CLASSIC COLOMBIA 16 days

Transcription

1 CLASSIC COLOMIA 16 days

2 CLASSIC COLOMIA Countries visited Colombia Tour Highlights Wander cosmopolitan ogotá Wandering cosmopolitan ogota The colossal Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira Rustic beauty of Villa de Leyva Colonial villages in the Coffee Triangle Marvel at Cartagena s beautiful architecture Relax on the stunning beaches of Tayrona National Park Places visited ogotá Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá Villa de Leyva Armenia Filandia & Salento Valle de Cocora Alcalá Medellín Cartagena Tayrona National Park ID P a g e 1

3 CLASSIC COLOMIA What's included Arrival & departure transfers Ground transport with driver Domestic flights (if relevant - refer to itinerary) Accommodation (refer to itinerary for meal plan) English-speaking guides Entrance fees to sites & parks What's not included not mentioned in itinerary Drinks Visa fees Tipping Camera / video camera fees Personal items (laundry, telephone, etc.) Medical expenses Any services not mentioned in itinerary All accommodation subject to availability. Final accommodation choices will be confirmed after booking. ID P a g e 2

4 CLASSIC COLOMIA Your Itinerary Explained Date Place visited : The first part of the text in each day is the itinerary schedule and will explain what you will reakfast normally see/do during this day of your itinerary. --L: The part of the day s text in italics (and comes after the three dashes --- ) is background Lunch information on the places or sites on that day of your itinerary. It is not part of your D: itinerary and may mention places that will not be visited on your itinerary. If you have any Dinner questions please ask us. Travel times where noted are only meant as a guideline. Tour Itinerary Day 1 ogotá Day 2 La Candelaria Arrival Arrive at the airport in ogotá where you will be met by a Travel The Unknown representative. Transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore ogotá at your own pace. Overnight in ogotá. --Nestled high in the Andes at 2620 m. (8646 ft), ogotá, or Santafé de ogotá to give it its full title, is a city of contrasts, with high-rise buildings standing next to colonial churches, museums and artisan cafés. Its influences range from Spanish and English to Indian. It is a city of wild traffic and calm oases reflecting a bygone era. ogotá N/A Spend the day touring La Candelaria, including the Gold Museum, otero Museum and church in Monserrate from where you have excellent views of ogotá s skyline. Evening free. Overnight in ogota. --La Candelaria is an historic neighbourhood in downtown ogotá. The architecture of the old houses, churches and buildings utilises Spanish colonial and baroque styles, with iron windows, sturdy wooden doors and internal patios with beautiful yet hidden gardens. This vibrant district hosts the otero Museum, which showcases not only the works of Colombia's most famous painter but also paintings by Monet and Picasso from otero's private collection. The 'barrio' is also home to the largest and most impressive gold museum in the world, showcasing an enormous assortment of pre-hispanic gold work, the church of Monserrate, with its stunning views over the city, many government buildings and an array of cafés and restaurants to suit every taste. L Overnight in, ID P a g e 3

5 CLASSIC COLOMIA Day 3 Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral - Villa de Leyva Transfer to Villa de Leyva, stopping at the Salt Cathedral on the way. Overnight in Villa de Leyva. --The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is an underground Roman Catholic church built within the tunnels of a salt mine 200 metres under a halite mountain. The name Zipaquirá refers to Zipa, the leader of the Muisca tribe and the chief of these rich salt mines. The name 'Salt Cathedral' is used principally to attract tourists; although it is a functioning church that receives up to 3,000 visitors on Sundays, it has no bishop and therefore no official status as a cathedral in Catholicism. The icons, ornaments and architectural details of the cathedral are hand-carved in the halite rock and impressive marble sculptures are on display within. At the entrance, there are 14 small chapels, representing the Stations of the Cross and illustrating the events of Jesus' last journey. The main altar is found in the central nave, above which is the largest cross made of salt in the world, measuring 16 metres high and 10 metres wide, made by the Colombian artist Carlos Enrique Rodriguez. The Salt Cathedral is considered one of the most notable achievements of Colombian architecture and has been designated a 'Jewel of Modern Architecture'. The cathedral represents for the Colombian people a valuable cultural, environmental and religious patrimony. The cathedral is part of a larger complex including "Parque de la Sal" (Salt Park), as well as a small museum of mining, mineralogy, geology and natural resources. Overnight in La Espanola, Villa de Leyva ID P a g e 4

