Ultimate Colombia Foodie Tour - 11 Days

Highlights

• Take a walking tour in Bogotà's hip Chapinero area and meet inventive chefs
• Sample street food in Medellín followed by an avant-garde set-course dinner 
• Bike through the colonial streets of Cartegena, followed by a rum tasting
• Shop for local ingredients at an outdoor market and join a cooking class 

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Bogotá, Explore

Welcome to Bogotá! Upon arrival, a private driver will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Take some time to rest after your journey, or head outside and enjoy free time to explore Bogotá at your own pace. Colombia's biggest city offers plenty of cultural activities, and its regional gastronomy has made it a global foodie destination.

Start by walking around the vibrant center, particularly the cobblestone streets of the La Candelaria neighborhood, brimming with trendy restaurants, colorful architecture, and colonial-era landmarks. This is where you'll also find excellent museums and street food ranging from empanadas to exotic fruit salads.

Day 2: Bogotá Fruit Market & Museum Tours, Dinner at Andrés DC

Your first full day in Colombia begins with an introduction to the country's wide variety of fruits in all colors, sizes, and flavors, which you can keep track of with your fruit dictionary (provided at the beginning of the tour). Your private guide will walk you through the Plaza de Mercado de Paloquemao sharing the market's history and introducing local vendors as you taste fifteen different fruits, three shots of fresh juices, and two typical Colombian snacks. 

After your fruit tour, you'll explore two of Bogotá's best museums. First, your private guide will lead you on foot to the Gold Museum, which has an impressive collection of pre-Columbian goldsmiths from Colombia's native communities. The tour finishes at the Museo de Botero, which houses a collection of over 200 works donated to the city by the renowned Colombian sculptor and painter Fernando Botero.

Tonight you'll have a special dinner at Andrés DC, an offshoot of Andrés Carne de Res located in Bogotá. This is not only a restaurant but also an icon of pop culture and leisure in the city. In addition to enjoying a wide variety of typical dishes and delicious barbecues, you'll dine in a festive, circus-like atmosphere.

Day 3: Tour Monserrate, Foodie Tour in Bogotà's Chapinero Neighborhood

This morning you'll join a private guide for a visit to the impressive Monserrate, located on a hill that rises above the city at 10,341 feet (3,152 m) above sea level. Crowning the top is a catholic shrine called Monserrate Sanctuary, completed in 1657. Most visitors ascend Monserrate by cable car, but it is possible to reach the top by driving or hiking (just over an hour on foot). The views of Bogotá are a highlight, and you can explore different vantage points of this beautiful sanctuary as you learn about the area's pilgrims, as well as its gardens, fountains, and cloud forests.

Later in the evening, it's time to join a fun food tour that explores new Colombian cuisine inspired by each region's different climates, soils, and fruits. The walking tour takes place in Bogotà's bohemian and creative Chapinero neighborhood. Here, imaginative chefs and bartenders reinvent traditional recipes with surprise ingredients of Colombia's geography, like artisanal cheeses from nearby farms, ants, peppers, Amazonian fruits, sustainable seafood, coffees from micro-lots, and artisanal liquors, to name a few.

You'll visit three restaurants run by emerging chefs who focus on small producers and local ingredients. Dine on a three-course menu, including appetizers, a main course, and dessert, plus three beverages, including local beer and Colombian coffee. You'll also meet kitchen staff and restaurant owners and can keep a foodie journal to relive your experience at home.

Day 4: Fly to Medellín, Street Food & Market Tour, Dinner at Elcielo

It's time to depart Bogotá and fly to Medellín! You'll be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport at the appointed time. Upon arrival, a private driver will transfer you to your hotel. You'll then meet a local guide and begin a half-day street food and market tour to experience—and taste—authentic Colombian flavors as you visit different stores, markets, street food vendors, and restaurants.

Save some room because tonight, you'll have a special meal at the Elcielo Restaurant, known for its avant-garde techniques mixed with traditional methods of Colombian cuisine. This is a set course menu divided into gastronomic moments that help the diner experience specific emotions.

