Cartagena (Colombia) Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
Capital of the Colombian department of Bolívar
About Cartagena (Colombia)
Cartagena has almost 1 million inhabitants, and is on the northern coast at the Caribbean Sea. Founded by the Spanish in 1533, it was fortified and functioned as the center of the Inquisition in the region. The impressive buildings from the Spanish time today make up aUNESCO World Heritage site. Cartagena is the most visited city in the country by tourists. It gets extremely crowded in the December holidays and the holy week, when schools are out and most Colombians take their vacations. The city has basically two main parts where tourists go: the walled colonial city ("ciudad amurallada"), which is truly amazing and has many fancy restaurants, clubs and hotels; and a long strip of hotel towers and condos fronting onto the beach, known as Bocagrande. It is also nice to visit the exclusive
Top Attractions in Cartagena (Colombia)
Explore the best things to see and do in Cartagena (Colombia):
- ★Bay of Cholon
- ★Carnaval de Cartagena
- ★Casa Cultural Colombo Alemana de Cartagena
- ★Casa de Rafael Núñez
- ★Castillo de San Felipe
- ★Catedral de Santa Catalina
- ★Chiva Bus
- ★Convento & Iglesia de San Pedro Claver
Where to Eat in Cartagena (Colombia)
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Abaco
- 🍴Atahualpa
- 🍴Cafe El Santisimo
- 🍴Club de Pesca
- 🍴Crepes & Waffles
- 🍴Donde Olano
Where to Stay in Cartagena (Colombia)
- 🏨Agua
- 🏨Amber Hostel
- 🏨Casa India Catalina
- 🏨Casa Mara Hostal
- 🏨Casa Marta Cartagena
- 🏨Casa Viena
Cartagena (Colombia) Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 14 sections including: