CARTAGENA TOURIST GUIDE
Embark on the legendary streets of the charming Cartagena de Indias and let yourself be surprised by the wide variety of destination activities you will find. Gleaming walls, Caribbean flavors and warm history await you.
Walled city
The Walled City is one of the main attractions of Cartagena de Indias. Its wall arose from the need to protect the city, which was the owner of the main port in America and therefore was a desired place by pirates and looters. To keep the historic center intact and well cared for, a wall was built that is approximately 8 km long and about 12 meters high. The center of the Walled City is the greatest demonstration of the Spanish influence in the city's architecture, its cobbled streets, churches, squares, old mansions that today are boutique hotels or exclusive restaurants and balconies adorned with flowers leave anyone enchanted. traveler.
It is advisable to visit the Plazas de las Bóvedas and de la Aduana, the Palace of the Inquisition, the Church and Convent of San Pedro de Claver, the House of the Marquis of Valdehoyos and the Clock Tower, among others.
Zenú Gold Museum
The Zenú Gold Museum is a museum located in the center of the Walled City of Cartagena de Indias, in front of Plaza Bolívar and very close to other attractions of the city. This museum has an interesting exhibition of gold pieces and other types of objects made by the indigenous people of the Zenú culture, who inhabited the region. Among the most interesting objects, you can see accessories such as earrings, nose rings and necklaces. Ceramic pieces such as vessels and bowls are also exhibited.
Inquisition Palace
The Palace of the Inquisition is a mansion located within the Walled City of Cartagena de Indias, in front of Bolívar Park. The place is known for having been the headquarters of the Penalty Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition for two centuries: from the beginning of the 17th century until 1811, when the inquisitors were expelled from the city.
Currently, in the Palace of the Inquisition there is a museum where you can see objects and torture machines used during that time. In addition, on the upper floor you can see an extensive exhibition on the history of Cartagena de Indias and the region, from before the arrival of the Europeans, until the city's independence.
Cathedral
The current Cathedral is the second version of this Church in Cartagena de Indias. The initial one, which dates back to 1537, caught fire since it was made of wood and reeds. After this accident, the construction of the current Cathedral began, which suffered various episodes before being completed, such as the destruction of three of its arches by Sir Francis Drake and the unreasonable fall of its main nave and a side nave. Finally, in 1612 it was completed. The main altar is built entirely of wood and decorated with gold.
Santo Domingo Square
The Plaza de Santo Domingo is one of the most visited places in the Walled City of Cartagena de Indias. It is located in the heart of the neighborhood, in front of the Santo Domingo Cloister. The square is not very large – it takes up less than a quarter of a block – but it is one of the liveliest places in the city, surrounded by cafes and restaurants with outdoor tables. Street vendors and street musicians are very common, who perform local melodies in exchange for a tip. If you visit the Plaza de Santo Domingo you should look for Fat Gertrudis, a sculpture by Botero that adorns the plaza. There are those who say that touching the statue's breasts guarantees you returning to Cartagena one day.
Sweets Portal
The Portal de los Dulces is a covered gallery located right in front of the famous Clock Tower and the Plaza de los Coches, at the main entrance to the Walled City of Cartagena de Indias, across the Pegasus Pier. The portal was formerly used as the place where slaves were sold, when Cartagena was one of the main ports and slave markets in the New World. Now the Portal de los Dulces – also called Pórtico de las Damas Negras – is a space with different stalls selling sweets that are made by hand, where you can try the most traditional sweets of the region, including the delicious cocadas, meringues and sandwiches. of tamarind.
Car Square
The Plaza de los Coches is the square and main entrance to the Walled City of Cartagena de Indias. It is just on the other side of the Clock Tower and is known for having been the place where slaves were traded in ancient times. Here the slaves that the lords came to buy were exhibited. Today the Plaza de los Coches is another of those magical places in the city, also famous for the Portal de los Dulces, a covered gallery with stalls selling traditional sweets and desserts from the region. In the center of the Plaza de los Coches stands the statue of Pedro de Heredia, the Spanish conquistador who founded the city around the year 1533.
Big Mouth
The Bocagrande neighborhood located in the south of the city is another of the must-see attractions in Cartagena de Indias. It is a commercial and tourist neighborhood, very visited by travelers. International chain hotels and many of the best restaurants and bars in the city are located here. It is said that in Bocagrande you will find all the modernity of the Walled City.
The main avenue of Bocagrande is called Avenida San Martín and it is the busiest and also where the greatest gastronomic offer is found. In addition, the neighborhood's beaches are the most visited in Cartagena, with golden sand and warm, clean waters. Bocagrande is also an ideal place to shop, there are international brands with good prices, in addition to the sale of crafts and souvenirs on the beach.
El Totumo Volcano
The El Totumo Volcano is not much higher, and stands out more than anything because of the mud it has inside. This visit is very typical for those who travel to Cartagena de Indias, because it is located only 45 minutes from the center and its mud has healing and regenerative properties that attract many tourists.
