Colombia 2025 – Cartagena

Cartagena de Indias

Cartagena de Indias, or simply Cartagena, is a pearl of the Carribean coast, a dazzling coastal city, steeped in history and bursting with color. Founded as early as in 1533, it was a key Spanish port during colonial times, known for its strategic role in trade and defense. Today, Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrated for its walled Old Town, cobblestone streets, and colonial architecture that feels like stepping into a storybook.

With a population of over 900,000, it is the fifth-largest city in Colombia, but its a small part, the walled old town, that is the center of attention that makes Cartagena such a popular tourist destination.

What we did there

We spent two full days discovering the old town and eating great food.

Day 1-3

We went to Cartagena from Playa Cristal in Tayrona, first by boat, then by an incredibly slow taxi through the forests to the bus terminal of Santa Marta, then around five hours on the bus to Cartagena, and finally a taxi to our hotel. It was a quite enjoyable ride altogether, but didn’t give much time to see the city. The second day we spent a lot of time just hanging around in the old town. The third we spent a bit more time in the old town, but also took a trip outside to visit the fort Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. It’s not really extraordinary, and for safety reasons I never brought my camera there, so there are nop photos, but it was well worth visiting.

Looking at the old colonial architecture is a major thing in Cartagena.

Apart from buildings it is also great to see streetlife, and to go to the parks and rest under the trees.