Cartagena de Indias
It is undoubtedly the destination you should include in your travel itinerary; it is located in the north of Colombia on the shores of the Caribbean Sea. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Colombia. This romantic and charming destination keeps the secrets of history in its walled city, in its balconies and in its narrow stone roads that served as inspiration to the Colombian writer and Nobel Prize for Literature Gabriel García Márquez. In addition to the charms of its colonial architecture is a vibrant nightlife, cultural festivals and lush landscapes. The city's beaches invite you to sightsee, relax and enjoy the refreshing breeze and warm waters of the sea.
Historical Center: The beauty and importance of this landscape of Cartagena made it be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984. Ideal for wedding venues, walking through it at night is a unique experience.
San Felipe Castle: An important work of military engineering, built in colonial times for the defense of the city. Due to the cultural importance it represents, the castle has been the main stage of great social and cultural events.
Getsemaní neighborhood: Located near the Cartagena Convention Center, it is an example of the cultural mix that gave birth to the city; the streets are full of foreigners and Colombians from other areas looking for a bar or club to dance salsa and cumbia. The walls have become galleries for graffiti artists, you will enjoy nights with a bohemian and party atmosphere.
National Aviary: 1 hour 40 min. from Cartagena, via Baru, you will find the largest aviary in America. It has 138 species of birds and approximately 1800 specimens, among them: the Harpy Eagle, the Caribbean Toucan, the Pink Flamingos, the Crowned Crane, among others. It also has three eco-systemic environments (tropical rainforest, coast and desert) that support its wide variety of permanent exhibits. Here you will find a little of the Biodiversity that can be found throughout the country.
La Boquilla: Known as a fishing village, its inhabitants are native people who are dedicated to fishing as a daily livelihood activity. Visitors can experience a day of fishing with its inhabitants, ending with a delicious typical dish.
Another important attraction is the Mangrove Forest that helps the conservation of the ecosystem, you can find a variety of species of birds, crabs, flora and fauna.
San Basilio de Palenque: It is an excellent place if you want to appreciate the African influence in America. Located 1 hour 30 min. from Cartagena de Indias. Palenque, as it is called, was one of the first free towns of the continent. Its traditional cuisine has won international awards, thanks to its book "Kumina ri Palenge pa to paraje" which translates as "Palenque cuisine for the world"
Their language, music and dance have been declared intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
Beaches and Rosario Islands: An important fact to know before you travel to Cartagena is that the beaches of Cartagena being a continental territory its waters take a dark appearance, they are not of coral origin. Its sand is fluvial gray, because they came from the Magdalena River.
To enjoy a blue sea and white sand our recommendation is to visit Islas del Rosario. As a curious fact we tell you that it is a National Natural Park and it is made up of about 27 islands, where you will find several options for spending the day or lodging. Some of these islands have beaches and others simply have natural pools, it is important to inform yourself well before choosing the island you want to visit.
The activities you can do are visiting the aquarium, nautical activities, diving and interesting plankton tour at night.
La Popa Monastery: It is one of the most striking places to have a complete view of the Heroic City, as well as to visit the convent that in colonial times was one of the most important. When the tourists arrive to the interior of the convent they are admired by the interior patio of the convent. Every year in February the inhabitants go up to venerate the brown virgin. At this time the ascent to the hill is only allowed in 10-passenger vans.
Adolfo Mejia Theater: Also known as the Heredia Theater, it is located in the historic center of the city of Cartagena, inaugurated in 1911 on the occasion of the centenary of the independence of Cartagena. The theater has an important architectural value, the façade of the theater of Italian style with coastal influence, more relevant are the openwork lattices that separate the boxes, which produce a lace effect, and the ornaments that separate the stands, made of plaster covered with 22 carat gold leaf. With the restoration the most important work is the mural of the ceiling which represents the nine muses of the arts and sciences, as well as the painting of Cartagena in the curtain, both are works of art of the Colombian master and Cartagena's Enrique Grau.
Palace of the Inquisition: Located in the Simon Bolivar Park, it is one of the most important museums to visit because of the history of its construction in the eighteenth century for the operation of the court of the Holy Office of the Inquisition. Inside the museum you will find some of the tools and machines that were used for torture by the Inquisition in colonial times. You will also find legends and stories of Cartagena, its struggles and desire for freedom, the original architecture highlighting the carpentry used in the gates, balconies, roofs and windows, as well as its baroque design at the entrance of the museum.
If you travel to Corralito de Piedra, one of the activities you can not miss is a tour full of flavors and traditions. Starting with a plate of fruit from the traditional Palenqueras, whom you will find in several tourist spots including the Puerta del Reloj.
Buy typical sweets such as the famous cocadas in the portal of sweets, experience a tasting of one of the best rums in Colombia combined with chocolate, at sunset have a cold beer or try an original cocktail or coconut lemonade to watch the sunset in one of its bastions until nightfall to walk through the colorful and cheerful streets of the walled sector, you can do it walking or if you like in a horse-drawn carriage, listening to the stories of the streets told by the drivers.
Festivals Cartagena is one of the chosen venues for National and International Festivals for its architectural and cultural beauty. Among the most important ones we highlight the International Music Festival - Hay Festival., which is celebrated in January and brings together the leading exponents of instrumental music and international literature, the International Film and Television Festival (FICCI), an event attended by filmmakers, actors, musicians and fans of the seventh art, and which features free film screenings of the highest level.
Gastronomy The city invites you to enjoy the flavors of the Colombian Caribbean, including seafood, fish and fried Cartagena, the best known of which are the arepa de huevo, butifarra and carimañola. One of the typical dishes that you can not go without trying is the Posta Cartagenera, representative dish of La Heroica.
If you do not visit the coffee region, you can enjoy a Colombian coffee tasting with the traditional or molecular method, or combining it with the most awarded Colombian rums.
The Rhythms of the Caribbean, part of the Colombian Caribbean experience is learning to dance, in Cartagena you will have the opportunity to take classes of salsa, champeta, cumbia and reggaeton. You will also be surprised to see folkloric dance groups in the plazas, usually at night.
Once you take the classes you will be able to visit the great variety of bars and discotheques that you will find in the city.
Shopping In your itinerary, leave some space for shopping for local handicrafts that you will find in the streets of the walled sector, in Getsemani and in the area of Bocagrande. You will also find streets with boutiques of the most representative Colombian designers, with new and exclusive designs. If you are interested in emeralds, you will find jewelry stores where you can go with the certainty that they will sell emeralds with excellent quality and very good prices.
In La Heroica, as it is also known, you can make specialized tours in art and architecture, the city has galleries to admire paintings by Colombian artists and exhibitions of foreign artists, as well as accompany you to the Museum of Modern Art of Cartagena with an expert and make the cultural tour. Its historic center is appreciated for its civil, military and religious constructions; it has colonial and republican designs focused on restoration and conservation of architectural and urban heritage.
Cartagena has also become an ideal destination for weddings and honeymoons.
- We recommend you to wear very cool clothes to resist the heat, being a coastal city, its climate is tropical, humid and dry. It has an average temperature of 23 to 30º C.
- For transportation within the city you can use the taxicab service requested by some application or requesting it from the reception of the hotel or restaurant where you are. Another recommendation is to use the transportation provided by your travel agency in case your trips are longer or you are going to visit nearby cities such as Barranquilla and Santa Marta.
- The most important areas to stay in the city are Centro Histórico, Bocagrande, Getsemaní and Cielo Mar.
- Traveling to Cartagena is easy thanks to the Rafael Nuñez International Airport, which has important national and international connections.