Cabañas Villa Isabel

This may be a town location but it’s also well placed for rural outings – outdoor activities close by include bike tours, hiking trails, horse riding and paragliding tasters. There are lots of fabulous landscapes to explore around this part of central Colombia, but one of the most intriguing surely has to be Guatavita Lagoon (an hour’s drive), a sacred lake for the Muisca people and the inspiration for the legend of El Dorado. If you’ve never been to the Zipaquirá Salt Cathedral (25 minutes), a visit to this amazing attraction should certainly be on the cards. The subterranean Catholic church is housed within the tunnels of a former salt mine 180 metres below the surface, and the decorations and colourful lighting give it a very special atmosphere. Heading south, you’ll get to Bogotá with a drive of around half an hour, for a day spent visiting the Botero Museum and Gold Museum and strolling among the colourful colonial architecture of the Candelaria district.