Why go à CARTAGENA DE INDIAS?

Cartagena de Indias, so named to distinguish it from Spanish Cartagena, was built on the site of the native village of Calamarí. It has been called many things in its history, but none more fittingly than Cartagena de Indias! Today, Cartagena is a sprawling city of over a million inhabitants. It is the region's main administrative center and a major port on the Caribbean. But despite its busy, modern lifestyle, Cartagena still possesses the magical charms that have always characterized it. A major tourist attraction in Colombia, its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the most dazzling examples of Hispanic colonial architecture. The city is painted in ochre, mirabelle and a range of pastels. Carved wooden entrances open onto sumptuous, elegant mansions or verdant patios.