Romantic Getaway to Colombia: Bogota, Pereira & Cartagena

Bogota embodies the vibrancy of its country with a gathering of people from over Colombia to bring a diverse blend of contemporary culture and colonial history, indigenous heritage and passionate traditions. As your plane descends into El Dorado Airport, you can see the red hue of the brick buildings spreading across the cityscape to the distant mountains. The lush greenery of Cerro de Monserrate rises out of the northeastern edge of the city with the singular hills that tower above the cobblestone streets of the historical district known as La Candelaria.

Your plane will land, and your private transfer will greet you at baggage claim ready to whisk you both away to your luxurious hotel that overlooks the colonial cobblestone streets. Street vendors cook corn over charcoal grills, brushing the edges of the kernels with butter as others pull carts through the streets to offer tinto, Colombian coffee, to business people passing by in the financial district. Salsa music spills out of a favorite downtown salsa bar surrounded by shops, restaurants, and food carts making fresh arepas. Local bands play live in the dark recesses of the club for an incredible atmosphere of fiery music and dance moves. You will soon arrive at your hotel where you and your partner will indulge in the comforts of the colonial charms blended with contemporary sophistication.

In the morning, the two of you will wake to the aroma of freshly roasted Colombian coffee beans emanating from the nearby cafes and sweeping through the city. Tinto vendors return to the business district to offer passersby a quick cup of coffee to go. Cafes in Zona Rosa, a district named for its premier shops and restaurants, open their doors to those eager for a meal with time to enjoy it.  Your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby after breakfast eager to show you both the splendors of Bogota.

Fruit vendors fill Plaza de Bolivar, the city’s main square and the scent of tart pineapple and sweet oranges sweeps over the cobblestones. The vendors press the fruits to order to create delicious juices that combine flavors unique to the temperate hills and mountains that surround Colombia. The magnificence of Bogota’s history shines in the whitewashed walls and colorful door and window frames of the colonial homes in the La Candelaria district. The 17th-century church of Santa Clara is one of the city’s oldest houses of worship as the interior includes rich ornaments that embellish the single nave and barrel vaulted ceiling. Golden floral motifs glitter in the natural light that pours through the windows, leading the ceiling to resemble a sky filled with starlight.

Paintings and sculptures drape over the walls as each depicts an impassioned saint. The excitement of the city’s artistic pleasures draws you next to the Museo Botero located in the Museo de Arte del Banco de la República, an architectural complex that contains a variety of the city’s celebrated galleries. The two of you can wander beneath the arcade that wraps around a small, blossoming courtyard. The vivacious flowers imitate the fabulous colors Fernando Botero used to create his impressive and distinctive paintings.

In the morning, you and your partner will share in the delightful aromas of cherimoya and guava, accentuated by the decadent scent of freshly made hot chocolate. After breakfast, your guide will lead you outside of Bogota to the neighboring town of Zipaquira. Pass alongside the Bogota Savanna, a plateau at an elevation of more than 8,660 feet above sea level. The emerald grass carpets the landscape to reach to the rolling hills along the horizon, shaped by the meandering waters of the Bogota River. The cobblestone streets harken back to the colonial era of the early 17th century when the city was founded. Your guide will explain the importance of Zipaquira for its connection to literary legend Gabriel Garcia Marquez, author of Love in the Time of Cholera, who went to school in the town.

Off the main boulevard stands the heart of the historical salt trade in the region, which was once vital to the exports of Colombia and the imports to Spain. The ancient salt mine descends nearly 600 feet below the surrounding landscape and lights shine along the wide walkways that lead to vast caverns. You will rub your fingers against the walls to feel the smooth texture against your skin. The 13 galleries trace the cycle of Jesus’ life with large crosses decorating each gallery. The unique and impressive display of human ingenuity and devotion is inspiring. The walkways encompass nearly 5,250 feet of tunnels with 28 brine mirrors dissolved into the rocks to create a shimmering effect of the walls in the array of colorful light.

In the morning, you will wake up in the beautiful landscape of the Quindío Coffee Region. Your plantation-style accommodation is enhanced by the blossoming purple petals and the lush palm trees found outside of your window, and you will easily settle into a room that embodies colonial sophistication while accentuated with contemporary comforts. At breakfast, hummingbirds flutter around the bougainvillea draping the antique façade of the hotel and orchids blossom in the temperate climate amidst more than 130,000 other species of plants thriving in the region. Parakeets chirp in the treetops beyond the grounds, and you will set out with your guide to discover the stunning scenery of the Cocora Valley. Excitement will pour over you both as you take a thrilling ride along the forested mountain promontories. Mist spreads across the upper-reaches of the summits to form verdant cloud forests, with plants clinging to the passing moisture before it evaporates in the spreading sunlight.

The trail entrance leads you along the valley floor before taking you into the dense rainforest brush as you venture onto a narrow bridge of wooden planks strung together to cross the whitewater of the shallow river below. The herbaceous scent of fen and eucalyptus fills the air as you ascend Finca la Montana to reach the top of the top of the hillside, where the trees fade to a view of the dramatic Cocora Valley. Hundreds of wax palms, the national tree of Colombia, soar over the valley floor as the trees can grow up to a height of 200 feet to create a dreamlike landscape reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss story. The only feeling better than accomplishing the unique trail is sharing this unforgettable experience as a couple.

