This morning we learn about the INHERITANCE LAWS IN COLOMBIA. In 2018, the Colombian government promulgated Law 1893 to punish children who abuse, abandon, or engage in questionable practices toward their parents by nullifying the children’s right to their parents’ inheritance. (Hijos maltratadores no podrán heredar: nueva ley de la República, EL ESPECTADOR (May 30, 2018). The Law aims to encourage respect and care for parents, the elderly, and disabled people by punishing children who abuse their parents and was enacted in response to official statistics from 2017 showing 70,000 cases of intra-family violence and 20,000 cases of people in a neglected situation abandoned by their relatives. In this presentation, we learn about the grounds for disinheritance, the law's context within the Colombian Civil Code, and how the law has operated in practice since its enactment.   

After our morning presentation, we depart for Monserrate, Bogota’s best viewpoint. We climb over 10,000 feet on the Funicular railway, enjoying an impressive view of Colombia’s vast capital city.

We descend for a visit to the Gold Museum Museum to learn about South America’s indigenous, pre-Columbian traditions.

Next we walk Bogota’s historical and colonial center, La Candelaria and Plaza Bolívar, the hub of national and citywide government. Here we see El Capitolio, the home of Colombia’s Congress, Edificio Liévano, and Catedral la Primaria, Bogotá’s main cathedral, as well the Palace of Justice, the home of Colombia’s Supreme Court. 

The Palace of Justice building was famously seized by Marxist guerillas in 1985, regarded as one of the lowest points in Colombia’s long history of political conflict. A Special Jurisdiction for Peace was formed to process cases stemming from the conflict, based on many of the lessons from South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation process. 

We see La Plaza de Chorro de Quevedo, the former lookout post and site of Bogota’s founding in 1538. Walking the cobblestone streets of the colonial center, we see some of Bogota’s best graffiti art and some may choose to taste the local Chicha, a traditional fermented corn beverage. Colombia’s street art is known world-wide and both in Bogota and Medellin we will learn more about the thriving urban art scene.

Afternoon Group Lunch at El Son de los Grillos or Fulanitos in the Calendaria. 

Time permitting, we visit the Banco de la Republic complex and see the famous Botero art collection, one of the most important art collections in all of South America. This gallery houses the works of one of Colombia’s most famous artists, Fernando Botero, along with select masterpieces from Dali, Renoir, Chagall and Picasso.  After a quick tour of the museum’s most prominent collections, we proceed to lunch.

Our afternoon continues with a lecture on POVERTY AND THE ELDERLY IN COLOMBIA

We meet with government officials tackling the problems of poverty facing the elderly in Colombia.

Return to hotel, remainder of evening free.

Dinner on your own.

Optional evening entertainment.  

Our morning begins with an exciting lecture U.S.-COLOMBIA RELATIONS: Diplomatic Perspectives at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, the second largest U.S. Embassy in the world. 

OVERVIEW OF PRIVATE CLIENT LAW IN COLOMBIA with Colombian attorneys / Law Office visit. 

We depart for the marvelous Salt Cathedral in Zipaquira, an approximate 40 minute drive. This converted salt mine, underground church & pilgrimage site, is considered one of the most notable achievements of Colombian architecture. While a functioning church, it has no bishop and no official status as a Cathedral in Catholicism. 

1:00 pm  Group lunch at Andres DC de Chia.

Local Sport: Tejo 

While futbol (soccer) is the most popular sport in Colombia, residents of Bogota are fond of a traditional sport known as Tejo. A portrait of pre-Columbian origins, Tejo consists of throwing a metal disc at a board covered with clay set at a 45-degree angle. At the center of the board is the triangular target, typically combined with gunpowder to create a loud explosion on impact. This local pastime is customarily played while drinking beer, and some may find similarities with the American lawn games horseshoes or cornhole. 

5:30 pm  Return to the hotel. 

Dinner on your own.

Today our group flies from Bogota (BOG) to Medellin (MDE) on an Avianca flight coordinated by CLE Abroad.  

We stay at the secluded Cannúa Lodge nestled in the heart of the Antioquian mountains. 

Light lunch at the Lodge.  Fresh menu with multiple options to suit any palate.

Afternoon 

Optional Coffee & Chocolate Tasting Workshop.

