How to Visit This South American City, Which Ranked High on 2024 Travel Hotspots

Holding on a little closer to the railings, I watched the city line swiftly fade on the horizon as the boat rushed away from Cartagena. In what seemed like an instant, all I could make out was the Caribbean Sea, fringed by small, uninhabited islands covered in verdant mangroves. There were no traces of Cartagena de Indias, the lively city I was actually visiting, until I arrived at my destination, a private beach on Isla Barú. It was like being in a beachy sanctuary. 

This city in Colombia was designated one of the top tourist destinations in 2024 due in large part to its striking contrasts. The Caribbean is a popular destination for beachgoers due to its abundance of beautiful white sand beaches and turquoise seas. The walled "Old City" is a UNESCO Heritage Site and a treasure trove of history if you're looking for more cultural attractions. In other parts of Cartagena, the skyscrapers of new construction show how much the area has grown and how contemporary it is. From 2010 to 2022, the number of international tourists visiting Colombia increased by 222 percent. 

As part of Cartagena's expansion in 2023, the Old City's famous 17th-century palace Casa Pestagua debuted after a $15 million restoration. Acasi is a private beach in Barú that the owners also made available as overnight cottages. It is a popular place for day trips. A Four Seasons hotel is set to open in Cartagena next year, and Disney's "Encanto"-themed Colombian tour will stop there as well. 

Expert and co-founder of Amakuna Boris Seckovic stated T+L, "Cartagena has something to offer everyone." A+List advisor. Cartagena is home to some of the best chefs in Colombia, so you can enjoy fine dining while taking in the city's rich history and architecture. Nightlife, especially during the holidays, is another reason Cartagena is famous. 

When I returned to the Old City, I couldn't get enough of the colorful walls that lined the cobblestone streets, the unique architecture, and the lovely wooden doors with funny doorknockers. (The city's architecture is a combination of republican, classicist, baroque, and neoclassical styles, says Seckovic.) Corner vendors offer delicacies including fresh coconuts, limonada de coco, and arepas. As I meandered throughout the neighborhood, I happened upon street artists, colorful murals, the world-famous "La Gorda Gertrudis" sculpture by Fernando Botero of Colombia, and other shops. 

During my recent visit, I embarked on a walking tour of the city with Galavanta. The tour provided fascinating historical context regarding Cartagena's development as well as entertaining trivia nuggets. The resident's job in the past was indicated by the aforementioned funny doorknockers, which I couldn't stop photographing. As an example, if the house had a lion, it suggested the family lived there were soldiers. 

Additionally, I discovered that Cartagena used to be the biggest slave port in Spanish America. According to Michigan State University history associate professor David Wheat, who spoke with T+L, between 1570 and 1640, the city served as a transit point for at least 100,000 people being trafficked from countries including Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An estimated 1.1 million Africans were transported through Cartagena, according to Jose Palacios Preciado, a former director of the Colombian national archives who spoke with The Atlanta Black Star. 

It became increasingly difficult to ignore the pervasive Afro-Colombian influence in the city's music and art after researching its past. "The music we listen to is called champeta and it is African beats-based," commented Alex Rocha, an Afro-Colombian proprietor of Experience Real Cartagena, to T+L. "We have poets like Candelario Obeso and writers like Manuel Zapata Olivella, the author of 'Changó, el gran Putas.'" 

I would later discover that the colorful palenqueras, who wear tropical fruit bowls atop their heads, played a significant role in the slave revolt as well. According to Fernando Rivera, a guide who works with Galavanta, many slaves fled to what the Spanish authorities referred to as palenques, which were their own communities. Assisting the escapes was a critical role for women. According to Rivera, the slaves were able to time their escapes perfectly since they were familiar with the enslaver's routine. "Because women could also navigate the city, they were ideal messengers and ensured the palenques' safety." 

In 1713, thanks to their contributions, San Basilio de Palenque was founded, becoming the first free municipality in the Americas for Africans. Palenqueras still sell fruit all over the Old City, even after all these centuries. (However, in light of the city's burgeoning tourist industry, they probably capitalize on travelers' desire for photo opportunity more than fruits themselves.) 

Plaza de San Pedro Claver, San Basilio de Palenque, La Ruta del Esclavo, Monumento a la Palenquera, Mercado de Bazurto, Plaza Joe Arroyo, and Plaza Benkos Bioho are just a few of the many historic places and museums dedicated to Cartagena's Afro-Colombian heritage that Rocha and Rivera mentioned. 

There are substantial historical effects even in Cartagena's culinary culture. "Our African ancestors left the legacy of the various foods such as coconut rice; patacones (fried plantains); and different types of fruit-based sweets like dulce de papaya, dulce de coco, dulce de yuca," said Rocha. "There's also sancocho, which is a stew cooked in a pot with vegetables plantains, potatoes, corn, yuca, and fish or beef." (Here's a tip: Roche suggested trying Afro-Colombian cuisine at La Picúa, La Cocina de Socorro, Kiosko El Bony, and La Mulata.) 

Popular staple restaurants such as Celele, Alma, La Cevicheria, Carmen, and Donjuán Cartagena should not be missed. Ánima, the brainchild of Alma creator chef Heberto Eljach, premiered in Casa Pestagua in 2023 with an emphasis on the traditional traditions of Colombian cuisine. According to Eljach, who spoke to T+L, "Ánima's relationship with Colombian cuisine is focused on ancient techniques of traditional cooking." This includes methods of preservation such as curing, salting, fermenting, canning, smoking, and pickling, as well as the use of local products, artisanal fishing, and organic products from regions like the Montes de Maria and the Amazon. 

Of course, a trip to Colombian cuisine wouldn't be complete without sampling some coffee. Indeed, Colombia is first in the world for wash Arabica coffee production. 

On my first trip to Cartagena, I couldn't resist stopping by Epoca Coffee every day. I even bought some coffee beans on an impulse so I could bring this habit back to my hometown. However, I decided to partake in a coffee experience at Café San Alberto during my second trip. By delving into the history of Colombia's coffee culture and tasting various beans, I gained a deeper understanding of the many moving parts involved in brewing a cup of coffee. 

As I was leaving Cartagena on my most recent trip, I couldn't help but think back on my previous two trips. A lot had changed in the four years that I hadn't been back, but the city's vibrant culture was still very much alive and well. I was able to recreate the magic of my first visit while also trying out some new things; the result was a vacation that covered all the bases.