Cartagena ColombiaI've finally been to Cartagena Colombia also known as Cartagena de Indias (not to be confused with the similarly named town in Spain) after 10 years! The obvious question is, was it worth it? Most definitely. We went at the end of January, just after the mayhem of the vacation season ended and I must say, I had absolutely no idea how unique and fabulous this tourist destination really is. 
The Old TownBeing perfectly honest and as far as tourism goes, it's all about the Old Town that you can explore on foot in about 3 days.Cartagena Colombia has a population just under one million and in truth, the contrast between rich and poor is particularly extreme in this city. The old town however, is very well maintained, safe and clearly run for tourism. For better or worse, this is the Cartagena tourists come for. 
There's a mystique to the place. Narrow roads and maze-like terraces and rooftops, covered with small swimming pools with hidden levels of balconies where you can retreat from the streets to enjoy the breeze as Cartagena weather gets hot during the middle of the day. Views of the colonial buildings dating back to the 16th century, church towers, domes and the Caribbean sea in the distance. It's romantic and beautiful. Hotels in CartagenaThere are dozens of exclusive hotels in Cartagena in addition to larger ones such as the renowned Sofitel Santa Clara that has a large swimming pool, enormous and refreshing courtyard and views from the upper deck over the Caribbean.
Boutique hotels are in vogue and perfect in this location. They are exclusive with top notch service but obviously, some are far better than others. Restaurants in CartagenaCartagena Colombia has some of the best food in Colombia but it comes at a price. Main dishes cost around COP 30-50.000 (US$ 16 - 26) at a decent place.Things to do in CartagenaI recommend strolling about without necessarily feeling the need to take in this or that attraction. The entire old town is surrounded by walls and the area is said to be the safest in Colombia with 2000 police officers patrolling what is in reality, a very small area.It might be a good idea to have an idea about where you want to eat because the difference in price and quality between the typical tourist traps and best restaurants is significant. - Bolivar Park This is next to the gold museum and close to the Plaza de Aduana. It's a very nice park but this area does have a lot of street vendors. - Gold Museum Especially if you haven't seen the bigger one in Bogota, this gives a taste and some important insight into Colombian history. - Heredia Theater A beautiful theater next to the wall facing the sea. Beautiful. - Plaza de Aduana Close to Bolivar Park and a great large space to get a feel for the architecture. You can dip through the fortifications and see the harbor and Bocagrande in the distance from this location. Bocagrande outside Cartagena ColombiaNot what I expected. Its reputation is of a jet-setter place with fancy shops and restaurants. Yes, there's an element of that but really, Colombia has so many other "fancy" areas now that it doesn't stand out as it perhaps did before. El Poblado in Medellin is far more up-market than this area in my opinion with more options for things to do.
That said, it's worth seeing if only once, but the beaches are not the best nor the sea particularly clean, so I'm not sure what the attraction is except for proximity to the Old Town. There were some good supermarkets and a nice outdoor Juan Valdez on the main road. There are of course a number of high rises that I'm sure have a great view. Ok, but nothing special. Click here for more
Cartagena Info.
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