Cartagena Colombia attractions

Cartagena de Indias is the fifth largest and undoubtedly the most interesting city in Colombia with 914.600 inhabitants. The historic port city, surrounded by mighty fortress walls and protected by more than 20 forts, is one of the most frequently visited tourist destinations in South America.

Day tourists see only a few of the city's sights. There are plenty of sights to see: Cartagena's old town has been a national cultural heritage for more than 50 years and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1984. Our recommendations are aimed specifically at day guests who come to Cartagena on cruise ships. In the historic city center of EL Centro, the most interesting places, churches and secular buildings await the curious guests.

Plaza de los Coches and Heredia Monument

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Forts, bulwarks and positions

Cartagena's old town is surrounded by huge fortress walls. Construction work on the fortifications lasted two centuries. Three forts protect the city. The most famous fort is the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas built on the San Lorenzo hill. It was built in the 16th century and is said to be the largest Spanish fortress outside of Europe. From the height of the fort, visitors can enjoy views of the old town and the Bay of Cartagena. Under Castillo San Felipe and Convento de la Popa let's describe a visit to the fort.

Castle San Felipe de Barajas

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The Bastión de Cartagena and the Baluarte Santo Domingo are among the strongholds of the center that are worth seeing. We recommend climbing the city walls and looking out over the city and the bay.

The most beautiful places in the old town

On the way through the old town, visitors pass many attractive and well-kept places. Our favorites include the following:

Clock Square

The Plaza del Reloj is the first inner-city square that Cartagena's visitors get to see. We recommend that guests of the cruise ships take a taxi to the Teatro Colón in the Getsemaní district and from there walk past the Camellón de los Mártires to the Torre de Reloj clock tower. The Camellón de los Mártires monument is dedicated to freedom fighters who fought for independence from Spain. The Muelle de los Pegasos is on the left. The quay has been adorned with two huge sculptures of winged horses since the 1920s.

The Puerta del Reloj separates the Plaza del Reloj from the Plaza de los Coches. Originally the monumental gate system was the main entrance to the fortified city. The side parts of the building were originally used as a chapel and ammunition store. The complex is crowned by a clock tower.

Puerta and Torre del Reloj

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Cars Square

Behind the Puerta del Reloj is the triangular Plaza de los Coches, lined with houses with arcades. The square was once the slave market. In the middle of the square is the Monumento a Pedro de Heredia, the statue of the city's founder.

Arcades in the Plaza de los Coches

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Aduana's Place

The Plaza de la Aduana connects to the Plaza de los Coches. “Aduana” stands for “customs authority” in Spanish. In fact, the square got its name from the royal customs house, the Casa de la Aduana. In colonial times, the customs authorities inspected all goods that came into the city by sea. The buildings flanking the square were built in the colonial style. The square is dominated by the Columbus Monument. 

Plaza San Pedro Claver

Plaza de la Aduana is followed by Plaza San Pedro Claver. The square is named after the church of the same name. Restaurants and shops line the plaza. On the square, which is heavily frequented by hawkers, there is a statue of the Jesuit missionary San Pedro Claver and several modern figures made of raw metal.

Bolivar Plaza

We walk just a few steps from Plaza San Pedro Claver to the centrally located Plaza de Bolívar. The square, named after the South American freedom fighter Simon Bolivar, is surrounded by palm and deciduous trees and is pleasantly shady. It invites you to take a rest in the tropical temperatures that are difficult to bear for us. A statue in the square commemorates Simon Bolívar. It shows the hero of freedom sitting proudly on a horse.

Plaza de la Proclamation

The Plaza de la Proclamación branches off from the Plaza de Bolívar. The square, named after the declaration of independence from Spain, borders Cartagena's cathedral and the district of the provincial government.

Plaza de Santa Domingo

Another attractive and lively square is the Plaza de Santa Domingo. It was named after the monastery church of Santo Domingo. Bars, restaurants and street cafes surround the plaza. The eye-catcher of the square is the Gertrudis sculpture by the world-famous Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero. He donated the bronze sculpture, which weighed 650 kilograms, to the city. It is officially called "Reclining Figure 92". In common parlance, the figure is called "fat Gertrudis". The blank surfaces of the sculpture mark those places that locals and tourists particularly like to touch.

Churches

The cityscape of Cartagena is characterized by countless churches. Notable places of worship in the center are the Cathedral, the Santuario de San Pedro Claver, and Santo Domingo Monastery Church.

