10 days - Let's Eat Colombia Series

Description

Day 1 – Wednesday: Welcome to Let’s Eat Colombia! (-/-/D)

Pick up from Cartagena airport and drop off at the hotel. Check in at the hotel and relax.

6 pm Welcome to Let’s Eat Colombia! Private transfer to rum and chocolate tasting in Getsemaní followed by welcome dinner—a chance to meet your fellow travel lovers and your guide. Colombia is a country with a rich history of rum production, dating back to the 16th century. Today, Colombia is home to a wide variety of rums, from light and refreshing to dark and complex. This tour will introduce you to the best of Colombian rum, paired with some of the country's finest chocolate. The dinner following the tasting includes an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert for every guest. At night we will walk back to our Hotel just a few blocks from the Restaurant.

Day 2 – Thursday: Bazurto Market: the beats and flavors of Cartagena & City Tour of the Walled City and the San Felipe Castle (B/L/-)

Morning: After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be transferred to the vibrant Bazurto Market for a private market tour. Lift the hood on local life in Cartagena with a tour of Mercado de Bazurto. Discover food, artwork, music, and even magic potions hidden in the narrow lanes.The Bazurto market truly has EVERYTHING, from colorful tropical fruits and vegetables to art and music. Be prepared to be in awe! This tour will have it all. You’ll enjoy several tastings along the way guided by a local restauranteur and personality. One of the highlights of the visit is stopping at a Calligraphy/Lettering workshop where you will meet "El Runner" a local graphic artist and expert recognized for making Champeta concert flyers, business signs, and pretty much anything related to letters and vibrant colors. He will show you how he makes his letters while he makes a custom sign for the group. You will then move on to stop at a Herbsman's stand where you will get to see a wide range of magical potions used for any problem or desire. You will learn about and see some interesting examples before choosing one to try yourself!  Finally, you will have your lunch at the plaza and will try some of the local tasty recipes served.

Afternoon: At about 3 pm, you will be guided through historic Cartagena for a city tour beginning at the magnificent San Felipe Castle. We’ll be transported from the Castle to the center for our walking tour and a glimpse into Cartagena’s colonial past. The tour ends in the heart of the historic center where we will easily be able to return to the hotel on foot.

Free evening!

Day 3 – Friday: San Basilio de Palenque – Music, Food, and Freedom (B/L/-)

San Basilio de Palenque – “Comu cus ata?” (how are you?)

The morning will start with breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, we will head on our visit to San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town of the Americas. Their story is one of resilience and determination and we will be their humble guests in the heart of Africa in Colombia. This is a day of rhythm, resistance, and culinary legacy. Founded by self-emancipated former Slaves during Colombia’s colonial period. This town remains a symbol of resistance and of African pride due to its impressive story. Thanks to isolation and resistance, Palenqueros preserved African culture while creating new local manifestations such as Alegrías (a type of candy), Son Palenquero (a music genre) and the first Spanish-based creole language, which is still spoken in this place.

We will prepare our lunch of sancocho and arroz con coco, enjoy a drum show, learn about the liberation of Palenque with a hairstyle workshop, and even partake in a short boxing class. This is a full-day experience. We will return to your Cartagena hotel to relax and enjoy your free evening around 5 pm.

Day 4 – Saturday: Free Morning & Evening Cooking Workshop (B/-/D)

Free Morning – You have the day to explore Cartagena on your own until our evening activity or we will be happy to propose some optional activities to fill your day from sand and sun to fishing in the mangroves. These extra activities will need to be pre-booked.

Evening cooking workshop in Cartagena – At 7 pm we will enjoy a hands-on cooking workshop in vibrant Getsamaní preparing authentic Colombian dishes to enjoy together over dinner.

Day 5 – Sunday: Salsa & Cocktails at El Baron World 50s Bars (B/-/D)

Morning: Breakfast and free time.

Afternoon: Today is the day to put on your dancing shoes, we’ll give you some time to relax after breakfast but be ready at 3 PM for our private salsa class at one of Cartagena’s renowned dance schools. Beginners welcome so don’t be shy, it is all in good fun. Tonight we put what we learned into practice!

