Make sure you don't confuse this Colombian jewel with the Cartagena in Spain. The Colombian city has nothing to envy in its namesake with so much Iberian splendor and grandeur to boast of, like the Convento de la Popa, modestly dominating the city's bay with its turquoise waters. Located on the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena de Indias, its full name, dazzles with its cultural and historical riches.
Explore the old quarters of Getsemaní, San Diego or La Matuna, where you can breathe in the scents of flowers hanging from the balconies of the houses, sometimes painted with an almost Sevillian ocher tone, found in the square of Plaza Santo Domingo or the Portal de los Dulces. Nothing could be more pleasant than letting fate guide your steps and going off to explore this typical Colombian neighborhood, with its fruit vendors and little shaded streets. That said, it's impossible to leave these enclaves of another time without stopping in one of the restaurants, away from the traffic, to enjoy a Colombian specialty: ajiaco, a potato soup. Especially if you were planning to head for the Bocagrande neighborhood, where you'll discover a more modern Cartagena, far removed from its heritage, with immaculate buildings that give it the air of an American metropolis.
There is however one last side of Cartagena, the same one that most probably inspired Gabriel García Márquez. This Cartagena has been created from a sublime nature, juicy and sweet fruit and fine sand. This Cartagena has beaches so beautiful you'll think you're dreaming, like Playa Blanca, famous for being one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.