Colombia and Panama: Best of

Bogotá rises at 2,600 metres on the Andean plateau, a vast and contrasting metropolis that is Colombia's political, cultural and economic heart. Its historic core is La Candelaria, a maze of cobbled streets and brightly coloured colonial houses where museums, universities and literary cafés cluster. At its centre lies Plaza de Bolívar, framed by the Catedral Primada, the Palace of Justice and the Capitolio Nacional. A short walk away stands the famed Museo del Oro, home to an extraordinary collection of pre-Columbian goldwork, and the Museo Botero, which gathers the rotund works of the great Colombian artist. Monserrate hill, reached by funicular, rewards visitors with a spectacular view over the sprawling city at the foot of the Andes. Bogotá is also dynamic and modern: the Zona G is full of fine dining, the Zona Rosa of nightlife, while on Sundays the ciclovías close the streets to traffic for cyclists and families. The cuisine ranges from ajiaco, the capital's chicken-and-potato soup, to specialities from across the country that converge here. Between altitude, art and creative energy, Bogotá reveals itself as a complex and captivating capital, the gateway to all of Colombia.

Villa de Leyva is one of Colombia's best-preserved colonial villages, set in an arid valley of the Andean plateau a few hours from Bogotá. Its heart is the Plaza Mayor, one of the largest cobbled squares in South America, framed by whitewashed houses with timber doorways and a colonial church. The town's streets, unchanged over the centuries, are home to craft workshops, cafés and restaurants. Nearby lie palaeontological sites rich in fossils, vineyards, monasteries and striking desert formations. The dry climate and clear skies make Villa de Leyva a beloved destination for relaxing escapes from the capital. Between white stone and an old-world atmosphere, it is a true colonial treasure.

Armenia is one of the capitals of the Eje Cafetero, Colombia's coffee region declared a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape. Surrounded by rolling hills planted with coffee, banana and wax palms, the city is an ideal base for discovering a land of lush greenery and rural traditions. Nearby, visitors tour haciendas that follow the whole coffee process from harvest to cup, and the Parque Nacional del Café, a theme park devoted to coffee culture. The nearby Valle de Cocora enchants with its towering wax palms, the tallest in the world, rising through the mountain mist. Among welcoming fincas and green vistas, Armenia is the authentic face of coffee-country Colombia.

Cartagena de Indias unfolds along Colombia's Caribbean coast as one of Latin America's best-preserved colonial cities, a fortified port that for centuries guarded Spain's New World treasures. Its heart is the Ciudad Amurallada, a walled old town enclosed by mighty limestone ramparts now strolled at sunset, when the sky glows orange over the Caribbean Sea. Within the Centro Histórico, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, pastel mansions with timber balconies spill over with bougainvillea, shady squares such as Plaza Santo Domingo and Plaza de los Coches invite a pause, and stern colonial churches line the streets. The Getsemaní district, once working-class and now the city's creative soul, throbs with murals, salsa bars and courtyards alive late into the night. The skyline is dominated by Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, the largest Spanish fortress in the Americas, while La Popa hill offers sweeping views over bay and islands. Cartagena is also a gateway to beaches, from the high-rise strand of Bocagrande to the crystalline waters of the Islas del Rosario, reached by boat for days of sea and snorkelling. The cuisine blends Caribbean and African flavours, from coconut seafood to the arepas de huevo sold on street corners. With its music, warmth and timeless architecture, Cartagena remains one of the continent's most seductive destinations.

Panama City faces the Pacific Ocean with the skyline of a modern metropolis, and behind it five centuries of history take shape in the Casco Viejo, the colonial old town declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded by the Spanish in 1519 and rebuilt in 1673 on its current peninsula, the city is today Central America's most cosmopolitan capital, a crossroads of cultures, trade and air routes that make it the ideal starting point for any Panamanian itinerary. The Casco Viejo concentrates the best of colonial architecture: the Plaza de la Independencia with the Catedral Metropolitana, the Palacio de las Garzas (the presidential residence), the church of San José with its celebrated baroque golden altar, and cobblestone lanes where bars, restaurants and art galleries animate buildings under restoration. From the Las Bóvedas bastion viewpoint the eye sweeps over the Bahía de Panamá and, on clear days, the distant outline of the Puente de las Américas. A few minutes by taxi stands the country's true icon: the Panama Canal. The Miraflores Locks, with their museum and panoramic terrace, allow visitors to watch in real time the passage of container ships, tankers and cruise liners crossing the 77-kilometre artificial waterway, the most famous in the world. The newer Agua Clara Locks on the Atlantic side offer the same spectacle on an even larger scale. The capital's cuisine blends Afro-Caribbean, Asian and Latin American flavours: ceviche de corvina with ají chombo, sancocho de gallina, patacones, and the fusion restaurants of Marbella and the Cinta Costera waterfront make a culinary tour an essential part of any visit. Panama City is also a convenient base for excursions to the Las Perlas islands, Soberanía National Park and Emberá communities in the Darién jungle.