**Private Walking Tour or in-room Massage Services available upon request and for an additional fee**

Delicious dinner inside the Lodge at Cannúa. 

Optional Morning Yoga.

Breakfast is served at our Lodge.

Morning reserved for R&R and time to enjoy the sprawling property.

On the way into Medellín, we visit the highlands of Santa Elena to learn about the Silletero tradition and importance of ornamental flowers to the people of Colombia. 

1:00 pm  We enjoy a group lunch on a family-owned flower farm, authentic Antioquian style cuisine.

After lunch, we drive through the Arvi National Park and ecological nature preserve, before descending (via Cable Car) to the city of Medellin.  Medellín is known by many Americans as the former headquarters of drug baron Pablo Escobar. In recent years Medellín has transformed from one of the most dangerous cities in the world to a hub for digital nomads and an award-winning city for innovation in the New Colombia. 

Upon arrival at the city center we visit Parque Berrío and Botero Park. At Botero Park we see Botero’s famous statue garden before viewing the extensive hometown artist's collection in the Museo de Antioquia.

REVOLUTIONARY STUDIES ON ALZHEIMER’S  

Meet with research Faculty at the University of Antioquia who are studying the genetic mutation believed to cause early-onset Alzheimer’s. The town of Yarumal in Colombia is famous for having the world’s largest population of people with Alzheimer’s disease. In the surrounding state of Antioquia, approximately 5000 people carry the gene mutation. Now researchers are tracing the ancestry of the mutation, finding that it was probably introduced by Spanish conquistadors early in the 17th century.

Time permitting, we enjoy a coffee break before heading to our hotels in the popular El Poblado district.

Hotel Check-in.

Remainder of afternoon free. Optional stroll/bar crawl to Parque Lleras. 

Evening 

Return to the hotel. 

 Depart for our Graffiti Art Tour in Comuna 13, one of many hillside neighborhoods in Medellin impacted by the conflict. Guided by a local street artist, we will learn how urban art has helped this community heal from many years of harsh violence waged between rebels, drug cartels and paramilitary groups.  

After our walking tour, we visit Casa Kolacho community center for a Hip Hop and graffiti demonstration.

Visit the Museo Casa de la Memoria, dedicated to the victims of the Colombian conflict. 

1:00 pm  Lunch and Lecture at the creative social project, Via Cocina (Food Train). 

Canadian Brian Johnston started Via Cocina with the vision of introducing healthy and diverse foods to Colombians. Brian’s home and project kitchen has offered the Medellin community the chance to learn new cooking styles through weekly workshops and events. Consequently, many of Brian’s student-participants are opening their own cafes and restaurants.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT & INT’L COOPERATION IN COLOMBIA

Over lunch, Brian will detail his community development and non-profit background, share his personal struggles and accomplishments in becoming a legal resident and setting up a social enterprise in Colombia.

After lunch, we return to El Poblado for a Coffee Chat with Social Workers.

4:00 pm  SUPPORT FOR THE ELDERLY IN COLOMBIA

Over coffee and refreshments, we enjoy conversation with young Colombian social workers who advocate for the elderly.

7:30 pm  Group dinner and full course tasting menu at Carmen, one of Colombia’s most highly rated restaurants. This modern Colombian cuisine presented in a chic setting will not disappoint. 

For those continuing to Cartagena, we depart Medellin (MDE) for our 1 hour flight to Rafael Nunez International Airport (CTG). From the airport we drop our bags at our hotel and depart for our welcome lunch at Juan del Mar.   After lunch we continue to our hotels located in the historic city center.  After check-in and a brief rest, depart for 

Morning  Possible visit to La Liga or alternative activity w/lunch prior to our hotel check in.

Afternoon Cartagena Welcome lunch at La Mulata. Flavorful dishes featuring the freshest local ingredients. 

After lunch, check-in to our Hotel. 

4:00 pm  After check-in and a brief rest, depart for the Walking Tour of Cartagena’s colonial center. 

During the walk our guide will highlight some key locations featured in the works of the Colombian author Gabriel Garciá Márquez or "Gabo" as he is affectionately known.

See the Teatro Heredia on Plaza de la Merced located 3 blocks west of the hotel.

