Day 1: Arrive + Welcome Dinner

 

Arrive in Cartagena by 2pm and transfer to your boutique hotel. Dress up a little and meet the group and your local guide at 6:00pm to head to our welcome dinner at the beautiful (hello, IG photos!) Mar y Zielo Restaurant for a three-course dinner to cheers to an amazing long weekend with new friends! This restaurant will take you through a sensory journey, celebrating Cartagena's beauty and gastronomic excellence.

 

Day 2: Explore Getsemani

 

Enjoy breakfast and a morning at the hotel and meet your guide at 10am to embark on a delightful Street Food Tour. (approx. 3 hours). Your adventure begins at the iconic Clock Tower, where charming stories of Cartagena's gastronomy unfold. Within this historic landmark, a kiosk awaits you, offering the delicious combination of patacones with cheese—a delightful introduction to the diversity of street food that awaits you. Wandering through the lively streets, your next stop is the "Sombreo Vueltiao," where you will savor a small cocktail capturing the essence of local flavors. Sip, enjoy, and immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere as you delve into the cultural fusion that defines the Cartagena culinary scene. Continue your gastronomic exploration with a visit to "Palito de Caucho," where you'll taste the delicious cheese arepa and then savor the unique touch of the egg arepa. The journey takes a savory turn as you indulge in chorizo, perfectly complemented with a refreshing sip of "Costeñita" beer. The local ambiance enhances the experience, turning each bite into a celebration of Colombian coastal cuisine. The adventure doesn't stop there. A delight for cheese lovers awaits you at the "Deditos de Queso" stop, where you'll enjoy these finger-licking delights. Flavors dance on your palate, showcasing the diverse and charming range of street food offerings. As you wander through the charming streets of Cartagena, your taste buds are destined for a culinary crescendo. Taste the refreshing Salpicon, the crispy goodness of buñuelos, and the savory embrace of carimañolas. Each bite tells a story of tradition, heritage, and the warmth of Colombian hospitality. Conclude your street food culinary odyssey back at the Clock Tower, where a charming tray of sweets awaits you. This sweet ending brings the tour full circle, leaving you with a satisfying blend of savory and sweet memories.  While you walk through the streets of Cartagena, you will dive into its daily life through this tasteful experience.  You will see and taste locally grown tropical fruits like granadilla, mango, lulo, soursop, and papaya.  Try delicious fried snacks like arepas, (corn flatbread) stuffed potatoes, empanadas, kibbeh, buñuelos, and carimañolas, while getting in touch with local music, history, and architecture. 

 

In the evening, we’ll put on our dancing shoes and head out on the town with an evening tour to feel the soul of salsa (starts at 8pm)! Cartagena boasts over 100 venues dedicated to the rhythms of salsa, and we’ll begin with a lesson before venturing outside of Getsemani’s walls to one of Cartagena’s most venerated salsa venues. Our local guides have taken care of entrance fees, air conditioned transport and, of course, (pretty much) unlimited drinks so we can relax and salsa the night away!

 

Day 3: La Boquilla Cultural Immersion

 

Meet your guide and driver at 10am for today's excursion! La Boquilla is a side of Cartagena few tourists see. For years, La Boquilla struggled without basic services, left behind by Cartagena's booming tourism districts. When a decline in fishing threatened their livelihoods, local fishers organized to secure essential services, restore their ecosystem, and revive the mangroves, leading to a resurgence of native fish and bird species vital to the community’s identity. We’ll navigate these mangroves by canoe, experiencing the biodiversity firsthand. 

 

Next, we’ll head to the beaches of La Boquilla for a drum session with a local Afro-Colombian music school! We’ll learn about La Boquilla from its local residents, then have a basic drum lesson and jam session with the group. This usually includes some dancing! This activity supports the music school, which keeps kids out of trouble and child labor by providing an alternate activity while keeping the cultural rhythm of La Boquilla alive. 

 

Meet your local guide at 5:45pm for this evening's tasting and dinner. Our last activity of the day is back in Getsemani, where we’ll visit one of Cartagena’s finest restaurants for a rum and chocolate tasting (El Arsenal Rum Box - on Cartagena's best restaurants list). A cozy bar awaits - step in and try five different rums, learning about the distillation process and the diverse aroma profiles that make each rum unique, and let chocolate tastings serve as the palate cleanser. 

 

Day 4: Rosario Islands Getaway

 

It’s time for what will no doubt be a highlight of this trip -  the Rosario Islands!The local guide will take you to the dock for your boat departure at 7:40am. We’ll board a speedboat in the morning and arrive at Hotel Coralina Island before noon. This is our chance to unwind on pristine white sand beaches and explore the turquoise waters surrounding this eco-resort. 

​

Relax by the sandy Bayside area, where sun loungers and shaded daybeds await, offering you the perfect spot to soak up the Caribbean sun. For those seeking adventure, dive into a world of marine wonders with snorkeling gear, explore the gentle waves on a kayak or paddleboard, or glide through the mangroves in one of our canoes.

 

The experience is enhanced by a unique dining journey at our El Manglar restaurant, where Colombian and French culinary traditions come together to delight your palate. Savor fresh flavors crafted from local ingredients while surrounded by breathtaking island views.  You'll be back in Cartagena around 4:30pm.

 

Note: Some activities like massages and snorkeling may come at an extra charge.

 

Day 5: Departure + Sad Goodbyes

 

In the morning, we’ll have breakfast together and say our goodbyes .

 

Book your flight for after 5:30pm. 

We’ll arrange transfers based on everyone’s flight times and next destinations (if you have extra time in Colombia, we recommend heading to the San Andres Islands or Medellin!), and leave with new friends and amazing memories.

​

While we do our best to stick to this itinerary, some activities or venues may not be available, and if this happens, we will work to find a comparable alternative.