The Cultural Heart of Caribbean Colombia

In Cartagena’s old town, bougainvillea spills from sherbert-hued balconies, and winding cobblestone lanes open onto grand plazas lined with ancient arcades. This atmospheric port city is a gateway to Colombia’s rich layers of culture, which we’ll unfurl on our voyage up the Caribbean coastline.

South of Cartagena, discover the most densely populated place on Earth: the postage-stamp isle of Santa Cruz Del Islote. Set amid a coral paradise, colorfully painted houses cover nearly every square inch of this enchanting island. The inland town of Santa Cruz de Lorica offers a window into the region’s waves of cultural influence from Europe to the Middle East. Once a bustling trading town where French speculators set up gold mines, the city opened its doors to Lebanese and Syrian settlers in the 1800s. See buildings built in Arabic styles and the Spanish-colonial cathedral as we explore this cultural melting pot.

A vast tropical wilderness also awaits. Venture into rainforests teeming with endemic wildlife and glide into the back channels of Bahía Cispatá, where a chorus of birdcalls serenades us through a remarkably dense mangrove forest.