Cartagena: Colombia's Most Beautiful Colonial City

Cartagena de Indias was founded by the Spanish in 1533 and grew into the most important port in the Americas — the city through which the gold and silver of the New World passed on its way to Spain. The wealth it generated built the extraordinary walls that still surround the old city, the baroque churches and convents that dominate its skyline, and the merchant mansions whose colourful facades and flower-draped balconies make Cartagena one of the most photogenic cities in the Americas.

The walled city (Ciudad Amurallada) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the finest example of Spanish colonial military architecture in the Americas. The walls, built between the 16th and 18th centuries, are 11 kilometres long and up to 17 metres thick in places, and the evening walk along the top of them — with the Caribbean on one side and the old city on the other — is one of the finest urban promenades in South America.

The Getsemaní neighbourhood, just outside the walls, has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past decade — from a working-class barrio that tourists were warned to avoid to one of the most vibrant and creative neighbourhoods in Colombia. The street art that covers its walls is some of the finest in South America, and the restaurants, bars, and hostels that have opened in its colonial houses have made it the most interesting place to stay in Cartagena.

The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, the largest Spanish fort in the Americas, rises above the city on a hill of volcanic rock and offers the finest views of Cartagena and the Caribbean. The fort was designed by the military engineer Juan de Herrera y Sotomayor and is a masterpiece of 17th-century military engineering — a complex of tunnels, ramps, and bastions that was never successfully stormed despite numerous attempts by English and French forces.

The Rosario Islands, an archipelago of 27 coral islands 35 kilometres from Cartagena, are the finest beach destination in the region — clear Caribbean water, coral reefs, and white sand beaches accessible by speedboat from the city. The Isla Grande, the largest of the islands, has a handful of eco-lodges and guesthouses that allow overnight stays, and the snorkelling on the reefs around it is excellent.

The food of Cartagena is a fusion of Spanish, African, and indigenous Caribbean influences — a cuisine of fresh seafood, coconut rice, fried plantains, and the slow-cooked stews that are the foundation of Colombian cooking. The restaurants of the old city range from the tourist-oriented establishments on the Plaza de los Coches to the family-run comedores in Getsemaní that serve the finest bandeja paisa (a platter of beans, rice, pork, egg, and plantain) in the city.

The best time to visit Cartagena is from December to April, during the dry season, when the weather is hot and sunny and the sea is calm. The rainy season (May to November) brings afternoon showers that cool the city but can make outdoor activities uncomfortable. The city is at its most festive during the Hay Festival (January) and the Cartagena Film Festival (March), when the old city fills with writers, filmmakers, and the Colombian cultural elite.

The Palenque de San Basilio, 70 kilometres south of Cartagena, is one of the most extraordinary communities in the Americas — a village founded in the 17th century by escaped African slaves who established the first free Black settlement in the New World. The community has maintained its African cultural traditions for 400 years, including the Palenquero language (a creole of Spanish and Bantu languages that is the only creole language in Latin America), the lumbalú funeral rites, and the musical tradition of the champeta. It is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage site.

The street food of Cartagena is one of the great pleasures of the city — the vendors who push their carts through the old town selling arepas de huevo (corn cakes filled with egg and fried), cocadas (coconut sweets), and fresh fruit with lime and chilli are as much a part of the urban landscape as the colonial architecture. The palenqueras — women from Palenque de San Basilio who sell tropical fruit from baskets balanced on their heads, dressed in the traditional colourful skirts of their community — are the most photographed figures in Cartagena.

Practical tips for Cartagena: the heat and humidity are intense year-round, and the old city's narrow streets offer little shade. Exploring in the early morning (before 10am) and the late afternoon (after 4pm), and retreating to an air-conditioned café or restaurant during the midday heat, is the most comfortable approach. The taxis in Cartagena do not use meters — agree on a price before getting in. The water taxis to the Rosario Islands depart from the Muelle Turístico and the journey takes about 45 minutes; booking in advance is advisable in high season.

The Tayrona National Park, three hours east of Cartagena along the Caribbean coast, is one of the finest national parks in Colombia — a landscape of jungle, white sand beaches, and coral reefs at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world's highest coastal mountain range. The park is accessible only on foot or by horse, and the combination of the jungle walk, the beaches of Cabo San Juan and La Piscina, and the snorkelling on the reefs makes it one of the most rewarding natural experiences in South America. The park is closed in February and June for environmental recovery.