Lily Cowlishaw Colombia’s Caribbean sweetheart is a town of colours and way of life, wherein the strength is impalpable and the heated relenting. Colorfully dressed palenquera girls saunter along pastel-coloured colonial homes and church buildings, even as horse-drawn carriages trot alongside the cobblestoned roads, with up-smack salsa song echoing withinside the heritage.
Yes, Cartagena is touristy — the ancient city attracts in hordes of tourists and cruise passengers — however in case you understand wherein to appearance in Cartagena, you will locate quirky corners, charming records and an simple charm. As a homage to my favourite town to go to in Colombia, I’ve compiled an extended listing of amusing activities in Cartagena to ensure you fall in love simply as I did!
Things to Do in Cartagena
Poised alongside the Caribbean coast, Cartagena is a highly famous area for the ones journeying in Colombia. There are such a lot of activities in Cartagena, whether or not you are right here for records, way of life or certainly a holiday. The huge town is multi-faceted, with every of the districts showing extraordinary flair. Here are the 3 maximum thrilling regions in Cartagena.
Cartagena Centro is the recent timery heart of the town, with an outstanding series of colonial homes packed right into a walled area. The whole walled town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you are questioning wherein to live in Cartagena, I simply propose staying in Centro or San Diego, each of that are withinside the walled town.
Getsemaní is positioned proper out of doors the antique colonial walled town. Cartagena’s hippest community turned into as soon as plagued with the aid of using crime and process. Now it is been converted right into a hipster enclave brimming with avenue artwork, cafes and boutique hotels.
Bocagrande is the maximum cutting-edge a part of Cartagena: a strip flanked with the aid of using fancy hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and artwork galleries. Bocagrande seashores are not something to jot down domestic about, however they do offer a respite from Cartagena’s extraordinarily humid weather.
Things to Do in Cartagena Walled City
The walled town of Cartagena, or certainly referred to as Centro, is the palpitating recent timery heart of the town, and it is wherein I propose staying (scroll down for inn recommendations). I spent days simply wandering via the maze of cobbled alleys, balconies included in bougainvillea, and large church buildings that solid their shadows throughout leafy plazas, and genuinely cherished it.
1. See the Clock Tower
The pleasant area to begin your experience in Cartagena is the long-lasting landmark, the Clock Tower or Puerta del Reloj. This is the unique front of the fortified town. Dating returned to 1601, the tower turned into constructed to connect, thru drawbridge, Getsemani with antique Cartagena.
Originally mentioned as “La Boca del Puente” (The Mouth of the Bridge), it turned into rebuilt to residence a advanced Swiss clock which in reality remains in operation today. This is likewise an awesome spot to snap a image of the multi-coloured row of colonial homes throughout the square.
2. Visit the Cathedral
You’ll maximum possibly apprehend the Cathedral tower from postcards and pictures of Cartagena. The maximum iconic landmark of Cartagena may be visible from maximum elements of the fortified city.
Catedral de Santa Catalina de Alejandría turned into designed with the aid of using grasp builder Simón González, modeled after basilicas in Spain. Construction started in 1577, changing a humble cathedral of straw and reeds.
The Cartagena Cathedral constantly has its doorways extensive open, so that you can see its indoors even supposing it is now no longer open for visits. The pleasant image spot with the Cathedral withinside the heritage is on Calle Don Sancho. Walk toward the ocean and flip round, for a excellent view!
3. Visit the Gold Museum
Located across the nook from the Cathedral, the Museo de Oro Zenú is a smaller model of the world-magnificence gold museum in Bogota. If you are now no longer making plans to tour Bogota, then make a pitstop right here to have a look of the gold and pottery of the Zenú (additionally referred to as Sinú) people, who inhabited the place earlier than the Spanish conquest.
It’s unfastened to enter, and the air con is a clean respite from Cartagena’s oppressive humidity. During my go to, the unique museum turned into beneathneath preservation however they opened a brief showcase across the nook.
4. Hang Out at Parque de Bolivar
Right subsequent to the gold museum is a small park (one of the many withinside the antique city), and it is committed to Simon Bolivar, a call you will pay attention lots while journeying South America. Simon Bolivar turned into a Venezuelan wellknown and statesman who introduced political independence to 6 present-day international locations in South America.
It’s a terrific spot to take a look at nearby life: avenue companies promoting fruit, seniors chatting at the benches, and children striking out. Take a seat on a shaded bench even as you are taking withinside the attractions and sounds round you.
5. Eat Arepas at the Streets
If you are searching out a morning snack, the road companies at Parque Bolivar can simply fulfill your craving. One of the maximum not unusualplace avenue meals you will locate in Colombia is the arepa, a thick cornmeal tortilla this is grilled or baked. It’s typically served with carne (minced meat), huevo (egg) or queso (cheese). They’re insanely reasonably-priced and precise: an arepa rate simply 2000 – 2500 pesos (0.50).
You’ll locate arepa avenue companies anywhere in Cartagena — however the precise ones are people who fry the arepa on demand. Besides those at Parque de Bolivar, I additionally actually just like the arepa stand parked in the front of Townhouse Boutique Hotel on Carrera 7 (best withinside the evenings).