6 pm: Nothing better to loosen those hips than to take part in a cocktail masterclass at one of the 50 best bars in the world. We’ll shake things up with professional mixologists and, of course, sample our creations. Don’t worry, our cocktails will be followed by dinner.

And now we dance! We are heading out on a Cartagena salsa night tour. You’ll have about 4 hours to move your body to the rhythm of the salsa beats. There are over 100 venues in the city but have no fear we won’t see them all. . . A cocktail and beers are included.

Day 6 – Monday: Fly to Medellín and Moravia Tropical Oasis Tour + Arepas Workshop (B/-/D)

After a convenient pick-up at the hotel you will get to the Airport of Cartagena just in time for your flight. After merely an hour in the skies, you will arrive in Medellin and be greeted at the airport by our local transportation staff.

Check-in & Moravia Tour: See our Moravia Official Video produced by our sister NGO Collective by IMPULSE

This city is all about urban revival, renewal, and rebirth. What better way to start understanding the changes than to head to what was once the city’s biggest landfill and which is now its biggest flower garden – Moravia. The tour commences at about 3 pm. We will be taken by private transfer to Moravia. 

Explore Moravia, a vibrant Medellín neighborhood transformed from a former landfill into a dynamic cultural hub. Walk through streets lined with evocative street art and witness the community's resilience. Discover how this area encapsulates the spirit of urban recovery and creativity. For dinner, join us for an immersive culinary experience in Medellín, where you'll learn to make traditional arepas from scratch. Guided by local experts, you'll discover the secrets of this iconic dish and enjoy a delicious dinner featuring your freshly made arepas. A perfect blend of culture, cuisine, and fun!

Free evening after the tour

Day 7 – Tuesday: We Don’t Talk About Pablo Escobar Tour (B/L/-)

After breakfast, we take our walking tour of Medellin to learn about its colorful past and the mark that some of its notorious community members left on Colombia and the world. But this is not the usual gangster glorification tour, this is the B side of the narcos story. During the tour we will also ride on the amazingly clean and future-forward public transport system. Be ready to be fascinated and moved. The tour will last approximately 4 hours. Snacks will be provided during the tour and we will end at a market for a few well-earned local treats.

Free evening

Day 8 – Wednesday: Afro tour in the Comuna 13 – Art & Resilience (B-/L/-)

Check out our official Afro Tour in the Comuna 13 video produced by our sister NGO Collective by IMPULSE

After breakfast, we will be taken to Comuna 13 for an alternative tour focusing on the neighborhood’s cultural and social transformation. We’ll be guided by a local resident guide who will introduce us to the artists, the innovative community projects, and the music that held them together and propelled them forward. You can’t come to Medellin and not visit Comuna 13! Hear the stories, enjoy a percussion and dance session, and shop for souvenirs. Comuna 13 has become a synonym of transformation and resilience and a definite must-visit for travelers in Medellín. On this tour you will immerse into this inspiring place, visiting three different neighborhoods within the Comuna and learning beyond its history directly from impressive artists who led impactful projects that managed to transform Colombia’s most feared district.

We will be enjoying lunch together during this 5-hour tour.

Free evening

Day 9 – Thursday: Coffee Culture & Farewell Feast (B-/-/D)

Café de Colombia – “Enjoy a good coffee”

You’ve probably heard it said that Colombia makes the best coffee and we are about to find out how and why. After an early breakfast, we’ll head outside the city to visit an organic coffee farm. During our 3-hour tour, you’ll learn about every aspect of coffee production, from cultivation to roasting. This is a great opportunity to get some delicious fresh roast to take home. We’ll conclude our tour with a light lunch.

Culinary exploration at a trendy Colombian restaurant.

We conclude our tour with a special gastronomic feast at one of Medellin’s hottest restaurants selected by our team. A perfect way to end a perfect tour.

Day 10 – Friday: Departure (B/-/-)

¡Hasta pronto! ¡Nos vemos luego!

Breakfast

12:00 pm Check out after breakfast and return transfer with our private vehicle to the Medellín airport.