About Cartagena
Colombia's Caribbean coast meets its colonial apex at Cartagena's Ciudad Amurallada, the UNESCO-listed walled city ringed by eleven kilometres of 17th-century ramparts and anchored by the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas – the largest Spanish fortress ever built in the Americas. Bocagrande's urban beaches run grey, so day-trippers board boats for Playa Blanca on Isla Barú, a 45-minute crossing to white sand, and the snorkelling reefs of Islas del Rosario an hour offshore. Sea temperatures hold 28-29 °C82-84 °F year-round, with Rafael Núñez airport fifteen minutes from downtown.