Day 4: Coffee tours and local villages
Today, take a trip out to the coffee plantations along the steep hills. Here, you can view the green carpet of coffee plantations that spreads as far as the horizon, interrupted only by fincas and heliconia flowers.
We visited Hacienda San Alberto one of the coffee estates typical of the region and located near the town of Buenavista Quindio. Our tour began with an introductory chat about coffee, its preparation, toasting, and the properties that allow for such a variety of coffees in the world. We walked through the plantations, appreciating the work of the coffee pickers and learning about the humid coffee that is used to make Colombian coffee.
Next, travel through Pijao, a town of Quindío which has been catalogued as ‘Cittaslow’. This means that it has strongly retained its local culture and identity. Here, the houses are perfectly preserved, the balconies are brightly painted, and the main square is full of colour.
Afterwards, head for Pereira airport and fly over to the jewel of Colombia’s Caribbean coast: Cartagena.
Day 5: Cartagena Old City
Cartagena is an old pirate city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. At its centre, you’ll find the walled Old City, with 16th-century plazas, cobblestone streets and colourful colonial buildings. The tropical climate makes the city a popular beach destination.
Kick off your time in Cartagena with a panoramic view over the city from the Monasterio and Iglesia de La Popa. Formerly known as the “Popa del Galeon”, it famously resembles the stern of a ship. Constructed in 1606 this church and monastery reach 140 metres above the ground, providing 360-degree views over the rooftops to the sea.
Continue to the San Felipe Fortress, built on San Lázaro hill to defend the city from pirate attacks. Here, you can explore the ramparts, the tunnels, underground galleries and passageways. Then head through the Ciudad Vieja (Old City) to visit the Convert and Church of San Pedro Claver before ending your walk in the handicrafts zone of the Bovedas, a collection of archways built into the city wall.
Day 6: Rosario Islands
Today, make the most of the Caribbean and take a full-day trip to tropical Rosario Islands. Only an hour from Cartagena, the Archipiélago del Rosario is a national park is ringed by coral reefs and lapped by clear blue waters. Spend the day diving into the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean and lazing on the soft white sand. Boats arrive back in Cartagena by around 4pm, giving you enough time to get ready for dinner before Cartagena’s notoriously late-night nightlife gets going.
I recommend a small seafood restaurant called El Boliche Cebicheria, which serves inventive ceviche. Start with a boliguaro de corozo cocktail, an artful mix of aguardiente — Colombia’s potent anise liquor — and local cherry juice (17,000 pesos), before feasting on white fish, calamari, shrimp, octopus or sea snail ceviche, served with a base of tamarind, coconut or sweet local peppers.
The music here is serious business, so dance the night away in any one of Cartagena’s nightclubs.
Day 7: Cartagena
After a night of mojitos and music, few things are as satisfying as Cartagena’s signature street snack - arepas de huevo. Or, if you don’t wake up until lunchtime, try a traditional Latin American set lunch at La Mulata, which serves terrific seafood.
Make the most of your last day in Colombia with a bit of retail therapy in the boutiques of the Old City, a spectacular Caribbean sunset on the historic walls and a cocktail in Café Del Mar. Sitting pretty on the historic walls, Café del Mar has been a landmark of Cartagena's nightlife scene for more than a decade. The unbroken sea views and the refreshing breeze makes Café del Mar the king of Cartagena sundowners, as long as you don't mind paying New York prices for a cocktail.
Get there for around 5:30pm to watch the Caribbean sun sink below the horizon. It is, without question, one of the ultimate highlights of any trip to Cartagena. What a way to finish off your Colombia holiday.
Getting there
Avianca flies daily from London to Bogotá. From here, Avianca flies to numerous destinations within the country, including Pereira for the coffee zone and Cartagena for the Caribbean beach break.
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