Set on a headland beside the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena is Colombia's most "magical" colonial city, said Stephanie Rafanelli in The Times, and one of the most beautiful in the Americas.
Founded in 1533, it was the main port of the Spanish empire, a fabulously wealthy entrepôt for gold and slaves. Its old town is wonderfully well preserved – a warren of cobbled streets, domed churches and mansions "the colour of watermelon and papaya", surrounded by seven miles of fortified coral stone walls. But though its architecture is Spanish, almost half of its population is of African descent, and its culture reflects both of these roots.
Tourism in Colombia has flourished since the government struck a peace deal with the guerrilla group Farc eight years ago, and Cartagena is the country's most popular destination. A Four Seasons hotel is due to open soon, but I stayed at Casa Pestagua, a boutique hotel in a 17th-century mansion, with a pool in a "palmed Moorish-style courtyard". It was a good base from which to explore the city, including its restaurant scene.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Cartagena has some good museums, of which the most distinctive is the Museo del Oro Zenú, where you can see the exquisite creations of the region's pre-Colombian goldsmiths. When you've seen the sights, there is a good place to kick back nearby – the Rosario Islands, 45 minutes by speedboat from the city. Casa Pestagua has its own outpost here, Acasi Rustic Beach. Its six cabins sit beside a private beach, with an outdoor restaurant. I found the place enchanting – not least in the evenings, when there is a chance of spotting "ghostly flashes of bioluminescence" playing across the water.
-
6 of the world’s most accessible destinationsThe Week Recommends Experience all of Berlin, Singapore and Sydney
-
How the FCC’s ‘equal time’ rule worksIn the Spotlight The law is at the heart of the Colbert-CBS conflict
-
What is the endgame in the DHS shutdown?Today’s Big Question Democrats want to rein in ICE’s immigration crackdown
-
Travel for all: 6 of the world’s most accessible destinations
The Week Recommends Experience all of Berlin, Singapore and Sydney
-
Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl: A win for unityFeature The global superstar's halftime show was a celebration for everyone to enjoy
-
Book reviews: ‘Bonfire of the Murdochs’ and ‘The Typewriter and the Guillotine’Feature New insights into the Murdoch family’s turmoil and a renowned journalist’s time in pre-World War II Paris
-
The 8 best TV shows of the 1960sThe Week Recommends The standout shows of this decade take viewers from outer space to the Wild West
-
The year’s ‘it’ vegetable is a versatile, economical wonderthe week recommends How to think about thinking about cabbage
-
6 exquisite homes with vast acreageFeature Featuring an off-the-grid contemporary home in New Mexico and lakefront farmhouse in Massachusetts
-
Film reviews: ‘Wuthering Heights,’ ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die,’ and ‘Sirat’Feature An inconvenient love torments a would-be couple, a gonzo time traveler seeks to save humanity from AI, and a father’s desperate search goes deeply sideways
-
The biggest box office flops of the 21st centuryin depth Unnecessary remakes and turgid, expensive CGI-fests highlight this list of these most notorious box-office losers