Day 5: Peñól Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Rise and shine! This morning a local guide will take you on a scenic full-day adventure. First, you'll drive through the Eastern Highlands of Antioquia to get to Peñól Boulder, about 90 minutes outside Medellín. This is a 650-foot (200 m) monolith that can be reached by climbing 740 steps. Those able can climb to the top and see views of the surrounding mountains and lakes.

Then head about 30 minutes from Peñol Boulder, where you can explore the village of Guatapé, with its church and brightly painted buildings. You'll have lunch along the waterfront of Guatapé reservoir, followed by a boat ride before returning to the city.

Day 6: Transfer to Cartagena, City Bike Tour, Rum Tasting

Today you'll leave Medellín and fly to Cartagena. At the airport, you'll be picked up and transferred to your hotel. Once settled, you'll set off from Cartegena's historical center on a private cycling tour. Your first stop is the neighborhood of Getsemaní to see the home of Florentino Ariza. Ariza is the main character in the novel "Love in the time of Cholera" by the Colombian Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez.

Then, cycle across the Roman Bridge toward the Manga neighborhood, where you can see Villa Roman. This Moorish-inspired house was built in 1929 and took cues from Spain's Alhambra palace. You'll also visit Manga's Cemetery, the oldest in Cartagena, and continue to the seafront to finish your tour.

Day 7: Cartagena Cooking Class, San Alberto Coffee Tasting

Cartageneros are proud of their Caribbean cuisine. Today, you'll learn about some of the most popular dishes, including coconut rice, ceviche, and fish soup, during a group cooking class. First, you'll meet your local guide, who will take you through Bazurto Market to buy ingredients for lunch. Then walk to a colonial house in the Getsemaní neighborhood to learn how to make the aforementioned classic dishes. After a two-hour cooking demonstration, enjoy lunch with the group.

Day 8: Ferry to Isla Baru, Nighttime Bioluminescence Tour

You'll depart Cartegena for Isla Barú at the appointed time today via ferry, which takes about 90 minutes. Upon arrival, check into your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day relaxing on the soft white sand beaches of this Caribbean paradise, like Playa Blanca, with swaying palm trees and turquoise water.

Tonight, long after the sun has dipped into the horizon, consider a self-guided walking tour of the beaches near Cholón. This is where you can observe the bioluminescent plankton from the shallow waters upon white sand, a short distance from the mangroves.

Day 9: Explore Barú with a Local Guide, Beach Time

Today you'll have a full day to relax on Isla Barú. In the morning, take an opportunity to learn more about the small town of Barú and its surroundings with a local nature guide who will show you around either on foot or on a bicycle, depending on your preference.

After your morning tour, simply while away the afternoon at a beach by swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling. To add to the tropical environment, sip delicious drinks made with fresh fruit juices and sample the local seafood.

Day 10: Return to Cartagena, Street Food Tour, Caribbean Dinner Cruise

Bring your appetite and an adventurous attitude because today, you'll hit the streets to experience food like real Cartageneros. During this guided excursion, try everything from savory street food to sweet desserts as you visit markets, street vendors, and restaurants. 

Look for fried snacks, like papas rellenas (fried stuffed potatoes), empanadas (filled pastry), or caribañolas (a torpedo-shaped meat and cheese pie). Order refreshing coconut water or raspao (an icy beverage made with fruit and sweetened condensed milk). Finish with tropical fruits, such as granadilla, guayabana (soursop), or papaya. As well as being delicious, street food is one of the best ways to gain insight into the daily lives of locals. 

Day 11: Depart Cartagena

It's time to say goodbye to Colombia! If your schedule allows, take one final walk around Cartagena's colorful streets, sip coffee at a café, or do a bit of last-minute souvenir shopping. Then, your driver will transfer you to the airport at the appropriate time, where you'll catch your flight home. Safe travels!

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