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Colombia

Classic Colombia / Land of Coffee & Tayrona / Archeology & History / By the Sea / Nature Tour
Bogota / Cartagena / Amazon / Coffee Region / Pacific Region / Guajira / Rosario Islands
Tayrona Park / San Agustin / Ciudad Perdida Trek / Los Nevados Trek / Guajira Adventure

Classic Colombia: Bogotá | Vila de Leyva | Cartagena

Day 1 | Bogotá
Arrival to El Dorado airport in Bogotá with an intercontinental flight. Reception and transfer to the hotel. Overnight stay.
Meals: - / - / -

Day 2 | Bogotá - City T our
After breakfast, half day visit to the historic centre known as La Candelaria. This antiquated barrio is of great architectural and cultural heritage and is made up of old “stately homes” or large Spanish colonial buildings with iron windows, thick and sturdy wooden doors, balconies and internal patios with beautiful yet hidden gardens. Visit the Plaza de Bolivar, where a statue of the great liberator Simon Bolivar is located. This Plaza, originally called the Plaza Mayor, was used for civil and military purposes, as a marketplace, a bullring and a gallows. The Cathedral, on the eastern side of the plaza, is constructed on the remains of the first church built in Bogotá in 1539 and houses an important collection of religious artefacts
such as textiles and artwork that has built over four centuries. The Capilla del Sagrario is located just beside the Cathedral and is a gem of religious architecture and which houses valuable pieces of colonial religious art by Gregorio Vasquez de Arce y Ceballos. The Capitol, built between 1847 and 1926, shows its renaissance and neoclassical influences with its carved stonework and tall columns and, it is the first republican piece of civil architecture. The central area of the Capitol, known as the Salon Eliptico, is where congress meets and is the actual chamber for politicians and the Senate. In the internal plazas are busts of former presidents such as General Tomás Cipriano Mosquera, president on four occasions, and Rafael Núñez, the composer of the Colombian national anthem. Around the Plaza de Bolivar are 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 who participated towards the end of the XVII Century in some of the first movements towards independence from Spain and the formation of the Republic. The visit continues with the Museo Botero, a colonial house filled with works of art done by and donated by Fernando Botero in addition to artwork from his own personal collection that includes pieces by Picasso, Renoir, Dalí Matisse, Monet and Giacometti. Next is the Museo del Oro 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. The Museo del Oro is considered as one of the most important museums of its type internationally and it has been functioning since 1939. In 2007 it underwent a complete overhaul to make this an interactive museum that would awake senses to the objects on display and it belongs to the International Network of Museums (ICOM). Free afternoon for individual activities (we recommend visiting the city’s various museums). Overnight stay. Meals: B / - / -

Day 3 | Bogotá - Z ipaquirá - Villa de Leyva
After breakfast, departure from Bogotá to the north, towards Zipaquirá. Travelling through the Sabana de Bogotá the scenery is made of greenhouses used for the cultivation of carnations and roses. Flower production is an important industry for the hundreds horticulturalists that live in this region. After a journey of roughly 1.15 hours reach the impressive Salt Cathedral, a true feat of engineering. The name Zipaquirá refers to Zipa, the leader of the Muisca tribe and the overlord of these rich salt mines. The trip will begin in a tunnel that passes the fourteen Stations of the Cross and continues on to a dome. This dome is lit in such a way that it allows one to contemplate the universe and the relationship between man and nature. Later, reach an enormous cross carved into the rock and finally the three naves of the Cathedral that represent the birth, life and death of Christ. In the central nave is the main altar, above which is a cross measuring 16m in height and 10m in breadth, made by the Colombian artist Carlos Enrique Rodriguez and is the largest cross made from salt in the world. Next we visit the mine where there is an excellent auditorium that can seat two hundred people, host film screenings and events such as fashion shows. The trip ends at a mirror of water where experience the amazing visual effects of water on carved saline rock is totally possible. Continue on a 2 hour trip to Villa de Leyva in the afternoon. Arrival and hotel check-in. Villa de Leyva, one of the area’s most beautiful towns, was founded in 1572 by Hernàn Suàrez de Villalobos who named it after Andrès Dìas Venero de Leyva, the first president of Nueva Granada. In colonial times, Villa de Leyva played a central role and the Viceroy and his entourage spent much time here. Today, the city is a colonial jewel with an enormous plaza of 14.000 m2 surrounded by Spanish style houses, small alleys, cobblestone streets and the XVII century parochial church. Visit Museo El Fósil, founded in 1977 and located 5,5 km away from Villa de Leyva. The museum was built exactly where a kronosaurus was founded, a marine reptile with more than 120 million years old and 20m length. Return to the hotel and overnight stay. Meals: B / L / -

Day 4 | Villa de Leyva - Bogotá - Cartagena
After breakfast, return to Bogotá. On the way, a break in the Convento del Santo Ecce Homo. Founded by the Dominicans in 1620, this was an important point of evangelization in a region populated by infidel Indigenous communities. Arrival at Eldorado Airport in Bogotá for departure flight to Cartagena. Upon arrival, transfer and check in the hotel. Overnight stay. Meals: B / - / -

Day 5 | Cartagena Panoramic City Tour
Start with a panoramic view of the city from the Monasterio and Iglesia de La Popa. Formerly known as the “Popa del Galeon” and famous for resembling the stern of a galleon. Constructed in 1606 this church and monastery are located at a height of 140masl from where one can enjoy 360º views of the city and the sea as well as the port zone, one of the most important in the Caribbean. Continuing 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 know how the castle was constructed, the engineering feats, the tunnels, underground galleries and passageways. Then, go on to the Ciudad Vieja (old city) to visit the Convert and Church of the San Pedro Claver compound which
was built in the middle of the XVII century and owes its name to the “apóstol de los esclavos”. Lastly, follow to the handicrafts zone of the Bovedas, a collection of archways built into the city wall of Cartagena and that were used until the end of the 1700s to house armaments and then later as a prison in the XIX century. Nowadays it’s an artisan center to appreciate local handcraft. Free afternoon for individual activities. Overnight stay. Meals: B / - / -

Days 6 and 7 | Cartagena
Free day for individual activities. A full day tour to the Archipiélago del Rosario is recommended. Overnight stay. Meals: B / - / -

Day 8 | Cartagena - Bogotá
Breakfast and transfer to the airport for flight to Bogotá. Meals: B / - / -

2011 Price per person in US$:

	single	double	triple
5* hotels in Bogota & Cartagena (Cite & Ananda Boutique)	$2891	$1506	-
4* hotels in Bogota & Cartagena (Boheme Royal and Monterrey)	$2395	$1277	$1082
3* hotels in Bogota & Cartagena ( Chico Imperial & Don Pedro de Heredia)	$2210	$1180	$1034

(priced with weekends in Bogota - price will be higher for weekdays) . Prices subject to change.