Cartagena de Indias (population 1.1 million) is the most beautiful and the most historically important colonial city in South America — a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose walled Old City (the "Ciudad Amurallada") is the most perfectly preserved Spanish colonial fortification in the Americas. Founded in 1533 by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia, Cartagena became the most important port in the Spanish Main (the Caribbean coast of South America) — the city through which the majority of the gold, silver and emeralds plundered from the indigenous civilizations of the Andes were shipped to Spain. The 11km of city walls (built between 1586 and 1796 — the most extensive and most technically advanced colonial fortification in the Americas) and the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas (the most impressive military fortress in Spanish colonial history) protected the city from the pirates, the English privateers and the Dutch attacks that repeatedly threatened the wealth of the Spanish Main. Gabriel García Márquez set his most important novels in Cartagena ("El amor en los tiempos del cólera" / "Love in the Time of Cholera") — the most internationally celebrated city in Colombian literature.
Ciudad Amurallada (the UNESCO World Heritage walled city of Cartagena — the most perfectly preserved Spanish colonial fortification in the Americas): the 11km of city walls (built in phases between 1586 and 1796: the most technically advanced colonial military engineering in the Americas — designed by the Italian military engineer Bautista Antonelli (the most important military engineer in the Spanish colonial service in the 16th century) and completed over 200 years by successive generations of Spanish military engineers). The Portal de los Dulces (the most important confectionery arcade in Cartagena: the vaulted colonial arcade where the "dulceras" (the sweet sellers — the most important street vendors in colonial Cartagena) sell the most traditional Colombian colonial sweets: the cocadas (the coconut candy), the alegrías (the sesame seed brittle) and the papaya cristalizada (the crystallized papaya)). The Plaza de San Pedro Claver (the most important colonial square in Cartagena: named after San Pedro Claver (1580–1654) — the Jesuit priest from Catalonia who spent 40 years in Cartagena baptising and caring for enslaved Africans arriving from the slave ships: the most important historical figure in the history of Colombian Catholicism (canonised 1888 — the first person born in Spain to be canonised in the Americas)).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideCastillo San Felipe de Barajas (the most impressive military fortress in the history of Spanish colonial architecture — built between 1536 and 1657 on the Cerro San Lázaro overlooking Cartagena): the fortress was the most strategically important military installation in the Spanish Main (the Caribbean coast of South America): the successive expansions of the fortress (the original triangular platform of 1657 expanded to the full fortress complex in 1762–1769 under the engineer Antonio de Arévalo (the most important military engineer in 18th-century Spanish colonial service)) created the most complex single military fortification in the Americas. The tunnel system (the most extraordinary military engineering in the Americas: the network of underground tunnels connects all parts of the fortress (the most militarily practical design: the tunnels allowed defenders to move troops and supplies between the bastions without exposure to enemy fire) and was designed so that the sound of footsteps echoed through the entire system (the most sophisticated early warning system in colonial military architecture: enemy attackers tunneling beneath the walls could be heard throughout the defensive network)).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideGetsemaní (the most vibrant and the most important neighbourhood in Cartagena — the historic working-class barrio immediately outside the walled city): the neighbourhood that most authentically reflects the real life of Cartagena outside the tourist walls (the Old City has been gentrified for heritage tourism while Getsemaní retains the most authentic Caribbean Colombian daily life). The street art (the most important street art district in Colombia — the walls of Getsemaní are covered with the most important murals of Colombian artists: the most notable are the works of the Colombian artist Álvaro Herazo (the most prolific muralist in Cartagena) and the most important international artists who have painted Getsemaní in the street art festivals). The Plaza de la Trinidad (the most important public space in Getsemaní: the colonial square where the "Lanceros de Getsemaní" — the independence militia — launched the uprising against Spanish rule on November 11 1811 (the most important date in Cartagena's history: Cartagena became the first city in Colombia to declare independence from Spain, on November 11 1811 — the most patriotically significant date in the Colombian independence calendar)).