19 Days Caribbean and Andean Experience

About the destination: Declared part of the UNESCO World Heritage in 1984, Cartagena de Indias is quite possibly one of South America's most beautiful city. Facing the Caribbean Sea to the west with Cartagena Bay to the south, the city is Colombia's top travel attraction. The city encapsulates all the charm of Spanish colonial architecture. The old town of Cartagena is immaculately preserved, with numerous beautiful plazas, churches and old buildings to marvel at. Walking down its picture-perfect streets is just a delight. Stroll along an enchanting maze of cobbled alleys and admire the Spanish colonial buildings including the Palace of the Inquisition, the Clock-Tower and the Castle of San Felipe de Barajas. Eating out is another form of entertainment in Cartagena, with countless choices of new and exotic flavours in its local and international restaurants. Cartagena offers all the enchantment of its history and it is considered one of the greatest cultural treasures in the Americas.

About the destination: Medellin is the second largest city in Colombia, and the capital of Antioquia. Due to its pleasant spring-like climate all year round the city is known as the City of the Eternal Spring. Despite its reputation of dangerous city throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Medellin is now considered to be one of the safest cities in Latin America.Medellin is a modern city of significant elegance, with luxurious restaurants, stylish bars and cafés, boutiques and galleries. Colombian figurative artist Fernando Botero was born here, you'll find many of his sculptures spread throughout the city, especially in Plaza Botero where there are 23 sculptures of the Colombian artist. There are several museums and old churches to visit, an impressive Metropolitan Cathedral, a superb Botanical Garden and many lively squares. Many people come here for the nightlife, which has the reputation to be one of the best in Colombia. Medellin is also known for its noteworthy festivals and events, such as the International Poetry Festival, the International Jazz Festival, the International Tango Festival, the Flower Parade and Los Alumbrados, the Christmas lights decorating Medellin, which make it the most beautiful Latin American city for the holidays.

About the destination: Quito, formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital city of Ecuador. Quito is beautifully situated in a valley on the eastern slopes of Pichincha Volcano. Situated at an altitude of 2850 metres above sea level, Quito is the highest capital in the world. Quito’s Centro Histórico is a lovely area with colonial architecture, cobbled plazas, majestic churches and many interesting museums. Centro Histórico is a Unesco World Heritage Site. One of the prettiest spots in the old centre of Quito is the Plaza de la Independencia, beautifully landscaped with flowers and trees. The buildings around the plaza include the pink confection that is the Hotel Plaza Grande, the Catedral Metropolitana de Quito, and the Presidential Palace. In the centre of the plaza there is the memorial to independence. Plaza San Francisco is one of the most beautiful places in Quito. It is a cobbled square with the whitewashed church and monastery of San Francisco standing along its north-western side. The Monastery of San Diego, situated southwest of Centro Histórico, is a lovely monastery from the 17th century, full of outstanding colonial religious art. It is absolutely worth a visit even if it is a little bit further away from the Centro Histórico. North of Centro Histórico we have the colourful Mariscal neighbourhood where there are many hotels, international restaurants, bars and trendy cafés.Quito is a friendly and fun city. With a superb Old Quarter and a dramatic setting, Quito is a place that grows on anyone.

About the destination: San Cristóbal (Chatham) is the easternmost island in the Galápagos archipelago, as well as one of the oldest geologically. It is administratively part of San Cristóbal Canton, Ecuador. Its Spanish (and official Ecuadorian) name "San Cristóbal" comes from the patron saint of seafarers, St. Christopher. English speakers increasingly use that name in preference to the traditional English name of Chatham Island, derived from William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. San Cristobal Island is composed of three or four fused volcanoes, all extinct. It is home to the oldest permanent settlement of the islands and is the island where Darwin first went ashore in 1835. A small lake called El Junco is the only source of fresh water in the islands. The availability of fresh water is what led to the early settlement of San Cristobal. A penal colony was built on San Cristóbal Island in 1880 for prisoners from mainland Ecuador. This later turned into a military base for Ecuador and export center for the island's products including sugar, coffee, cassava, cattle, fish and lime.

About the destination: Lima is the capital of Peru and its largest city. Most people just use Lima as a gate to Cuzco, Arequipa or Amazonas, but Lima, dubbed the City of the Kings, has lots to offer visitor. It is a city with many interesting historical sites, monumental colonial architecture and old world charm.Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Armas is in the heart of the Historic Centre of Lima. It is surrounded by some of the mayor tourist attractions in Lima, the Cathedral, the Archbishop Palace and the Government Palace. In the middle of the square there is a fountain with a bronze statue. Jirón de la Unión is the pedestrian street that connects the Plaza de Armas and the Plaza San Martín. It used to be a very important street where Aristocrats live, nowadays it's mainly a shopping street, but you can find many lovely colonial buildings with wooden balconies and grilled ornate windows while you walk along. Lima is a city tied to the ocean. The Costera promenade runs along its coast and is home to numerous restaurants and cafes. Lima is also the best place to try the wonderful Peruvian cuisine, which has a huge variety of ingredients from coast, mountain and Amazon regions.Lima is big and chaotic, but with its beautiful sights, great food and cool people it is well worth a visit.

About the destination: Cuzco, located in the Southern Sierras, is one of Peru's most visited cities. It was once the capital of the Inca dynasty and now it is the gateway to the Sacred Valley and the Andean capital of Peru. Cuzco exudes charm and splendour and it is full of character.Cuzco's heart is the Plaza de Armas where you can find the Cathedral and the Compañía de Jesús church, among other remarkable buildings. The architecture of the city is a curious mix of Spanish Colonial built upon Inca ruins and everything else is a unique melange of Spanish and indigenous influences. Exploring Cuzco’s picturesque, narrow, cobblestone avenues is a source of endless fascination. Cuzco is a constant link to the past, it streets are full of colourful costumes, handicrafts shops, remarkable Incan ruins and local flair is everywhere. Hatunrumiyoc is located close to Plaza de Nazarenas, not far from Plaza de Armas. It is a narrow pedestrian street, famous for its Inca walls where huge stones are precisely carved to fit together without mud or concrete. You’ll find the masterpiece, a 12-angled stone, about halfway down the street.Cuzco is the most convenient city from which tourists can begin visits to Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and other Inca sites in the region.The city’s fantastic Architecture and the breathtaking natural surrounding makes Cusco a city hard to leave.