One week in Colombia

Set at a heady 8,600 feet above sea level, the capital city of Bogota is the first stop on your trip to Colombia. Upon landing, a private driver ferries you through the winding streets to the resplendent Four Seasons Casa Medina. The remainder of the day is left up to you, whether it’s relaxing at the hotel to adjust to the altitude or heading to one of the district’s many cafes for a pick-me-up tinto coffee. 

In the morning, fly to even greater heights aboard the Monserrate cable car, ascending to the city’s famous sky-high lookout. At the summit, fortify yourself with a hot chocolate (try it with queso) as you soak up the vista. Back at street level, set off on an immersive guided tour through the indie La Candelaria neighborhood, followed by a visit to the Gold Museum for a look at the kind of goldwork that fueled El Dorado legends. 

After flying to the city of Armenia, one of the gateways to the Coffee Region, drive along country roads to Hacienda Bambusa. As a working farm, staying here is a true cultural immersion. Dive right in with a cocoa workshop. Learn the art of roasting beans, grinding nibs, and creating your own impossibly creamy cup of hot chocolate. During the class, your hosts shares more about Colombia’s cocoa heritage, showing how chocolate sweetens life for everyone. 

Rise with the sun and rise to the treetops to start the day traversing a canopy zipline circuit above verdant coffee fields and banana groves. Spend a thrilling few hours zip lining between treetop towers, listening to morning birdsong and adding your own yells and whoops to the chorus. Then, feet planted firmly back on the ground, hike through the fields and forests of the La Maria Nature Reserve in search of buffalo herds and postcard-worthy vistas. 

Climb in the saddle for a morning horseback riding through the streams, forest trails, and farmlands of this idyllic region. The route is easy and enjoyable for amateur and expert equestrians like. After a cool-down session at the outdoor pool, head into the kitchen for a hands-on, family-style cooking class with the hacienda’s chef. Learn and prepare a whole meal of Colombian dishes before sitting down to share and savor it together.  

Your trip to Colombia reaches its final stop in the seaside city of Cartagena, where tropical breezes blow down colonial streets and the sound of salsa and smells of fried fish fills the air. With its stucco roofs and greenery-filled courtyards, the Casa San Agustin is a living piece of Cartagena history. Another free afternoon beckons; head out to explore the UNESCO-certified Old Town, or stay back to lounge by the pool. 

A sun-splashed archipelago off the coast of Cartagena, the Rosario Islands are your destination for a day of paradisical living. Grab a snorkel mask and seek out underwater coral reefs, kick back with your toes in the sand, or paddleboard through the aquamarine waters. Refuel with grilled fish and coconut rice for lunch before more of the same in the afternoon.

In the evening, it’s time to bid Colombia adios and return home (but not without some new recipes to take home, a photobook’s worth of new memories, and maybe a bit of a tan from that island getaway).