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideSunset on the Cartagena city walls (the most important evening experience in Cartagena — and one of the most photographed moments in South America): the walls facing west toward the Caribbean Sea offer the most dramatic Caribbean sunset views in Colombia (the sun descending over the turquoise Caribbean water while the colonial clock tower, the bastions and the battlements are silhouetted against the orange and pink sky). The sunset vendors on the walls: the "vendedores de frutas" (the Colombian fruit vendors with the most colourful Caribbean fruit arrangements: the mango biche con limón y sal (the green mango with lime and salt — the most important street snack in Caribbean Colombia), the corozo juice (the small tart palm fruit juice — the most distinctive Caribbean Colombian fruit), and the champeta (the coastal Colombian folk music played by the vendors). Dinner in the Old City: the Caribbean ceviche (the Colombian Caribbean ceviche is distinct from the Peruvian style — the Cartagena ceviche uses coconut milk as the most important flavour modifier: the shrimp + fresh lime juice + coconut milk + ají amarillo + red onion + fresh coriander).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideIslas del Rosario boat trip (the most important natural attraction near Cartagena — the Archipiélago de Islas del Rosario: the 27 coral islands 15km southwest of Cartagena in the Colombian Caribbean): the Rosario Islands National Natural Park (the "Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo" — the most important marine protected area in the Colombian Caribbean: the coral reefs of the Rosario Islands are the most extensive and the most biodiverse coral reefs on the Colombian Caribbean coast). The boat trip from the Muelle de los Pegasos (the most important small vessel dock in Cartagena — departures at 08:00–09:00 with the most crowded boats in the high season): the 45-minute crossing to the Rosario Islands (the most beautiful sea crossing in Colombia: the turquoise Caribbean water changes colour from the green of the inner bay to the most brilliant azure blue of the open Caribbean). Isla Grande (the largest Rosario Island — the most important destination for snorkelling (the most extensive coral reef sections near the beach), the aquarium (the most controversial attraction on Isla Grande: the dolphins and sea turtles held in a lagoon enclosure — the most criticized tourist facility in the Rosario Islands) and the most important beach restaurants).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideBocagrande and the Cartagena Caribbean afternoon (the most important beach district of Cartagena — the 2km sandy beach of the Bocagrande peninsula (the narrow strip of land south of the walled city developed from the 1970s onward with the most concentrated collection of high-rise hotels in Cartagena)). The Laguito (the fashionable residential peninsula at the southern tip of Bocagrande: the most exclusive residential area in Cartagena, where the most important Colombian politicians and businessmen have holiday homes). The palenqueras (the most important cultural symbol of Cartagena: the women of San Basilio de Palenque (60km from Cartagena — the "Palenque" — the first free African town in the Americas, founded c. 1600 by the escaped slave Benkos Biohó, who led the most important slave rebellion in Colombian colonial history) who sell tropical fruit in the walled city in the most colourful traditional dress (the wide skirts, the fruit headdress and the colourful jewellery of the Palenquera costume are the most internationally recognized image of Cartagena).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideCaribbean nightlife in Getsemaní (the most important nightlife district in Cartagena — and the most vibrant neighbourhood for music, dance and outdoor bar culture in the Colombian Caribbean): the cumbia (the most important Colombian folk music genre — the fusion of African rhythms (the most important musical inheritance of the enslaved Africans brought to the Colombian Caribbean coast), Indigenous wind instruments (the most important Indigenous contribution: the "gaita" flute (the straight cane flute — the most important traditional instrument in the cumbia tradition)) and Spanish harmony (the most important European contribution to cumbia)): the most internationally exported Colombian music genre (cumbia has spread from Colombia to Mexico, Peru, Argentina and Central America — the most widely distributed single folk music genre in Latin America). The champeta (the most important music of the Cartagena working class and Black Caribbean Colombian community: the "champeta" (the word also means the short knife carried by the cartagenero working class) blends the most important African musical traditions (Congolese soukous, Nigerian afrobeat and Caribbean calypso) with the most contemporary Colombian electronic production techniques).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideLate night at the Cartagena walls (the most beautiful night experience in Cartagena — and one of the most beautiful illuminated historic city experiences in South America): the 11km of city walls illuminated at night with the warm golden floodlights that cast the most dramatic shadows on the ancient stonework. The obleas vendors (the most important late-night street food in Cartagena: the "obleas" — the thin wafer discs filled with "arequipe" (the Colombian dulce de leche — the most important Colombian sweet: the milk + sugar slow-cooked in the most traditional copper pots until it reaches the most caramel-rich, most smooth consistency in the Colombian dairy tradition: the Colombian arequipe is distinct from the Argentinian dulce de leche in being slightly less sweet and more milky — the most important culinary distinction in Latin American caramel tradition) and optionally with fresh cheese ("queso blanco"), coconut jam ("cocada") or guava paste ("bocadillo de guayaba")). The walls at night are the most important free experience in Cartagena.
