Bogota & Cartagena Essential Journey

In the morning, we’ll have a walking tour through the heart of Bogotá’s old quarter, known as La Candelaria, with numerous restored, 300-year old homes and public buildings. Our tour passes through Plaza Bolívar, San Francisco Church, the lively pedestrian street Calle 11 (known for its countless family-owned local restaurants) and, time permitting, the 17th-century Santa Clara Convent.

The day’s highlight is a visit to the world-renown Gold Museum, which houses over 33,400 gold pieces from Colombia’s pre-Hispanic cultures. Here, we will learn about how gold was once used for political and social purposes, in myths, offerings and finally, the metallurgical techniques used to work with gold. This is only an introduction to the cultural history around the gold of pre-Hispanic cultures as well as the Spanish’s lust for this precious metal, following the 1502 landing party led by Vasco Nunez de Balboa. (B)

Comfort Hotel, BH Bicentenario

http://www.bhhoteles.com/es/hoteles

In the morning we’ll take you to Bogotá airport for your flight to Cartagena. Once you arrive in Cartagena, we’ll take you to your hotel.

We’ll start the day with a walking tour through the old quarter of Cartagena. The tour takes us through Plaza de San Diego, Plaza Fernandez of Madrid, Bolivar Park, Plaza de los Coches and Plaza Santo Domingo. We will also get to walk along the walls and visit the bastions of Santo Domingo and San Francisco Javier, where we will learn about the history and defense strategy of the city. On this tour you’ll see the most scenic streets of the city and visit important churches like the Cathedral San Pedro Claver and Santo Domingo. (B)

Comfort Hotel, Don Pedro de Heredia

http://www.hoteldonpedrodeheredia.com/

Comfort Hotel, Don Pedro de Heredia

http://www.hoteldonpedrodeheredia.com/

Today, at the scheduled time, we will transfer you to the airport for your international flight. (B)