The ferry arrives at the port of MESSINA and we anxiously wait for the doors to open and the strong Sicilian sun to greet the rows of cars shrouded in industrial darkness, all as eager as we are to drive towards the welcoming light. Patience is needed, but finally it is our turn to start the engine and roll towards dry land, further traffic and eventually, the open road.

Our first stop is the inimitable TAORMINA, town of endless elegance, ancient past, and legendary cannoli. We stop for a coffee at Bam Bar, uncertain of how we secured a free table among the busy August crowds, but we do not question our luck. The streets of Taormina are full but not unpleasantly so. Nonetheless, after our cappuccino, cravings turn to the sea and we stroll down to the beach.

During our endless search for Colombian artisan goods, we’ve gone on many long road trips visiting gorgeous pueblos and hotelitos along the way. Some of our favorite stops are just a few hours from Bogotá and others, a bit more remote. Colombia is a huge country with one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world - driving a few hours in any direction can feel like entering an entirely different country. We like to travel slowly; we try to spend at least 3-4 days in each place and we usually take long meandering walks, asking locals what to do, see or eat, if there are any regionally specific crafts, and generally just take in as much as we can. Over the course of 3 years we have travelled to 14 of Colombia’s 32 different departments and still have only scratched the surface. If you have a couple of weeks you can have a beach vacation, jungle adventure, and charming-colonial-town getaway all in the same trip. At the risk of sounding like a commercial tagline: Colombia really does have it all.