At breakfast, you will both indulge in the intoxicating aroma of passion fruit picked straight from the trees. A sweet blend of orange and strawberry juice accompanies a cheese stuffed arepa. You will look out the window to find the iridescent plumage of a hummingbird shimmering with blue, green, and silver hues as it feeds on the nectar of the purple flowers. After breakfast, your guide will escort you to a local coffee plantation, one of the various crops for which the region is known.

The main house overlooks the steep hillside on which the coffee plants thrive. You will have a view of the snowcapped Andean peaks speckling the horizon. The owner of the plantation greets you like an old friend, welcoming you to the lush landscape. Walk along the terraced hills to see the coffee plant up close as your guide explains the important role that the mineral rich soil and perfect climate play in cultivation. The plants in the region grow best at an altitude of 4,900 and 5,900 feet above sea level, and the beans glow red against the lush leaves of the plant before being dried and roasted.

An antique-looking machine will peel the “coffee cherries”—a term locals use—before the harvested crops are divided and placed in a storage area to dry. Once dried and roasted, the beans take on the familiar image you are used to, along with emanating the light aromas of chocolate and caramel. Roasting allows the natural oils of the bean to release, which give the flavor and scent of the coffee that seduces coffee fans.

In the morning, the sunlight will wash over the landscape to bring the beautiful emerald hues of the canopy and lush grass. At breakfast, you will both bask in the pleasant aroma of freshly brewed coffee to find a new appreciation of the subtle layer of aromatics you can discover in a single brew, hinting at caramelized sugar, melon, and jasmine. After breakfast, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel and escort you to Matecaña International Airport for your flight to Cartagena. As your plane descends, you will find a stunning mixture of old fortress walls and luxury high-rises. The clear sapphire water of the Caribbean Sea brushes against gold sand beaches that lead to the edges of the old port.

Your private transfer will meet you at baggage claim in the Rafael Nunez International Airport before escorting you to the historical city center, surrounded by the 16th-century walls erected by the Spanish. The colonial churches rise above cobblestone streets that lead to ochre, burgundy, and blue painted homes. Corrugated balconies decorate the facades alongside shady patios as bougainvillea drapes over the balconies and the antique tile rooftops glint with terracotta hues in the drifting sunlight. You can sit in a charming café and listen to the horse-drawn carriages clopping against the stone roads as the aroma of lulo fruit blends with the Caribbean Sea air.

Cartagena seduces visitors with the natural beauty of the coastline and the antique charm of the colonial architecture in Old Town. Musical rhythms emanate from the cafes, and the sensual cuisine blends centuries of history together from Afro-Caribbean tradition to pre-Colombian customs passed down through the generations. Your guide will meet you at your hotel eager to show you an open door into the heart of the city by way of the cuisine on offer for your sampling.  All of your senses will be engaged as musicians walk beneath the balconied streets carrying guitars on their backs and others rides bicycles to carry fresh fruit chilled in an icebox positioned on their handlebars. The sweet aroma of uchuva, a smooth, yellow berry often cooked with honey, fills the air.

The streets of the old city are filled the food vendors from restaurants to street carts. You will take in the aroma of griddling arepas stuffed with crumbly salty cheese. The two of you will pass a cup of sweet and citrusy lemon smoothie between you beneath the Caribbean sun. Outside of the antique streets lies the Getsemani neighborhood, known for its popular music scene and spirited dance parties. You will stop in Plaza de la Trinidad as the church casts a shadow over the kids that are kicking their soccer ball against the city walls. Soon a stand with homemade cocktails will come into view with fresh fruit and your choice of liquor for one of the best cocktails you will every have.

In the morning, the two of you will take a stroll alongside the Old Town walls that lead to the dramatic figure of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. The walls switch back and forth along the hillside until reaching the castle entrance at more than 130 feet above sea level. You will venture next to the marina to find fishing boats moored beside yachts, with masts wading beneath the clear sky. Step aboard your boat to spend the day on the water touring the Rosario Archipelago, a collection of islands less than 20 miles off the coast of Cartagena. The old walls and luxury high-rises of the city fade behind the sapphire glow of the Caribbean Sea.

Coral reefs encircle the archipelago adding to the vibrant hues of the water, ranging from turquoise to purple. You will make your way to Playa Blanca, a stretch of pristine white sand beach on the Island of Baru. The fine powder clings to your feet and legs as you step into the water on the shoreline to feel the warmth of the Caribbean lapping at your toes. You and your partner can dive in, enjoying the buoyant saline and crystalline view, allowing you to peer down to the seafloor.

In the morning, the fruit vendors return to the cobblestone streets to showcase their pyramids of oranges and pineapples. The scent of sweet and tangy citrus overtakes the floral aromatics of the bougainvillea. A market specializing in the sweet treats of the city unfolds around the Clock Tower Gate, offering more than 100 years of tradition in both its presence and the sweets offered. After one last morning spent enjoying the contemporary pieces inside the Museum of Modern Art, you will continue to appreciate how effortlessly the city’s cherished past is blended with its blossoming future. Your private transfer will meet you both at your hotel to escort you to Rafael Nunez International Airport for your flight home. You will have uncovered the beauty of Colombia and can forever share the experience with your loved one.