colombia’s mix of music genres and dance styles is hugely due to its varied and abundant african population. cartagena, being a coastal city and thriving port during spanish conquest, became a forced entry point for enslaved africans, who brought with them their own rituals, instruments, and cultures they kept alive despite the horrific oppression they endured.

many people think colombians look a certain way, and it is hugely important to understand how diverse colombia’s population truly is. many of colombia’s most iconic dances and musicians come from this painful lineage. as we listen to this music and learn these beautiful dances, let’s acknowledge their origins.

beginning with…
joe arroyo - legend of salsa and born in cartagena, he began singing in brothels in cartagena’s red light district at age eight. he wrote and performed “la rebelión”, an international hit and one of the most important salsa songs ever. it tells the story of a 17th century slave revolt in cartagena. we’ll be shocked if we don’t hear it at some point on the trip.

abundant african population has enormously contributed to the mix of genres and dance styles we get to enjoy today. and cartagena, being a coastal city and previously a colombian food is influenced by the 87 different indigenous tribes that live mostly in nariño, la guajira, cauca, and the amazon regio
You'll find that the best drink to pair your meals with are what we call "jugos naturales", fresh juices. colombians are the number one consumers of fresh juices in the world. they are everywhere, even squeezed and sold right in front of you on the streets. order lulo juice, which comes from the lulo, a fruit native to colombia.