We continue to Plaza Fernández de Madrid. The author recast this square as The Park of Evangels in Love in the Time of Cholera. We also see the Palacio de la Gobernacíon that served as the Arcade of Scribes in the same novel. 

Continue to the Plaza de Santo Domingo where the cathedral's warped tower played a key part in the author's 'magical realism'. In 1948, Gabo arrived in Cartagena penniless and spent his first night sleeping on a bench in the Plaza de Bolívar. 

Plaza de la Aduana that was the setting for the gypsy fair in the opening of One Hundred Years of Solitude.

The walking tour ends at the Camellón de los Mártires and the Torre de Reloj (clock tower) built in 1888 atop what was once the main entrance to the city or Boca del Puente. 

6:00 pm  Time permitting, Sunset Cocktail at Café del Mar before returning to the hotel. 

8:00 pm Group Dinner at Restaurante Interno, a dining hall situated inside a local prison and staffed almost exclusively with female inmates. Inside we will enjoy high quality, locally sourced cuisine while supporting the families of these prison inmates. This popular restaurant has inspired some female inmates to pursue culinary professions after release.

OR Group Dinner at La Vitrola. (Men’s Dress Code: no shorts/sandals)

**For those returning to the USA today, optional morning activities are on your own.  Airport transfers to be arranged depending on flight departure times.**

 Breakfast is served daily in the lobby level. 

8:30 am For those who choose, we travel via chartered boat (approx. 45 minutes) to one of Cartagena’s most pristine island locales, Isabela Beach.   The boat will return to the mainland at 3:00pm.

For those who wish to remain ashore, a guide will be available for those who wish to take advantage of the many “shopportunities” Cartagena has to offer..

Lunch on your own.

Possible CLE: COLOMBIAN NATURAL RESOURCES, CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

At the beach, energy sector expert David Rojas will lead a brief yet lively discussion on current issues such as oil & gas regulation in Colombia, climate change, investment in regional economic development, and detail one of Colombia’s biggest corruption scandals involving the modernization project at the Reficar refinery.  

3:00 pm  Return to Cartagena and our hotel.

Dinner on your own.

 On our last full day, please take as much free time as desired. Arranged group activities as follows: 

Optional activities include a visit to one of Cartagena’s most pristine beaches, Bendita Beach.  Lunch on your own.

8:00 am Fortress Tour of Castillo de San Felípe de Barajas. Built in 1536 atop the Hill of San Lázaro, the fortress is well-preserved with beautiful views of the city and coastline. 

9:30 am WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND GENDER JUSTICE IN COLOMBIA 

Lecture and Discussion with Patricia Guerrero. Ms. Guerrero is the founder of La Liga de Mujeres Desplazadas (League of Displaced Women) which advocates for the rights of internally displaced Afro-Colombian and indigenous women and children. La Liga has worked to document and prosecute countless cases of violence against women and forced displacement in Cartagena, including lawsuits filed with the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights. Ms. Guerrero was recently awarded the prestigious International Human Rights Award in 2017 for her dedication to the advancement of human rights in Colombia. This lecture will take place at Folklore Café.

We see the Inquisition Palace Cartagena Historical Museum.

Lunch on your own.

3:00 pm Optional afternoon walking tour of the Getsemani bohemian arts neighborhood. Once an area of Cartagena avoided by tourists and locals alike, here we see street art, eclectic galleries, and discover why Cartagena is becoming such a cultural hot spot.

5:00 pm  Optional Aguardiente & Colombian Rum tasting at Bar Arsenal with local rum expert, Abraham Dau.

Return to the hotel.

8:00 pm  Group Farewell Dinner at Candé. Cocina 100% Cartagenera. 

Optional morning activities depending on departure times from Rafael Nunez International Airport (CTG). Airport Transfers for departures to be arranged on behalf of participants.  

Participants may elect to extend their stay in Colombia  after the trip - please let CLE Abroad know if you need  any additional nights at our hotels (group rates extended at cost).   

* Please Note:  This is a “Working” Itinerary. There may be changes, additions and/or subtractions to the Final Itinerary. All venues and meetings are subject to final confirmations. Be assured that any changes made will be done to enhance the total program, and to promote a smooth operation of the tour.