Itinerary¶

Overall route and structure. Each stop links to its own page with activity detail; dance nights link into Dance opportunities.

Constraints & themes¶

Must be in Bogotá for the wedding around 20 August (arriving 18 Aug).
Avoid overly "staged" tourism (e.g. Cartagena old town can feel expensive/staged for this trip's purposes).
Want: historic towns (Villa de Leyva, Barichara, Jardín, Salento/Filandia, etc.), coffee region (UNESCO landscape, Cocora Valley, coffee farms), some nature/coast (Santa Marta + Tayrona, or an alternative), and dance opportunities throughout — see Personal context & goals for the reasoning behind these.

Suggested route (2 weeks, adjustable)¶

#	Stop	Dates	Duration	Focus
1	Bogotá	18–22 Aug (approx)	~4 days	Wedding + soft landing
2	Coffee region (Salento/Filandia/Pereira)	after Bogotá	3–4 days	Nature, relaxation
3	Medellín	after coffee region	3–4 days	Mixed dance scene, day trips
4	Cali	after Medellín	3–4 days	Focused dance block
5	Return to Bogotá → London	end of trip	—	—

1. Bogotá — wedding + soft landing¶

Base: Usaquén (calmer, near hosts) or nearby.
Wedding and pre-wedding group activity.
Historic centre (La Candelaria): walking tour, Gold Museum, Botero Museum, old streets.
Monserrate (funicular/cable car, city views).
Day/half-day trip to Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral.
Sunday Ciclovía (car-free streets, cycling/walking).
Dance: one "class + social" salsa night as a Colombia warm-up — see Dance opportunities → Bogotá.

Full detail: Bogotá

2. Coffee region — Salento / Filandia / Pereira¶

Fly Bogotá → Armenia or Pereira (short domestic flight) — see Logistics → internal flights.
Base: Salento or Filandia (small colourful towns).
Cocora Valley (wax palm trees, hiking), a coffee farm visit, town squares and viewpoints.
Dance: minimal here — this leg is for nature/relaxation.

Full detail: Coffee region

3. Medellín¶

Base: Laureles or El Poblado (choose quieter streets).
Parque Arví via cable car, day trip to Guatapé + Piedra del Peñol, optional day trip to Jardín, city walking tours, Comuna 13 tour if desired.
Dance: 1–2 evenings with class + social — see Dance opportunities → Medellín.

Full detail: Medellín

4. Cali — focused dance block¶

Base near the recommended salsa school.
Private/small-group Cali-style classes with Ricardo Murillo / Salsa en Conexión, plus socials he recommends. Purpose: consolidate the Cali style learned in the London intensive course, and practice dancing in public in a supportive environment.

Full detail: Cali · contact and message template in Dance opportunities → Cali

5. Return to Bogotá and home¶

Fly Cali → Bogotá → London (or via a connection city).

Alternative branch under consideration

Instead of Cali, could do Medellín → Santa Marta → Tayrona → Bogotá for coast/nature — but this weakens the dance focus, which is a core goal (see Personal context & goals). Leaning towards keeping Cali unless something changes.