6 CLASSIC COLOMIA Day 4 Villa de Leyva Villa de Leyva Spend half the day touring Villa de Leyva, one of the most picturesque colonial towns in Colombia. Visit the main square, the church and surrounding shops and restaurants. The afternoon is free to spend how you wish. Overnight in Villa de Leyva. --Declared a national monument in 1954, the beautiful town of Villa de Leyva 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 in independence developments, and the Viceroy and his entourage spent much time here. To this day, the town has been preserved in its entirety; virtually no modern architecture exists. The result is a colonial town par excellence - a place where the streets are still cobbled and the walls still whitewashed. Stroll through its unhurried streets where the locals will greet you with a welcoming smile. Swelled with visitors from ogotá on weekends, it is typically much quieter and more pleasant on weekdays. L Overnight in La Espanola, Villa de Leyva Day 5 Armenia - Hacienda La Recuca Transfer to the airport for flight to Armenia in the Coffee Region. Transfer to hotel and take a tour of the coffee plantations learning about the coffee-making process. Overnight in Filandia. --- Armenia Day 6 Filandia & Salento Overnight in Hotel osques Del Saman, Armenia The Coffee Triangle Spend the day touring the Coffee Triangle, visiting the coffee towns of Filandia and Salento. Also explore the Cocora Valley renowned for its endemic wax palm trees. Overnight in Alcalá. --Filandia and Salento are two small pretty colonial style villages in the coffee region of Colombia, both set in stunning surroundings. Salento is the oldest village in the Quindio region with cobblestone streets and a wealth of restaurants, cafés and bars. Filandia is home to the beautiful María Inmaculada church and its streets are lined with colourful buildings with wooden balconies. L ID P a g e 5

7 CLASSIC COLOMIA Colombia's coffee triangle is so named by the triangle formed by the region's three main towns - Armenia, Manizales and Pereira. etween these is the region that produces the majority of Colombia's coffee, arguably the best coffee in the world. Coffee growing contributes to more than one in three jobs in agriculture in Colombia, and coffee is an integral part of Colombian life and culture. UNESCO inscribed Colombia's "Coffee Cultural Landscape" into its World Heritage List in The harvest in Colombia takes around a year, although the main period is between October and May/June. Most of the plantations in Colombia cultivate Arabica beans, which produce a delicate and light-tasting coffee that is widely recognised and consumed. The process begins when the bean is planted and takes approximately 75 days to germinate. The seedling is then placed in a plastic bag and placed in partial sunlight until its base dries. Two years after plantation, the tree bears its first fruit, which is harvested when the bean is red in colour, dry and ripe. Once the fruit has been picked, the pulp is stripped away and the bean is cleaned and dried in the sun (the big haciendas now use special machinery to strip and dry the beans quickly). The beans are dried or exported in preparation for sale, before being ground up and prepared for human consumption. In a country full of beautiful landscapes, the Valle de Cocora stands out as one of the most picturesque. The valley stretches east of Salento into the lower reaches of Parque Nacional Natural de los Nevados. Everywhere, you ll see the famous Quindian wax palm, Colombia s national tree and the largest palm in the world (up to 60 metres tall). Valle de Cocora is also home to a trout farm and the trout dishes are particularly good. Local fauna includes mountain tapirs, spectacled bears, pumas, sloths, yellow-eared parrots, black-billed mountain-toucans, Andean condors and hummingbirds. Overnight in osque del Saman, Alcalá Day 7 Filandia Free day to explore more of the Coffee Region optional activities include walking, horse riding, etc. Overnight In Alcalá. --- Overnight in osque del Saman, Alcalá Filandia & Salento Day 8 Medellín Fly to Medellín. On arrival, embark on a tour of the city which will include the key sights of Pueblito Paisa, San Antonio Park and the Parque de Las Esculturas. Stop at the Aplujarra, where you have the option to take a cable car up to the 'comunas' (favelas) of Medellín. Overnight in Medellín. --- ID P a g e 6

