I had heard many good things about Cartagena before coming to Colombia and I’m pleased to report I was not disappointed in the slightest. We arrived at the busy bus terminal after a comfortable, 4 hour bus journey. A short taxi ride took us through the bustling streets of what I can only describe as ‘the new town’ before we entered the walled enclosure of the Old Town of Cartagena. On going through the entrance in the high wall that surrounds the old part of Cartagena, it was as though we had gone through a time tunnel. The traffic runs only one way through the narrow streets and there was a palpable sense of calmness in the air.
Our hotel was ideally situated to explore the historic streets and lanes of this pretty town, being right next to the Hotel Plaza Santa Clara, which is surrounded by great restaurant options.
Thanks for visiting our Colombia Travel Blog. If you want to learn more about coming to Colombia please check out our Colombia tours.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, and be sure to ‘Like’ us on Facebook.
The early evening finds the street traders busy selling food and goods from their stalls along the streets. There are many cafes and restaurants vying for your custom (including El Bistro, where we enjoyed a delicious fish curry) as you stroll through the many squares dotted throughout this town. After eating there are bars to enjoy the vibrant Salsa music, the most frequented of which for us was Donde Fidel, a historic salsa bar invariable packed with locals and tourists. If the mood takes you, there are venues that you can dance away in until the early hours of the morning! If like us, however, 2am is late enough, Café del Mar is a great place to enjoy a local rum and take in the view from its prime position on top of the wall overlooking the sea.
During the day there are many places of interest, my favourite was the fort (Castillo San Felipe del Morro) which we enjoyed exploring, especially the underground passages that weave underneath the fort. The view from the fort is worth seeing as you can see out to the new city with its tall skyscrapers and totally different skyline to the walled city.
I would highly recommend walking along the wall and watching the sunset over the sea. The views were amazing and well worth the walk. The best beaches accessible from Cartagena are a boat ride away but as our time here was short we didn’t get to try any out.
Our time in Colombia is running out but we will always remember this country of unimaginable diversity that is waiting to be explored again and again and again…
Linda
If you want to read the rest of Linda and Bernie’s adventures in Colombia, follow the links below:
Part One – Arriving in Colombia / Bogotá
Part Two – Bogotá / Bogotá Bike Tour
Part Three – The Coffee Triangle / Cocora Valley / Colombian Coffee Farm
Part Four – Tayrona National Park / Colombian Caribbean / Colombian beaches
Part Five – Cartagena / Cartagena Nights / Cartagena Restaurants
