Cartagena

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Overview

Introduction

This Caribbean port city boasts some of the finest Spanish colonial buildings in the world and has morphed into a cosmopolitan it destination, with the requisite top-notch restaurants, hip hotels and sometimes sky-high prices to match.

Cartagena, more formally known as Cartagena de Indias, is really a tale of two cities: an entirely walled-in, picturesque "old city" (a UNESCO World Heritage site) from the Spanish colonial era, when the city was one of three ports of call for the treasure fleets; and a neighboring modern beach resort—Bocagrande—that bears little resemblance to, and almost none of the charm of, its predecessor. The "new" Cartagena can be explored in an afternoon, or skipped altogether; it's the old colonial city that fascinates visitors, and with good reason.

The Cartagena city walls stand as a romantic reminder of its glorious past. Las murallas, as the walls are known, were the city's main defense against pirates in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. They attest to the stubbornness and resolution that Cartagena's inhabitants exhibited in defending themselves from the assaults of countless fleets and armies, and during the wars of independence from Spain at the beginning of the 19th century. The city has been spared from the social, political and drug-related violence that has afflicted the rest of the country. Hence, Cartagena has long been considered the safest, as well as the most attractive, of Colombian cities.

The Old City's narrow cobblestoned streets are enchanting. Emerald and leather shops fill restored and brightly painted colonial buildings, whose overhanging wooden balconies are festooned with flowering plants. Ornate churches with golden altars open onto grand public squares reminiscent of ancient Spanish cities. And if you climb las murallas, you'll be treated to wonderful views of the city's famous harbor, protected by numerous fortresses. You can also glimpse the high-rise hotels and condominiums of Bocagrande.

Cartagena is Colombia's No. 1 tourist destination and attracts a diverse group of international travelers, especially conference and convention types, and many others arrive by cruise ship. Cartagena is also a popular vacation destination for middle-class and wealthy Colombians, many of whom have invested in the city in recent years, adding to its panoply of boutique-hotels, fine restaurants and nightclubs.

Must See or Do

Sights—Sunset at Bocagrande; a magnificent view of the Caribbean Sea and the city from the Convent of La Popa; the Fortress of San Felipe de Barajas; bones of the New World's first saint at Church of San Pedro Claver; underwater experiences at the Rosario Islands; Plaza de Bolivar, with its museums and lively activity; Plaza de Santo Domingo, with its reclining nude statue by Fernando Botero; Plaza de los Coches.

Museums—The Inquisition's instruments at Palacio de La Inquisicion; pre-Columbian gold artifacts at Museo del Oro Zenu; the Caribbean's fiery naval history at Museo Naval del Caribe; Latin American modern art at Museo de Arte Moderno.

Memorable Meals—Unique dishes at El Santisimo; pargo frito by the seashore at Kiosko El Bony; divine seafood at Monte Sacro; local cuisine at La Olla Cartagenera; gourmet dishes with a harbor view at Club de Pesca.

Late Night—Dancing aboard a rumba chiva; tabletop dancing at Mr. Babilla; drinks on top of the walls at Cafe del Mar; rum cocktails at Cafe Habana.

Walks—A stroll through the old streets of El Centro and San Diego in the walled city; a walk atop las murallas.

Especially for Kids—A large variety of homemade candies at El Portal de Los Dulces in Plaza de los Coches; a boat ride to Isla Rosario; an excursion to the Volcan de Lodo El Totumo mud volcano.

Geography

Cartagena is located in Colombia's northernmost region: the coast on the Caribbean Sea. The inhabitants of this region consider themselves costenos (coastlanders), regardless of their distance from the seashore. The walled city is nearly surrounded by water: the Caribbean Sea to the west and north, Cartagena Bay to the south and the lagoons of El Cabrero, Chambacu and San Lazaro to the east. The most important historic landmarks are located in the neighborhoods El Centro (north) and San Diego (south), which comprise the heart of the old walled city.

To the southeast, across Avenida Venezuela and immediately beyond what remains of the city walls, is the neighborhood of Getsemani, another colonial quarter with local atmosphere. Beyond, to the southwest of the old city, the shorefront district of Bocagrande is Cartagena's upper-class quarter, where towering modern structures rise along a 2-mi-/3-km-long, pencil-thin peninsula framed by the Caribbean Sea to the north and a large lagoon and bay to the south.

History

Long before its location on the Caribbean Sea made it an important trading city, the area was inhabited by several indigenous tribes. The Spanish explorers who began arriving in the early 1500s were drawn by the superb harbor. Cartagena was established in 1533 as the storehouse for gold and jewels before they were convoyed to Havana, Cuba, and thence to Spain. The city thus became the primary port of call in South America for the annual treasure fleets. It also served as a major slave-trading port.

Crammed full of loot, the city quickly became a favorite target for pirates—including Sir Francis Drake, who captured Cartagena in 1586. He agreed to leave the city standing after he was paid a ransom of 107,000 gold ducats and other treasure. (Drake presented an emerald "the size of a child's fist" to England's Queen Elizabeth I as a New Year's gift.) After Drake's assault, the Spanish began the construction of the mighty fortresses and thick walls around Cartagena. The period of construction extended throughout the 17th century, and many of the city's majestic churches and colonial mansions date from this time.

