Metropolitan Touring is one of South America’s most diverse and respected travel companies. Founded in Ecuador in 1953, the NTA member has its own ground operations in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, and has a fleet of ships that is used for its Galapagos Islands itineraries.
According to Tom Pelizzaro, the company has seen an increase in interest in its Columbia itineraries over the past decade.
“Colombia is emerging because many are looking for a new place to go,” says Pelizzaro, who is Metropolitan Touring’s North American representative. “The country was off limits for many years, but now everyone is discovering that this amazing, diverse destination has so much to offer: art, culture, nature and its very friendly people.”
He says the company’s Golden Triangle itinerary is a good one for first-time visitors. This seven-day tour covers the highlights of Bogota, Pereira and Cartagena.
In the Colombian capital, travelers see Plaza de Bolivar, the Gold Museum and the Fernando Botero Museum. They also visit nearby Zipaquirá, which is home to an underground salt cathedral that features the Stations of the Cross and a group of illuminated naves and sculptures.
During their two days in Pereira, which is situated in the shadow of the Andes Mountains, travelers visit the area’s famous coffee plantations and see the world’s tallest palm trees in the Valley of Cocora. The trip closes in coastal Cartagena. One of the best-preserved colonial cities in South America, Cartagena is known for its multiethnic heritage that represents African, Spanish and Caribbean influences.
To learn more, email Pelizzaro or go to metropolitan-touring.com.
Top photo: Bogota’s Plaza de Bolivar
Photo by CC Flickr/Juan Manuel Alvarez Patiño: bit.ly/2OzkYU3
