Cartagena: Heroic City and World Heritage Site

The Gateway to South America

What to do in Cartagena?

In Cartagena, you should explore the architectural and cultural heritage of the city by touring its historic center, which is surrounded by long kilometers of ancient walls that make up the walled city. The beauty and importance of this Cartagena landscape led to its declaration as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984.

In La Heroica, in addition to experiencing hundreds of years of history on cobblestone streets, you can explore the impressive Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, which dates back to the 17th century. In this way, you can learn about the history of Cartagena and a detailed description of the city.

Colombian Peso

2

MASL

27°C to 35°C

1.07 Million
Inhabitants

How to get there?

By Air:

The Rafael Núñez International Airport connects Cartagena with all the cities of Colombia and some with direct flights in the world.

By Land:

Cartagena has the Cartagena Transportation Terminal used by thousands of travelers to leave and arrive from and to all cities and municipalities in Colombia.

How to get around?

The carreras are roads that run from west to east and the calles run from south to north. The beaches of Bocagrande are located to the west of the city, the airport in the north and the Transportation Terminal in the east. If you need a reference point in the historic center, you can always consider the Clock Tower, which is the main entrance to the walled center.

Public Transportation: offers a public transportation system with: buses (Transcaribe) and taxis, reaching every corner of the city.

The city has the Caribbean Sea, which allows rest and fun with a climate that is always pleasant.


The beaches near Cartagena are perfect for enjoying a cocktail or a local dish, sunbathing, relaxing or also venturing out to practice all kinds of water sports.

Cartagena has more than 5 island complexes around it, which in turn provide more than 20 beaches to visit and enjoy. The white sand, the palm trees, the sea breeze and in some cases the coral reefs, will welcome you to these havens of rest. The main and best beaches in the Cartagena area are located in the Rosario Islands, Barú, San Bernardo and Tierra Bomba.

Also, if you want to have contact with the most touristy sector of La Heroica, you can visit Bocagrande, which has wide beaches, hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and nightclubs.