Things to Do in Cartagena de Indias

Cartagena de Indias sits on Colombia’s Caribbean coast — founded 1533 by the Spanish, fortified through the 17th century to defend against pirates and English raids, and today the most architecturally intact walled colonial city in the Americas. The historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of pastel buildings, balconies dripping with bougainvillea, and 11 kilometers of stone walls you can walk. Beyond the old city, Bocagrande is the modern beach-and-high-rise district, the Rosario Islands offer Caribbean beach day trips, and the country’s famous Caribbean food (cazuela de mariscos, ceviche) is the cooking tradition here.