Visit Cartagena

The old town is ringed by about 11 km of walls, much of which can be walked for free, with the sea on one side and tiled roofs on the other. In the south, the Centro district holds churches, palaces and monumental squares; in the north, San Diego is more residential, with low houses, small hotels and Plaza Fernández de Madrid. Two days cover the essentials. Go out before 10 am or after 4 pm: at midday temperatures often top 30 °C and the humidity is overwhelming.

Just outside the walls, Getsemaní was the district of craftsmen and freed slaves. It has become a travelers' neighborhood, with hostels, cocktail bars and murals along Calle San Juan and Calle de la Sierpe. Plaza de la Trinidad comes alive every evening from 7 pm, when families, street vendors and dancers gather. Lodging is often cheaper than inside the walls, and only 10 minutes on foot from the Clock Tower. It makes an ideal base before exploring the rest of Colombia.

South of the old town, the Bocagrande peninsula lines up hotel and apartment towers facing a long grey sand beach. The water is murky and vendors are many: it is a handy area for a pool and modern restaurants, not for a postcard. Castillogrande, at the tip of the peninsula, is quieter and residential. Allow 10 minutes by taxi from the Centro. For a real beach day, it is better to head to the islands.

The Rosario archipelago is part of a marine national park, about an hour by speedboat from the La Bodeguita pier. Day trips often chain three or four stops and can be crowded: favor a night in an island hotel, or an early departure. Playa Blanca, on the Barú peninsula, can also be reached by road in just over an hour. The sea is rougher from December to March with the trade winds, which makes some crossings uncomfortable.

Cartagena cooking relies on the sea and coconut: shrimp ceviche, fried fish with coconut rice and patacones, and arepa de huevo fried on the street for breakfast. Posta negra cartagenera, beef slow-cooked in a dark, sweet sauce, is the local specialty. For the curious, the huge and chaotic Bazurto market is best visited in the morning with a guide rather than alone. Tropical fruit sold by the palenqueras makes a perfect late afternoon snack.