10-day itinerary
10 Days in Colombia
Bogota, Medellin & Cartagena
Colombia is a country of jaw-dropping contrasts — from Bogotá's electric street art and Andean cool to Medellín's cable-car barrios and Cartagena's sunbaked Caribbean walls. This 10-day adventure plunges you into emerald jungles, colonial gold, and nightlife that refuses to quit.
Morning: Land at El Dorado Airport, check into a boutique hostel or hotel in the La Candelaria neighbourhood, and fuel up on a hearty changua (milk and egg soup) breakfast at a local tienda.
Afternoon: Walk the cobblestone streets of La Candelaria, visiting the stunning Iglesia de San Francisco and the Museo del Oro's pre-Columbian gold collection.
Evening: Head to Andrés Carne de Res in the Zona Rosa for a legendary dinner of bandeja paisa washed down with a cold Club Colombia beer in a wonderfully chaotic atmosphere.
Morning: Join a free walking tour of the famous La Candelaria graffiti corridor, where politically charged murals tell Colombia's turbulent and beautiful history.
Afternoon: Take the aerial cable car up to Cerro Monserrate for breathtaking views over the vast urban sprawl of Bogotá stretching to the horizon.
Evening: Explore the buzzing Usaquén neighbourhood's Sunday-style market stalls — even on weekdays the restaurants here serve outstanding modern Colombian cuisine.
Morning: Visit the Museo Botero to see Fernando Botero's voluptuous sculptures and his private collection of Picassos and Dalís, all free of charge.
Afternoon: Take a half-day coffee experience class in Chapinero where a barista walks you through Colombia's micro-regions and lets you cup six single-origin coffees.
Evening: Hit the Zona Rosa's Parque 93 for rooftop cocktails — try a lulada (lulo fruit) sour before dancing salsa at a nearby club until the small hours.
Morning: Catch an early Avianca or Latam flight (1 hour) to Medellín's José María Córdova Airport, check into El Poblado, and stroll El Poblado's leafy café-lined streets.
Afternoon: Ride the famous Metrocable Line K up over the vibrant comunas to the hilltop Parque Arví, a cloud-forest reserve perfect for a scenic forest walk.
Evening: Join the buzzing Parque Lleras bar-crawl scene in El Poblado — craft cocktails made with aguardiente and tropical fruits are the order of the night.
Morning: Visit the striking Plaza Botero with its 23 bronze sculptures then explore the interactive Museo de Antioquia housed in the ornate Palacio Municipal.
Afternoon: Head to Comuna 13 — once Medellín's most dangerous barrio — and ride the famous outdoor escalators while local guides explain the remarkable urban transformation story.
Evening: Dine at El Cielo restaurant on Avenida El Poblado for a theatrical molecular gastronomy tasting menu that showcases Colombia's biodiversity through 12 stunning courses.
Morning: Take an early private transfer or shared van (3 hours) to Salento in the Coffee Region, then hike the spectacular Valle de Cocora among Colombia's towering national tree, the wax palm.
Afternoon: Visit a working coffee finca for a 2-hour farm tour — pick cherries, process them by hand, and roast your own 200 g bag to take home.
Evening: Return to Medellín or overnight in Salento's colourful wooden posadas, sipping hot chocolate and watching fireflies flicker over the valley.
Morning: Fly from Medellín to Rafael Núñez Airport in Cartagena (1 hour), check into a restored colonial mansion guesthouse inside the Walled City, and immediately hit the ramparts.
Afternoon: Walk the entire circuit of the 13 km city walls, stopping at the Café del Mar for a cold Águila beer while watching container ships drift through the turquoise Caribbean.
Evening: Wander the flower-bedecked streets of Getsemaní neighbourhood and dine on ceviche de camarón at a candlelit courtyard restaurant as street musicians play vallenato.
Morning: Catch an early speedboat (45 min) from the Muelle de los Pegasos dock to the Islas del Rosario — a protected marine sanctuary with coral reefs in gin-clear Caribbean water.
Afternoon: Snorkel the coral gardens, sip fresh coconut water on a powdery white-sand beach, and feast on whole fried red snapper at one of the island's rustic beach shacks.
Evening: Return to Cartagena for sunset cocktails on the rooftop of the Hotel Sofitel Legend Santa Clara — one of the most spectacular views in all of Colombia.
Morning: Explore the imposing Castillo San Felipe de Barajas at dawn before the tour groups arrive — the tunnel system beneath is genuinely thrilling to navigate by torchlight.
Afternoon: Browse the artisan market at Las Bóvedas inside the old fortification walls, bargaining for handmade mochila bags, hammocks, and emerald jewellery.
Evening: Take a 2-hour salsa and champeta dance class in Getsemaní then join locals at a rooftop house party or rumba callejera (street party) that inevitably erupts after 10 pm.
Morning: Wake before dawn and walk the city walls one last time as the sun rises over the Caribbean — stop at a street cart for a hot arepa de huevo (egg-stuffed fried corn cake) to remember Colombia by.
Afternoon: Spend remaining time at the beautiful Playa de Bocagrande for a final swim, or pick up last-minute Colombian coffee, hot sauce, and ron Medellín rum at the duty-free.
Evening: Transfer to Rafael Núñez Airport for your international departure, carrying memories of a country that once surprised the world and continues to dazzle every visitor who arrives open-hearted.
All tracked partners in one place — you support TonyPlan at no extra cost.
More options: Kiwi.com · Oojo · seats.aero · Arangrant · QEEQ · GetTransfer · Saily · Yesim · GigSky · Klook · EF Ultimate Break · EF Adventures · AirHelp Plus · CruiseDirect
Tell Tony your dates, style and budget — get your own itinerary in seconds.
Plan my Colombia trip →