Vacations in Cartagena de Indias

Cartagena de Indias has been declared by UNESCO as a historic and cultural patrimony of humanity due to its rich past. History can be found in many places of the city such as the city walls, the spanish colonial architecture and the impressive military and religious monuments.

There are many places to visit full of historic, cultural, architectural and aesthetic importance. Within the old city walls the main tourist attractions are the Cathedral, the San Francisco monastery, the Gold Museum, the San Agustin convent, the monastery and church San Pedro Claver, the public clock, the modern art museum, the naval museum, The Inquisicion Palace, plaza de Bolivar, Plaza de los coches and casa del Marques de Valdehoyos, among others.

Outside the city walls, the most important places to visit are the San Felipe de Barajas Castle, calle del Arsenal, Fuerte del Pastelillo, La India Catalina, Casa de Rafael Nunez, Ermita de El Cabrero, Candelaria convent and the Old Boots monument. Also, nearby the city there are some fortress such as Bateria del Angel San Rafael, Fuerte San Fernando de Bocachica and Fuerte Bateria de San Jose that helped the Spanish conquerors to defend the city from the English, the French and the pirates.

All the already mentioned attractions are harmoniously combined with beautiful beaches, exotic nearby islands and night life establishments. In terms of beaches and islands you can find them both within the tropical atmosphere of the city or away from civilization and noise.

The main beaches are Bocagrande, El Laguito, La Boquilla, Castillogrande, Marbella and Playa Blanca. The most relevant islands are Islas del Rosario, with crystal and multicolor water perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving; Isla de Baru with white sandy beaches, crystal water, mangles, and multicolor corals; Archipielago de San Bernardo and Isla de Tierra Bomba.

Night life in Cartagena is very exciting and full of bars, restaurants, cafes, casinos and clubs. The recommended zones of the city to find the best night life are El Corralito de Piedra, Calle del Arsenal and Bocagrande. Another thing that can be done at night time is to have a Paseo en Coche or simply take a walk in the old city to enjoy its romantic atmosphere.

Tourist can also practice many sports including of course nautical ones. A visit to the aquarium, the botanic garden and ecological tourism are other activities that can be done in Cartagena and that might take more than a day.

Besides from being the most important tourist destination in the Colombian Caribbean coast it is one of the most important business, meetings and conventions centers of the entire Caribbean.

For obvious reasons Cartagena is the first tourist destination of Colombia for both national and international tourists.

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