religious complex dates back to 1607, built with funds donated by the wealthy Neapolitan Don Fabricio Sanchez to bring the Christian faith back to this land, which legend has it was inhabited by an evil spirit. Since its construction, the Popa Monastery has attracted all eyes, including those of pirates, who considered it a fortified castle hiding untold riches. The panoramic view from the top reveals the entire coastline as if in the palm of your hand, San Felipe de Barajas Fortress and the colourful city of Cartagena. Hotel accommodation  Caribe By Faranda Grand Hotel, a member of Radisson Individuals 5* - luxury and comfort in the new part of the city. Free time for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, transfer to the historic city center. Cartagena will enchant you with its romance and beauty, preserved behind a 13-kilometer colonial wall, still whispering legends of pirate raids and sea battles. It's no coincidence that Cartagena's historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its labyrinth of cobbled alleys, colourful facades, flower-covered terraces and huge churches bearing the spirit of the colonial era. A panoramic tour of the city with a visit to San Felipe de Barajas, the largest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in their colony, which remains unconquered to this day. The tour also includes a visit to the Church of San Pedro Claver, named after the priest who dedicated his life to the slaves brought over on ships from Africa, for which he is also known as the „Apostle of the Blacks”. We continue to the Clock Tower and the Palace of the Inquisition (outside), where pagans were once tortured in colonized Cartagena. Free time for lunch in the central parts of the old city and a self-guided tour. In the evening you can soak up the magical atmosphere of Cartagena at night in typical Colombian style - with a refreshing drink in hand and accompanied by live music, ending the experience with a typical dinner in a Colombian restaurant.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you have a free day for a self-guided tour of the beautiful coastal capital - you can explore the so-called „Las Bovedas”, a building in the historic centre that once served as a prison, but now the cells have been converted as souvenir and handicraft shops; you can also stay in one of the many cafes and restaurants and try the delicious Caribbean cuisine, typical for its variety of seafood and tropical fruits.

Optional and pre-paid - full day excursion with lunch included to the island archipelago of Rosario, which has been declared a national park due to its well-preserved ecosystem. During this excursion you will visit one of the islands and you will be able to relax on its white beach or take a swim in the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Return to Cartagena in the late afternoon. Overnight.

Breakfast. Free time and last chance for photos and a walk in Caribbean Cartagena. Around lunchtime, transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Bogotá. Continue to Frankfurt on Lufthansa flight at 23:30. Overnight on the plane.

Landing in Frankfurt at 16:10 and continuation to Sofia at 19:30. Arrival at Sofia Airport, Terminal 2 at 22:45. (Airfare is outside the package price of the trip.)

End of program.