Cartagena – Beauty of Colombia

Photogenic city par excellence, its historic center surrounded by very well preserved ramparts marvels at every street corner. Each detail makes you want to take your time: fruits, flowers, old doors, colorful walls, pretty squares. Everything has charm and captures you. At nightfall, the streetlights come on, creating a cozy atmosphere with their orange-yellow light. 

• Clock Tower. Located above the main Gate of the district, it was historically the only possible entry inside the walls. The Clock Tower overlooks the Plaza de los Coches, formerly Plaza de los esclavos where the cruel slave market took place. Cartagena was considered the largest slave port of the South American continent. Today, you will find the Portal de los dulces (sweets portal), a series of arcades where there are a host of traditional sweets vendors and horse-drawn carriages for a romantic ride.
• Cathedral of Santa Catalina de Alejandria. Emblematic monument of Cartagena that we find on all the postcards, the one that we see everywhere while strolling through the streets from different angles. In the evening, its lighting accentuates the beauty of its bell tower. Built in 1577, it has undergone many transformations. Most notable is its stucco covering which gives it a marble appearance. The visit allows you to access the 3 soberly decorated naves and the main altarpiece covered with gold leaf. 

• Church and Convent of San Pedro Claver. It was founded by the Jesuits in the 18th century. It bears this name in homage to San Pedro Claver, a canonized Spanish Jesuit, patron saint of slaves, known as “the slave of slaves”. He devoted his life in the port of Cartagena to relieving the suffering of thousands of black slaves. His remains are buried in the temple. 

• The Vaults of Santa Clara. These are former ammunition warehouses as well as former prison cells now transformed into a series of small shops selling local and artisanal products. The building has 47 arches and 24 vaults. You will find a pleasant atmosphere, a certain quality but unfortunately, prices a little high.
• Heredia Theater.Built to commemorate the centenary of Independence (1911) and restored in 1998, this building copies the Italian operas of the 18^th th and 19th centuries. Inside, the theater is built in the shape of a horseshoe, with a ceiling decorated with a mural depicting the nine Muses of Arts and Sciences, painted by the Colombian artist Enrique Grau.
• Sunset at Cafe del Mar. Ideal place to end a day in Cartagena sipping a cocktail. It is located at the foot of the ramparts, which offer a view of the city, the sea and the sunset.  
• Also worth seeing is the Palace of the Inquisition, the historical museum, Bolivar Square...