Cartagena

Likes & Dislikes

Likes

Cartagena - Old Town - v.g. photo

1. Undoubtedly the highlight of our trip to Colombia, mostly because of the tastefully restored, clean, car-free old town.

2. The pleasant Caribbean climate

3. Taking a 40-minute boat ride to reach Playa Blanca (on weekdays!)

4. The view from the Convento de la Popa, a monastery perched on a hill overlooking the city

5. Walking around the city walls at sunset, close to the Café del Mar

6. The Andalusian-style villas, colorful houses, picturesque little streets and wooden balconies with flower baskets

r.g. photo

7. Bocagrande

8. Getsamani, a remarkable neighborhood

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9. Plaza Santo Domingo - unorthodox proximity: historic church and Botero's reclining nude statue

r.g. photo

Dislikes

1. The beaches adjoining the city aren’t attractive or appealing, though it’s true that they do at least keep the beach at Bocagrande clean.

2. The bumpiness of the motorboat tour around Baru island, and the distressing poverty to be seen on the otherwise gorgeous beach

3. The old city walls mean that sea breezes do not reach the old town, and instead you have to endure the sultry heat

4. Pushy street vendors can sometimes be an annoyance (selling, among other things, cigars, belts, soft drinks, souvenirs and cocaine) and even sitting on a restaurant terrace you can’t escape them

5. There’s no real night life to speak of, aside from the restaurants

6. Everything is overpriced in the old town (beer is US$4.00)

Opinions

Cartagena - Old Town - r.g. photo

Cartagena is a gorgeous city, and it’s well worth spending four or five days here. We only had two days, unfortunately, but it was enough to fall in love with this little jewel box of a town. There are many excellent hotels offering high-quality service in the old town within the city walls (Hotel Bantú, Hotel Alfiz, Hotel Ananda). The downtown area isn’t very big, and you can easily walk around it within a couple of hours, but it’s still worth paying for a horse-and-buggy ride around the city in the evening. There are many beautiful churches, and almost every building is painted a different color. The Museum of the Inquisition is also interesting. In many places they play salsa or cumbia in the evening, and on the weekends you’ll find lots of fun dancing venues. On the old city walls is the famous Café des Mar, where you can admire the view out over the sea and the beautiful sunset with a good cocktail or some fresh fruit juice.

Opposite the city’s emblematic clock tower you’ll find the Portal del Dulce, where small shops sell local sweets, fruit-and-coconut-flavored snacks and other goodies. It’s definitely worth trying the fried seafood specialties of the small restaurants, which are usually served with coconut-flavored rice or fried plantain (patacones). As part of a half-day program it’s possible to hike up to the fortress of San Felipe, which once defended Cartagena Bay from marauding pirates. Since 1984, the fortress and the city walls have been UNESCO world heritage sites! If there’s still time after visiting the hills around the city, then it’s worth taking a daytrip to nearby Barú, where the sea is a beautiful deep blue.

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If you could only visit one South American city, I’d recommend Cartagena. For me this was perhaps the most beautiful and colorful city, and its character is really characteristic of South America. The color, music and rhythm of the old town, the openness of the locals and the bright houses with their balconies and big inner courtyards all testify to the life and energy of this city on the Caribbean coast.”

Practicals