Luxury Colombia

Today we will take part in an original Weaving Peace Tour which will explain all about the Peace Treaty signed by Colombia, ending more than 50 years of conflict. To rebuild a solid fabric of peace for the future, it is necessary to understand the complexity of Colombias history and this tour will help you understand key moments of Colombia's history. The focus now is on its rebirth and future, through the voice of true peace weavers who are building new paths of hope for the country. During the day we will stop at key points in the city that will guide you through this process. First will be at Parque Nacional, where a human-scaled country map can be found. Here you will understand the Colombian geography and the social and political struggles that have formed its history. We will then to “Fragmentos” a public memorial of the Colombian plastic artist Doris Salcedo influenced by the weapons that the Farc laid down and made with the collaboration of women, who were victims of the armed conflict. More than an artistic work, it is a space that invites an aesthetic reflection of the history of Colombia. Here we can learn about the disarmament of the Farc, what role did the victims play and how does the judicial system work for ex-combatants

 We will then visit the historical city centre and the Plaza de Bolívar, the setting of La Toma del Palacio de Justicia, one of the most memorable episodes of violence in the country. A few blocks away, the charismatic political leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán was murdered in 1948. The next stop is the Chocolate district, where we have the explanation of how cocoa has become the main resource for thousands of poor families that have left the illegal coca farming behind. You will then have a stop at Selva  Nevada, an  artisan  ice  cream  parlour,  whose  products  are sustainably harvested by rural communities in the country, promoting forest conservation and local economic development. Here you will taste a delicious ice cream made from exotic fruits from the Amazon. We will then take a walk along the historical Avenida Jiménez - an avenue that illustrates Colombia's social transformations during the last decades. From this place, head to Chapinero Alto neighbourhood to have lunch at Salvo Patria, a restaurant with a native-food rescue philosophy and where you will have the chance to talk with its chef and founder about how the restaurant builds value chains with small producers to reactivate the rural areas and improve the Colombian farmers living condition, another of the chapters of the Peace Agreement.  After lunch, have a coffee or a beer in Libianka, a pub that was born as a result of the Peace Agreement, run by ex-combatants and that has a small museum that talks about the revolutionary left movement and the guerrillas.  In the Afternoon, we will visit 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.  We will then visit 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  civilsations of Colombia.  

* -Fragmentos is closed on Mondays.  -The tour is not available on Sundays. -We offer a shorter version of this tour (3 or 4 hours) without lunch and the visit to Libianka. -There may be changes in the itinerary due to closures, pandemic situation, weather conditions and other external factors. These changes will be notified in advance.

Today we will head to the airport for our flight to Armenia. Here we will travel to the Hacienda San Alberto one of the traditional coffee estates, near the town of Buenavista Quindío. We will enjoy an introductory talk about coffee, its preparation, toasting, the characteristics of quality and the properties that allows for such a variety of coffees in the world. We will continue through the plantations, appreciating the coffee pickers' work and understanding the famous characteristics of Colombian coffee. This land of volcanic terrain along the Central Andean Mountain Range has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. We will then enjoy a coffee tasting session, by a Master Taster from the “Hacienda San Alberto”, starting with a brief introduction about coffee history, regions, varieties and general characteristics. You will then taste two cups of coffee. In the evening we will head to our hotel for the evening.

Today we will enjoy a hike to La Carbonera ''Wax Palm Empire''.  The landscape offers the most beautiful scenery of the Cordillera Central and Los Nevados National Park.  Along the way, we can marvel at the Paramillo of the Quindío and then take a short trip to an indigenous cemetery in the forest. The valley is home to an impressive Wax Palm Forest, which we can appreciate on the way to La Carbonera farm. We will then begin a 19 km trek back to Salento on the mountain's eastern side, along trails through the forest. We should arrive in Salento at 5 pm for a well-earned rest!

After breakfast we will head back to the airport for the flight to Medellin.

Today, we will visit a community project and cooking class at a community social transformation project in the Comuna 9, east of Medellín, where they are training low-income people in cooking and entrepreneurship with healthy food at affordable prices, applying techniques and recipes from all over the world using local ingredients and products. We will start with an introduction to the neighbourhood, then explore the project headquarters. Visiting public renovation projects, art murals, recreational and educational spaces that have improved the quality of life of its residents you will be able to interact directly with the community. Afterwards, we will then have a cooking class in an outdoor patio where you can prepare and enjoy a Colombian dish gourmet dish Finally, we can enjoy a ride on the tram and on the new cable car, which now form part of the community’s infrastructure and has dramatically improved the quality of life and accessibility of the community. All funds generated by this tour, are reinvested in the community project, subsidizing training, materials and equipment for low-income participants, and maintenance of the training centre

After breakfast, we will leave Medellín, heading towards the town of Guatapé, to visit the enormous rock of Piedra El Peñol. We will pass through the incredible scenery of Antioquia along the way to Guatapé The town has a reservoir created by the Colombian government for a hydro-electric dam. In the middle of the reservoir is where we can find the massive Peñol Rock, thought to be a meteorite due to its size.  There is an optional walk up the 654 steps to view the entire Guatapé region. We will then visit the picturesque village of Guatapé where all of the houses are painted in pastel hues, contrasting with the green valley.  After lunch, we can tour the Guatapé reservoir by boat.

Today, we will head to the airport for our flight to Cartagena. On arrival, we will be taken to our hotel. In the evening, we can take part in an exclusive rum and chocolate tasting session in one of the most well-known hotels in Cartagena. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a rum and chocolate tasting and learn more about this spirit with an informative discussion of its history and different kinds of rums and chocolates that exist

Today we will enjoy the Gabriel García Márquez Literary Menu, “Behind the walls of Cartagena”. We can discover centuries of history, culture and flavours stirred by the fusion of Spanish, African slaves and migrants of the 19th century. This typical food inspired one of the most influential writers in Colombia and Nobel prize for literature winner, Gabriel García Márquez. During these 3 hours, we will visit the 9 favourite places of this beloved writer, tasting a variety of traditional Caribbean snacks and food referenced in his literature reveal the history behind the traditional cuisine of the Colombian Caribbean.

Today is a free day to explore this amazing city.

Today is your final day of this luxury Colombia tour. We will take you to the airport for your flight back home or onto your next exciting destination!