RELIGIOUS COLOMBIA
10 DAYS

Day 2: BOGOTA’S RELIGIOUS LANDMARKS

After breakfast, you will discover La Candelaria, the charming colonial old town of Bogota and some of its most important churches.

Your English-speaking guide will first take you to discover the Cathedral Primada, Colombia’s most important Cathedral, located right in its main square.

This gorgeous neo-classical Cathedral was built in the early 19^th century, on the site of a small, thatched chapel built when the city was founded in 1538.

Then, you will pay a short visit to the Santa Clara church. This small temple is Bogota’s oldest one and one of the most richly decorated churches in the country.

Afterwards, you will be taken to visit the Church of Monserrate. Even though the building itself is not as pretty as the others, it is still very important for Catholics as it is their main pilgrimage church in the country.

As it is located at the top of one of Bogota’s highest hills, you will get some gorgeous views over the entire city.

After lunch, you will be taken to the Divine Child Parish Sanctuary, where you will find a 20th-century religious wooden statue of the child Jesus. It is one of the most popular religious images in Colombia, especially among Roman Catholics and it is claimed to have miraculous powers of fertility and healing.

Accommodation: Hotel Casa de la Vega

Day 3: ZIPAQUIRA AND CHIQUINQUIRA

Today you will visit two iconic religious buildings of Colombia: the Zipaquira Salt Cathedral and Chiquinquira’s Basilica.

You will first visit Zipaquira, where you will go 180 meters underground and let yourself be amazed by its Salt Cathedral; a majestic cathedral built inside of the largest salt-rock deposit on earth.

Here you’ll see the how Catholic symbology and contemporary engineering converged in the construction of a gigantic temple.

With materials from this former salt mine and using lighting effects, sculptors created innovative interpretations of the Catholic Via Crucis that you will be able to see throughout the cathedral. Here you will learn about the creative process and the symbology behind the sculptures.

Afterwards, you will be taken the town of Chiquinquirá. Here you will visit its Basilica, where you can find a representation of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá, famous among locals for its miraculous powers.

Accommodation:  Hotel Casa de la Vega

Day 4: LAS LAJAS CHURCH

Today it is time to visit the most impressive church in Colombia. The Sanctuary of Las Lajas in the nearby city of Ipiales.

You will leave Bogota early in the morning by plane. You will then be picked in the arrivals’ hall of Ipiales Airport and taken all the way until the entrance of the church.

There, you will have a few hours to discover and enjoy this amazing temple on your own. It is frequently voted one of the world’s most beautiful churches and it is an awe-inspiring sight, not only for the building itself, but also for the gorgeous canyon where it has been built.

Once you have finished discovering the temple, your driver will take you to the city of Pasto. This is a ride of around 2.5 hours through gorgeous mountainous landscapes.

Accommodation: Hotel San Blass Boutique

Day 5: TRANSPORT TO POPAYAN

In the morning, after a delicious breakfast, you will be taken to Popayan, one of the most religious cities of Colombia and famous for its Holy Week celebrations.

The drive takes around 6 hours through gorgeous mountain sceneries.

Accommodation: Hotel La Plazuela

Day 6:  DISCOVER POPAYAN

Today is the day to get to know Popayan! Our English-speaking guide will pick you up in the lobby of your hotel and guide you around this white city with all its religious history. He will explain everything there is to know about its history and colonial background.

Accommodation: Hotel La Plazuela

Day 7: BUGA AND TRANSPORT TO MANIZALES

Today you will leave Popayan early in the morning. You will first be taken to Buga, where you will get to visit one of the most important places for pilgrims in Colombia.

Buga’s basilica is a gorgeous temple, housing a sacred image of Christ believed to work miracles.

Afterwards, you will be taken to Manizales, where you will spend the night.

Accommodation: Hotel Quo

Day 8: MANIZALES AND FLIGHT TO CARTAGENA

In the morning, you will visit the gorgeous Catedral Basílica Metropolitana Nuestra Señora del Rosario. This cathedral dominates the skyline of the city of Manizales, in the heart of the Colombian coffee zone.

It is 113 meters tall, the third-largest cathedral in of Latin America and it can fit more than 5,000 worshippers inside. It also has a majestic canopy above its main altar.

In the afternoon, you will be taken to Manizales airport so you can catch a flight to Cartagena, the Pearl of the Caribbean.

Accommodation: San Pedro Hotel

Day 9: DISCOVER CARTAGENA

With this Cartagena city tour, we make sure you have the opportunity to discover the most important religious sites of the city, accompanied by an experienced tour guide.

This tour starts by taking you to La Popa monastery. In this place, you can view Cartagena entirely from a watchpoint and get to know the history of this pretty monastery.

Afterwards, you will go on a nice walk through Historical Center where we will visit Torre del Reloj, at Plaza de la Aduana, the place used for slave trade during the Colonial period.

Then we will go to San Pedro Claver church, which was built in the second half of the 17th century.  You will have some time here to get to appreciate this gorgeous church’s beauty.

Finally, you will visit Plaza de Bolivar and go to your hotel so you can check-in.

Accommodation: San Pedro Hotel

Day 10:  FREE TIME + RETURN HOME 

Today you will have your last day in Cartagena and in Colombia. Depending on the departure time of your flight back home, you might still have some time to keep discovering and enjoying Cartagena.

At the right time, you will be picked up in your hotel and taken to Cartagena’s airport.