Cartagena: a Colombian destination of history and culture

Haga click sobre la imagen para ampliarlaCartagena is a fantastic city that guards the secrets of history in its walls.

Cartagena is a fantastic city that guards the secrets of history in its walls / Photo: Carlos Sueskún.

Cartagena is a fantastic city that guards the secrets of history in its walls, balconies, buildings and narrow cobbled streets.

The charm of the walled city

The magic of Cartagena lies in its massive fortifications, the warmth of the people, the richness of the architecture and the infinite range of cultural expression of a doughty and valiant people.

The city is full of romance, and there is the setting for many a tale of times past in every street and square, and along the walls that bound it, waiting for the sunset to evoke past struggles.

On a sunny day vibrates with color along the facades of the buildings and the sea breeze refreshes the visitor on his way along the narrow streets of the old city.

Haga click sobre la imagen para ampliarlaAs night falls, Cartagena is warm, bathed in its own light, coming to life, transformed.

As night falls, Cartagena is warm, bathed in its own light, coming to life, transformed / Photo: Carlos Sueskún.

The monuments are there: sober, ancient monasteries, churches, battlements and the remains of bloody battles: a testimony to the invincible men and women who brought freedom to the “heroic city”.

Night falls, and is bathed in a light of its own, coming to life and transforming itself. It is a unique atmosphere that captivates the visitor and takes him back to times past and forgotten, in a horse and carriage.

From the walls there is a beautiful view of the sea. Then, euphoria grows and the tireless fiesta dances on until the first rays of the sun sweep away the mysteries of the night.

Yes, this is Cartagena. A city that tells its own past, its fascinating history and its rebirth in every age.

A favorite destination

Haga click sobre la imagen para ampliarlaTour the streets, see the old Spanish colonial buildings.

Tour the streets, see the old Spanish colonial buildings / Photo: Carlos Sueskún.

Declared part of the UNESCO World Heritage in 1984, Cartagena encapsulates all the charm of Spanish colonial architecture, the republic period and today, the attractions of intense night-life, cultural festivals, exotic scenery, superb beaches, wonderful food and a wide offer of hotels and tourist infrastructure.

Walk the streets, look at the Spanish colonial buildings – the Palace of the Inquisition, the Clock-Tower and the Castle of San Felipe de Barajas; enjoy the soft, warm breezes as you pass through the squares and plazas.

Eating out is another form of entertainment in Cartagena, with countless choices of new and exotic flavors in local and international styles.

The choice of accommodation is very wide too. There are traditional hotels and exclusive boutique hotels offering unique experiences of detail and personal service.

Cartagena offers all the enchantment of its history and the legacy of those who made it great and turned it into one of Colombia’s most important tourist destinations.