My Cartagena

Known for its energy, street art, amazing cuisine, this mesmerizing city has a plethora of activities for everyone’s palette. Cartagena is a vibrant city with its charm of colonial architecture, vivid nightlife, fascinating cultural festivals, and lush landscapes.

Cartagena whispers the secrets of the history within its walled city, on its balconies, and in the narrow alley-like walkways that envelope you as you meander through the city’s streets. As a port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, this city by the sea has a walled Old Town, founded in the 16th century, with squares, cobblestone streets, and colorful colonial buildings. With a tropical climate, the city is also a popular beach destination juxtaposed with a string of contemporary buildings on the waterfront.

This eclectic, colorful city combines old-world charm with modern, contemporary living. This rang true for me seeing the colorfully dressed Afro-Colombian women selling fruit in the main squares. It was truly one of the more memorable sights in the city. Few know their history or their village, San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town for enslaved people in the Americas. Apart from the beautiful and indigenous way of life woven into the modern world, this village is also the first settlement of independent slaves in the Americas.

A visit to Cartagena would not be complete without venturing offshore to the most popular islands. Most of these islands boast beautiful beaches and upscale boutique hotels and retreats.

It is no wonder why Cartagena is one of the most visited cities in the Americas.