What to see in Cartagena de Indias

Cartagena de Indias

When I hear or read the name of Cartagena de Indias I immediately think of the colonial era, of ships plying the Atlantic with riches, of pirates, of a scorching sun... Well, all that and more is today in this beautiful and interesting Colombian city.

Cartagena de Indias is one of the most tourist destinations in this American country, so if you are thinking of getting to know Colombia, it should be on your list. let's see today what to see in Cartagena de Indias.

Cartagena de Indias

Cartagena

The city It is on the shores of the Caribbean Sea and was founded in 1533 by a Spanish conquistador named Pedro de Heredia. It is in the north of the country and used to be in colonial times one of the most important ports in all of America.

It is precisely from these golden years that his rich cultural and architectural heritage. Due to its riches and the activity of its port, the city was the target of pirates and corsairs, so it had to be protected and walled in to be able to deal with these attacks.

The city enjoys a hot and pleasant climate, very tropical, with an average temperature of 27 ºC all year. With sun and heat it is the best climate to be outdoors visiting its treasures, so let's now move on to what to see in Cartagena de Indias.

Walled city

Colonial walls in Cartagena

The walled city It is the historic center of Cartagena. The colonial walls still surround this part of the city, for several kilometers, so since 1984 it is considered Historical Patrimony of Humanity.

The center of Cartagena So it is divided into three parts. or neighborhoods: the San Diego neighborhood, where formerly the merchants and the petty bourgeoisie resided, the San Pedro neighborhood which is where the palaces and the cathedral are, and the Getsemani neighborhood.

El San Diego neighborhood opens like a window to the past of the elegant and wealthy city. If you are looking for a very traditional site, is this. It's about a colorful neighborhood, good neighborhoodl, which developed around the Plaza de San Diego and the Iglesia de la Trinidad. It has walls and bastions and narrow streets decorated with mansions, decorated in turn with flowered balconies.

walls in cartagena

The University of Fine Arts grants the city a bohemian air which is reflected in the attendance, until late at night, of many young people, in the multiple bars (many of them former convents or hospitals), that you find here and there, and are also today hotels, cafeterias and shops, around the square . Other inhabitants are foreigners who always vacation in the city and already have their homes and mix with traditional Cartagena families.

Where should you walk? Well, there are many paths: the Calle de los Tumbamuertos, Calle de las Bóvedas, Calle de La Cochera del Hobo, Calle del Torno de Santa Clara... All with mansions, huge windows, balconies... And just walking around here you will come across the most representative of this area of ​​Cartagena de Indias such as the Cordon Walled, Plaza Fernández in Madrid, the Church of San Toribio, the popular Plaza de San Diego.

Colonial streets in Cartagena de Indias

Meanwhile the center is also a way into the past as the architectural heritage of the city is really well preserved. You will see the building of the School of Fine Arts, the University of Cartagena, the old headquarters of the Government of Bolívar, the Bank of the Republic...

As well there are colonial houses like the one on Calle de La Moneda, painted yellow with white balconies, illuminated at night, or the blue and white mansion on Calle Primera de Badillo, with more than 30 balconies and wooden windows throughout of its five floors or the beautiful mansion that is in Plaza Santa Teresa, with two floors, with balconies.

Getsemani neighborhood

Finally, the neighborhood or neighborhood of Getsemaní It's not lacking in elegance either. Is cheerful and colorful and there is always a party mood. It is a traditional neighborhood in its own way, which was formerly inhabited by those who worked in the city's mansions and later it was the headquarters of some factories producing typical products.

The soul of the neighborhood is the Plaza de la Trinidad, where everyone meets, locals and tourists and street entertainers alike. Another very visited site is the narrow alley, that alley with dozens of umbrellas hanging, very colorful. Of course, there is no shortage of churches and other popular squares that today are home to bars and restaurants that operate both day and night.

Gethsemane

It doesn't matter if you decide to stay in another of the neighborhoods of the city, you can't miss here and if it's late at night, much better.

Cartagena Beaches

Rosario Islands

Cartagena, in the north of Colombia, is also synonymous with beaches. We are in the Caribbean Sea! Y it is in the islands that are on the coast that we find the best beaches to visit. Think that there are more than 30 islands within the Corales del Rosario and San Bernardo National Natural Park, so islands plus turquoise waters plus sun plus green jungle, well it is Eden.

You just have to choose which island you are going to set foot on, they are all beautiful and they all have their own. You can start by taking a boat at the Muelle de la Bodeguita, which is where you can hire tours of all kinds, in the historic center. You have for example the calls Rosario Islands, about 40 kilometers from the city. They are 28 islands with corals and mangroves, destination for diving and snorkeling. You arrive after 45 minutes by boat.

Water activities in the Rosario Islands

Here there are white beaches with transparent waters that allow you to see the beautiful underwater flora and fauna. They also have several hotels, so you can choose to spend a couple of nights and not miss sunrises or sunsets. If you are not going to spend the night you can visit or spend the day.

Another sun and sea destination is earth bomb, much closer, just 10 minutes. A good day trip destination. It is a virgin island where around 9 thousand people live whose life is focused on the beaches, gastronomy, landscape and visitors.

earth bomb

In Tierra Bomba there is Punta Arena, with white beaches and a stupendous view of the city in the distance, Caño de Oro, so called because the island used to have gold furnaces, Tierra Bomba itself, with its mangrove swamps that allow for canoeing , night baths to see the plankton that glows and bird watching; and Bocachica, the channel that provides access to the Bay of Cartagena and still preserves old defense batteries and forts.

Finally, we cannot name the Barú Island, with its popular and beautiful Playa Blanca, its restaurants and bars, its hotels... And at night the waters that surround the beach come alive and shine and offer the opportunity to go kayaking to feel this wonder of nature up close. .

Playa Blanca, on Isla Barú

There is also the San Bernardo archipelago, outside the Gulf of Morrosquillo, with its ten islands. It is a destination away from the city, a couple of hours, maybe two and a half hours, but if you want to get away from any noise it is very nice. And if you don't have much time to leave the city? Doesn't Cartagena have its own beaches?

Yes of course, around the city there are many beaches, just steps from its historic center. You can go to little lake, quite residential and exclusive, Big Mouth, very turistic, bigcastle, more local, Nozzle, to the north and with hotels, Manzanillo del Mar, Marbella…

Big Mouth

Finally, Cartagena de Indias is not only about history and beaches, depending on the time of year you go you can witness or participate in some cultural event or festival. There are music festivals, dance festivals, art exhibitions and if you go on November 11 the city celebrates its independence so it is a national holiday and is celebrated with four days of celebration.

The truth is that Cartagena de Indias makes up the trio of cities that you cannot miss if you go to Colombia: Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena de Indias. What are you waiting for?


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