Besides its fortifications and status as one of the main trading ports in the New World, colonial-era Cartagena was a major slave-trading port and the Caribbean headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition, which operated there between 1610 and 1811. Today, visitors can see antique instruments of torture in a museum at the Palacio de la Inquisicion located on Plaza de Bolivar.

By the 19th century, Barranquilla surpassed Cartagena as Colombia's principal port. A period of decline ensued, and by the 20th century, the wealthy who inhabited the Old City began to move to the newer beachfront district of Bocagrande. The colonial core became decayed and seedy for a time, but a tourist boom in recent decades has reversed the trend, giving Cartagena a new lease on life.

Potpourri

Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez lived in Cartagena briefly as a young journalist, in 1948-1949, and the city finds its way into most of his novels. Love in the Time of Cholera, one of his most popular works, takes place in the walled city.

Wandering tourists might stumble upon a sculpture of an old pair of shoes on the southeast side of Fortaleza San Felipe. This monument was originally erected by the city in 1954 to honor a local poet, and it has since become one of Cartagena's icons.

Cartagena was a principal setting for the Hollywood movie Romancing the Stone, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. The actual filming took place in Veracruz, Mexico. Douglas' character pronounced the city name as "Carta-hay-nya," much to local annoyance. (It's actually pronounced "Carta-he-nah.")

Superstitious Colombians touch the breast of Fernando Botero's bronze sculpture of a nude on Plaza Santo Domingo in the belief that it will bring good luck in love.

The Volcan de Lodo El Totumo is a perfect volcanic cone that pours out hot mud instead of lava. Visitors to the volcano float atop the mud.

You can buy fresh fruit from palenqueras—women who skillfully balance bowls brimming with produce atop their heads. Dressed in brightly colored traditional dresses, they expect to be paid for any photos you take, but are usually happy to pose if you buy some fruit.

Location

Ships enter Cartagena Bay via Bocachica, a narrow inlet protected by two imposing fortresses, San Jose and San Fernando. Most cruise ships tie up at the dock located on the northernmost point of Cartagena Bay, about 2 mi/2.5 km southeast of the heart of the Old City.

A free shuttle bus takes you to the terminal, which is a pleasant place where tourism officials serve Colombian coffee and provide information to visitors. You can also arrange a guided taxi tour of the city and make long-distance calls from the terminal, which has several small gift shops, plus an ATM. Don't walk around in the neighborhood surrounding the port, however—it's not entirely safe.

Shore Excursions

Shore excursions—and their prices—vary from cruise line to cruise line. Typical excursions include a tour of the Old City and Fortaleza de San Felipe de Barajas, a visit to the Volcan de Lodo de Totumo (a mud volcano) or a cruise through the Inner Bay to Isla Rosario.

Be aware that tour buses from cruise ships usually make their first stop at La Popa Convent. Consider hiring a taxi for a guided tour and ask the driver not to take you to La Popa Convent as your first stop so you can avoid the crowds. Also, most of the shopping recommended by the cruise lines is located at Pierino Gallo Shopping Center. You'll do just as well and have a far more interesting time seeking out stores in the Old City.

Check with your ship's shore-excursion staff or your travel agent for additional information.

Overview

Introduction

Cartagena is a historic coastal city on the southern coast of Spain. Founded by Hasdrubal 2,000 years ago in memory of his home city of Carthage in North Africa, it became an even more important city under the Romans, who named it Cartago Nova and made it capital of their province of Carthaginesis. The restored Roman Theater is one of the key sights, along with the 18th-century Arsenal building, which imposingly proclaims its later importance as a naval base. (Incidentally, in a small square in the city center you can also see a model of the world's first submarine, created by Cartagena resident Isaac Peral).

The old heart of Cartagena is pedestrian friendly, though hilly, so take your walking shoes. The TuristBus, which is a double-decker sightseeing bus, departs from near the port entrance. The city is still trying to shake off a dowdy image it's acquired in recent years, and though it certainly looks sprucer and feels a little more trendily atmospheric these days, tourists tend to stay in nearby resort towns such as La Manga, Mazarron and Aguilas and travel to Cartagena for the day to visit the Naval and Maritime Archeology museums, and see the baroque and modernist architecture of many buildings in the old quarter.

Two outstanding fiestas, both declared of National Touristic Interest, are the Holy Week processions and the Romans and Carthaginians parade, a fascinating variant on the ubiquitous Moors and Christians fiestas of neighboring Alicante province.

An nearby offbeat attraction is the Mining Park at La Union (whose paths meander through a starkly arid and austere landscape dotted with derelict mine shafts) that commemorates the town's once thriving mining industry.

Location

Shore Excursions

Murcia, capital of the province, is just half an hour inland from Cartagena. A city of over 300,000 inhabitants with a strong Arabic past, it bestrides the River Segura, which helps irrigate the lush surrounding vega (orchards) and flows into the sea at Guardamar in neighboring Alicante province. The old quarter provides some atmospheric walks and its baroque cathedral is one of the finest in the Spain's southeastern Levante region. Also well worth visiting is the Salzillo Museum, which is noted for its elaborate pasos (floats) and ornate figurines.

Lorca, another city with Arabic origins, lies to the southwest of Murcia. Once you're past its outlying rash of modern buildings, you'll find at its historic core a wealth of baroque architecture whose highlights include the Casa de los Guevara and Colegiata de San Patricio.