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideSan Basilio de Palenque (the most historically important African-descended community in the Americas — 60km southeast of Cartagena, accessible by taxi (COP $80,000–120,000 return) or shared minibus): the first free African town in the New World (the "Palenque" — founded c. 1600 by Benkos Biohó (c. 1550–1621), the enslaved African from the Biafada people (the most important ethnic group of Benkos Biohó — the Biafada are from the Guinée-Bissau region of West Africa) who escaped from slavery in Cartagena and established the most important maroon community (the "cimarrón" community — the community of escaped enslaved people) in Colombian colonial history). UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2005 — the first Colombian community to be recognised with this designation). The Palenquero language (the most linguistically extraordinary language in Colombia: the only Spanish-based Creole language in South America that preserves Bantu African (specifically Kikongo) grammatical structures alongside Spanish vocabulary — the most intact African grammatical influence in any language of the Americas).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideConvento de la Popa (the most dramatic viewpoint in Cartagena — the 17th-century Augustinian convent on the highest hill in Cartagena: 150m above sea level): the Convento de Santa Cruz de la Popa (founded 1607 by the Augustinian friar Diego de la Cruz — the most important single religious building on the highest natural point in Cartagena) offers the most comprehensive 360° panorama in Cartagena: the entire walled city spread below (the terracotta rooftops, the colonial church towers and the city walls), the Caribbean Sea stretching to the horizon (the Islas del Rosario visible on clear days), the Bocagrande hotel peninsula, the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas and the Ciénaga de la Virgen lagoon (the most important natural lagoon in the Cartagena metropolitan area). The Chapel of the Virgen de la Candelaria (the most important religious shrine in Cartagena): the golden altar of the most revered Virgin in the Colombian Caribbean. The February 2 festival (the most important religious festival in Cartagena: thousands of cartageneros walk up the Popa Hill in procession to honour the Virgen de la Candelaria — the most impressive single religious event in Cartagena).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideFinal Old City wander: the Museo del Oro Zenú (in the walled city — the most important pre-Columbian gold collection in northern Colombia): the Zenú people (the most important pre-Columbian civilization of the Colombian Caribbean and Sinú river valley: the Zenú (also spelled "Sinú") people were the most sophisticated goldworkers in the northern Colombian pre-Columbian tradition — the Zenú gold filigree work (the most technically demanding gold jewellery technique in the pre-Columbian Americas: the thin gold wires twisted and soldered into the most intricate geometric patterns) is the most important heritage of the pre-Columbian Caribbean Colombia). The Colombian artisan chocolate experience (the most important cacao and chocolate tourism in Cartagena): Colombia is the third-largest cacao producer in Latin America (after Ecuador and Peru) and the most rapidly growing fine cacao producer in the world (the Colombian "fino de aroma" cacao varieties (the most aromatic cacao varieties in Colombia) from the Huila, Arauca and Santander departments are the most prized in the international fine chocolate trade).
🎫 Book tickets via GetYourGuideFarewell Caribbean dinner in Cartagena (the most important fish dinner on the Colombian coast): the pargo rojo (the red snapper — Lutjanus campechanus: the most important reef fish of the Colombian Caribbean: the most prized fish in the cartagenero fishing tradition, caught on the coral reefs of the Rosario Islands and the outer Colombian Caribbean): grilled "a la plancha" with the squeeze of lime and the most important Colombian Caribbean condiment (the ají de Cartagena: the fresh hot pepper sauce made from the "ají chombo" (the Scotch bonnet pepper — the most heat-intense pepper in the Colombian Caribbean tradition)). The arroz con coco (the coconut rice — the most important side dish in Colombian Caribbean cuisine): the short-grain white rice cooked in the most freshly squeezed coconut milk (the coconut (Cocos nucifera) is the most important tree in the Colombian Caribbean coastal landscape — the "coco" is the most universally used ingredient in cartagenero cooking from the most savoury to the most sweet: the coconut water (the most naturally isotonic drink in the Caribbean), the coconut milk (the most important cooking liquid in Caribbean Colombian cuisine) and the fresh coconut flesh (the most important textural ingredient in Colombian Caribbean sweets)).
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