Holiday in Cartagena (Old Town)

About Cartagena (Old Town)

Cartagena de Indias is a city that floods all the senses at once: In the streets of the walled Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, Salsa and Cumbia thrum from open windows, cascades of bougainvillea tumble from wrought-iron balconies, and the scent of fried dough and grilled fish mingles with the salty Caribbean breeze. The Ciudad Amurallada (walled city) is an architectural masterpiece of colonial Spain: Built in the 16th century as the main port for Spanish treasure ships, Cartagena became the most fortified city of the New World. The 11-kilometer-long city wall, the massive bastions, and the fortress San Felipe de Barajas — the largest Spanish fortress in the Americas — were meant to protect the immeasurable wealth from pirates and enemy fleets. Within the walls, the Old Town is a labyrinth of beauty: The San Diego neighborhood enchants with its quiet squares and pastel-colored colonial houses, while Getsemaní — once the neighborhood of slaves and workers — has transformed into the most creative barrio of the city, with colorful street art, rooftop bars, and a density of salsa clubs that invite dancing every night. The Plaza de Santo Domingo with its Botero sculpture, the Iglesia de San Pedro Claver, and the sweet shop passage Portal de los Dulces — where women in white dresses sell the famous Cartagena sweets — are just a few of the countless atmospheric corners. In the evening, the city wall transforms into a promenade where locals and visitors admire the sunset over the Caribbean while street musicians provide the soundtrack. Cartagena is proof that history, culture, and tropical joy of life can create an irresistible mix.