8 CLASSIC COLOMIA The Pueblito Paisa is a replica Antioquian village located on the top of Nutibarra Hill in Medellin. It offers visitors an insight into the traditional pueblos in Antioquia, and throughout Colombia more widely. The replica town offers beautiful views across the vity of Medellin and surrounding mountains. Medellín San Antonio Park was inaugurated in 1994 in Medellin. The park sits in front of the San Antonio de Padua Cathedral and is home to an Amphitheatre, an open plaza and a landscaped park. The park also houses a number of sculptures created by the famous Colombian artist Fernando otero. The Parque de Las Esculturas is an open square, home to many sculptures created by Medellin artist, Fernando otero. The distinctive statues portray a mixture of people and animals of strange proportions. A museum sits beside the square, which displays more of otero's artwork. Aplujarra, also known as La Aplujarra Administrative Centre, is a complex of government buildings in the Medellin municipality. The two main buildings sit either side of a grand plaza, which houses a sculpture called 'Monument to the Race' which was designed by Rodrigo etancourt to honour the history of Antioquia. As the second largest city in Colombia, the bustling streets of Medellín are awash with features that highlight its historical and cultural significance. Medellín is also noted for its numerous sculptures from local artist Fernando otero. otero s sculptures frequently show people that have been purposely swollen and enlarged, something done to convey his negative attitude towards politics. Overnight in est Western Sky, Medellín Day 9 Medellín reakfast at the hotel. Full day excursion to Guatapé and La Piedra del Peñol. These are two of the most important sites outside Medellín (about 2 hours from the city). The area is known for its beautiful countryside. El Peñol stands at 297 metres (also known as the Rock of Guatapé) and has magnificent views of Guatapé. A huge dam has been created which generates hydro-electricity for the region. It is a quaint town and is the gathering place for "Las Vegas", or the small farms of the area. Return to Medellín. Evening free. Medellín Day 10 Cartagena Transfer to the airport for flight to Cartagena. Transfer to hotel. Evening free. Overnight in Cartagena. Overnight in Monterrey Hotel Cartagena de Indias, Cartagena Cartagena ID P a g e 7

9 CLASSIC COLOMIA Day 11 Castillo San Felipe de arajas Castillo San Felipe Take a half day tour of Cartagena, exploring the Old City. Your guide will explain the history of the fortress walls and the many monuments, plazas, and buildings within them. Afternoon free. Overnight in Cartagena --Meander through Cartagena s picture-perfect streets, and admire the city that is famous for both its beauty and its history. Founded in 1533, Cartagena became the main port on the Caribbean coast during Spanish rule. Treasure was stored in the city until it could be taken to Spain and for this reason, in the 16th century, Cartagena suffered five sieges including one led by Francis Drake in This is why the Spaniards then built the forts (Fuertes) and walls (Las Murallas) that still encompass the old town. The Puerta Del Reloj (Clock Gate) signifies the entrance to the inner part of the walled city, also called Calamari. Just behind this is the Plaza de los Coches which used to serve as a slave market. The Plaza de la Aduana and Plaza de olivar also have fascinating historical context as well as the numerous churches, museums, convents and monuments. Castillo San Felipe de arajas is a fortress located on the Hill of San Lázaro, built by the Spanish. It was built there because its strategic location dominated access to the city by land or sea. The fortress has been expanded over the years and was named in honour of King Philip IV of Spain. It has been attacked many times throughout history by French, ritish and Spanish forces. The blocks used to build the castle are said to be splattered with the blood of slaves as Cartagena was a major port during the Slave Trade. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the rest of the city of Cartagena. Overnight in Monterrey Hotel Cartagena de Indias, Cartagena Day 12 Cartagena Enjoy full day at leisure to explore Cartagena. Cartagena Day 13 Tayrona National Park Transfer to Tayrona National Park, the most spectacular national park in Colombia with beach and jungle side-by-side. Overnight in Tayrona National Park. --- Tayrona ID P a g e 8

10 CLASSIC COLOMIA National Park Parque Nacional Tayrona is one of Colombia s most popular national parks. It is on the jungle-covered coast east of Santa Marta. Tayrona was once inhabited by the Tayrona indigenous people before they were forced out. The only remnants of their civilisation are the ruins of the town Chairama (Pueblito) which is pre-hispanic and is thought to have been the central settlement for the Tayrona people. The coast in Arrecifes is spectacular and is dotted with massive boulders. A 40 minute walk on from here is the beautiful cape, Cabo San Juan de la Guia. Overnight in Tayrona Ecohab, Tayrona National Park ID P a g e 9

11 CLASSIC COLOMIA Day 14 Tayrona Free day to spend at your leisure, relax on the beach or swim in the sea. There is also the opportunity to trek through the jungle to look for the wide variety of wildlife living in the park and explore the indigenous Tayrona ruins of Chairma. Overnight in Tayrona National Park. Overnight in Tayrona Ecohab, Tayrona National Park Tayrona National Park Day 15 ogotá Transfer to the airport for flight to ogotá. Transfer to hotel. Overnight in ogotá. ogotá Day 16 Departure Transfer to airport for flight to onward destination. ogotá ID P a g e 10 Powered by TCPDF (