India Catherine Monument
India Catalina is a statue that symbolizes the native race of Colombia, and tells the story that she was sold into slavery in Santo Domingo, and that she was later the interpreter of Don Pedro de Heredia when he conquered and founded Cartagena de Indias. Her image is used as a prize for the International Film and Television Festival.
Caribbean Naval Museum
Located within the walled city, the Caribbean Naval Museum is responsible for showing the naval military history of Cartagena de Indias, through permanent exhibitions. It also offers samples of Universal Navigation and the Colombian Naval force.
Cartagena Botanical Garden
The Guillermo Piñeres Botanical Garden is a private, non-profit foundation that seeks to preserve and study the flora and fauna of the Colombian Caribbean. You will be able to enjoy the most varied species of vegetation and animals immersed in a pleasant climate, walking along trails in the middle of the native forest. It is located 30 minutes by car from Cartagena.
Castle of San Felipe de Barajas
The Castle of San Felipe de Barajas was considered the largest Spanish military fort in America during the time of colonization. From the castle it was possible to observe everything that was happening in the Bay of Cartagena, a way to protect its waters and protect the city from a possible invasion. The construction of this fort began during the 16th century, and was not completed until the 17th century, since the castle had to be expanded before its completion due to its importance as a strategic defense center.
To get to know the Castle of San Felipe de Barajas, it is possible to take guided tours and see its underground galleries, the guards' sentry box, its kitchens and its gunpowder warehouses.
Hill and Convent of La Popa
The Hill and Convent of La Popa is located about 5 kilometers from the Walled City of Cartagena de Indias, to the east. It is a hill that is generally accessed through a tour. Being the highest point in the city, it is also where you can get the best views, not only of the wall, but also of the Getsemaní area (closest to the hill) and Bocagrande.
At the top of the Hill is the La Popa Convent, a church that was built at the beginning of the 17th century and still continues its functions. Inside there is a small religious museum. The visit to the Cerro and Convent of La Popa takes around 3 hours.
Convent of La Candelaria
The Convento de La Candelaria is located on Cerro de La Popa, and offers a spectacular panoramic view of Cartagena de Indias. Here you can find the convent, the Church and an inn, which in the times of independence were used as a barracks and fort. It is one of the most visited sites in Cartagena.
Rosario Islands
The Rosario Islands are located off the Barú Peninsula, 90 minutes by boat or 45 by boat. It is an archipelago of coral origin made up of 30 islands, considered a natural park. It has beautiful white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, ideal for diving. Its incredible coral reefs and existing marine life make swimming through its waters an adventure.
Gastronomy
Being an international city, Cartagena has a wide variety of Creole cuisine restaurants, in addition to those specialized in international cuisine. Most are located in the historic center, but also in Bocagrande, Manga, Crespo, El Cabrero, La Boquilla, Mamonal, on the beaches and in the places with the greatest tourist attendance. There are them for all tastes and budgets.
Shopping
Shopping in the shops of Cartagena is a real pleasure. The historic center, where you can walk freely, represents a permanent temptation for the visitor. There are the most elegant shops with their incredible shop windows. In the old part there are jewelry stores, antique shops, craft stores, small galleries, bazaars such as Las Bóvedas, and fashion stores of internationally recognized designers.
What to buy
Handicrafts: Which in a diversified way can be purchased in the Vaults or in warehouses scattered in the historic or tourist center.
Jewelry: Especially emeralds, made by artists and artisans, available in numerous jewelry stores.
Antique items: Which can be purchased in at least 25 antique shops located mainly on the streets of Santa Teresa, Baloco, Santo Domingo, La Mantilla, La Inquisición and others in the walled area.
Clothing from recognized brands: Several international designers have their stores in various sectors of the city.
Night life
At night, cars appear, almost all of Victorian models, taking visitors through the streets of the historic city or through places that are considered of marked interest, while other tourists take advantage of the fresh atmosphere to walk, wander, or recreate among the colonial streets.
Also, the Palenque folk dance group appears, showing the public, in Bolívar Park, the dances and drum percussion preserved from the time when their ancestors came to the New World as slaves.
The night offers multiple alternatives in the squares of Santo Domingo, Los Coches, Santa Clara, La Aduana and Santa Teresa, in Larga and Arsenal streets and in different places in the historic center, the bastions and walls of Bocagrande, Avenida Pedro de Heredia and the El Amparo and El Bosque sectors.
Restaurants, small bars, terraces and clubs with live music and casinos diversify the night's activities, which last until dawn.
How to move
Climate
Cartagena has a tropical-warm and quite humid climate at the same time, influenced by the winds that blow between December and March and give rise to dry and rainy seasons.
In this region, the rainy period occurs from May to November, with maximum precipitation in October, and the dry period between December and April. The average temperature is 27ºC.