Cartagena's cathedral

The Catedral de Santa Catalina de Alejandría is located in the Plaza de la Proclamación. Cartagena's cathedral is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and one of the oldest bishopric seats in Colombia. The house of God is the third episcopal church on site. Construction began in 1577. There was a significant delay in completion when the British pirate Francis Drake attacked Cartagena in 1586. The well-advanced building was badly damaged in the attack. It was not completed until 1612. In the 20th century, the church was rebuilt and the tower was built.

The church has three naves, the central nave is supported by arcades. The interior of the church is decorated relatively simply by Catholic standards, apart from the pulpit made of Carrara marble and the gilded altar. On both sides of the nave we see chiseled stations of the cross.

Tourists pay a reasonable entrance fee to visit the cathedral.

Sanctuary of San Pedro Claver

The complex of the church includes the Church de San Pedro Claver, a monastery and an archaeological museum. The church, built in the late 16th and first half of the 17th centuries, was built in the Spanish colonial style. The dome was renewed in the 20th century. The altar holds the mortal remains of the missionary Pedro Claver in an urn made of bronze and glass. The saint, who died in 1654, devoted his life primarily to proselytizing and buying free the slaves who had been shipped to Colombia.

Santo Domingo Monastery Church

Santo Domingo is one of the oldest and most impressive churches in Cartagena. Work on the church began in the 16th century. The five construction phases took more than 200 years to complete. The main features of the Dominican-built monastery church are the leaning tower and the supporting walls protruding over the street. They became necessary after the original walls gave way. A wood-carved image of Christ and a portrait of the Virgin Mary adorn the baroque altar. The crown of Mary is made of gold and emeralds.

Location: Calle 35

Convent of the Pope

The Convento de la Popa is located at a height of 148 meters on the Cerro de la Popa above the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. The people of Cartagena call Popa Hill the “stern of the galley”. The church of the monastery is dedicated to the Virgen de la Candelaria, the Virgin of Candelaria. The "black maiden" protected the city from the plague and from pirates. On February 2nd, Colombians make a pilgrimage up to the monastery. Under Castillo San Felipe and Convento de la Popa let's describe the sanctuary.

Convent of the Pope

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Secular buildings and museums

Museo del Oro Zenu

Next to the Plaza de Bolívar, the small museum set up by the Colombian State Bank presents pre-Columbian gold objects from the Zenú indigenous people.

House of the Inquisition

On the other side of the Plaza de Bolívar is the Inquisition Palace, completed in 1770. The style of the palace, which is based on Spanish colonial architecture, is reminiscent of a dark and gruesome chapter of Spanish colonial history. A large and magnificent entrance portal adorns the entrance area. Wooden balconies decorate the facade. Inside the building were the prisons and torture chambers. In the building, the Spanish Inquisition ran at full speed until Colombia gained independence from Spain.

The gruesome palace now houses a historical museum in which torture tools are exhibited and torture methods are described. None of this fits in with the peaceful surroundings of the Plaza de Bolívar.

University cartagena

One block north of the Santo Domingo monastery church is the University of Cartagena on Calle 36. Tourists can look around and relax in the closed, green inner courtyard.

Cartagena - University courtyard

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Heredia Theater

Two blocks away, on Calle 38, is the Heredia Theater, named after the city's founder. It rises above the remains of the Church de la Merced, built in 1625. The theater was planned and built in the style of European opera houses. The visitor spaces were designed in the shape of a horseshoe.

Heredia Theater

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Museum of Modern Art Cartagena

The Museum of Modern Art, which has existed since 1979, uses two historic buildings. The art museum is dedicated to the different manifestations of the visual arts, with works by contemporary Colombian artists in the foreground.

Location: Plaza San Pedro Claver

Naval Museum of the Caribbean

Cartagena's Naval Museum has been exhibiting its treasures in a former Jesuit monastery since 1988. In the 70-meter-long “republican hall” it presents the history of the port and trading city. It also describes the fortifications of the city, the aftermath of the pirate raids and the Spanish galleons.
The history of the Colombian Navy is interpreted on the upper floor of the building.

Location: Calle de San Juan de Dios
Normally, three hours should be allowed for viewing the exhibitions.

Tips for cruise ship guests

In good years, up to 200 cruise ships call for the Maritimo de Cartagena terminal every year. The city is the start and destination of cruises and serves even more as a stopover for cruises in the Caribbean Sea. Free shuttle buses run between the berths of the cruise ships and the port exit.

The cruise terminal is located in a small green area inhabited by flamingos and parrots. Passengers who do not take part in organized excursions visit the city on their own. The distance to the historic city center is six kilometers. Taxi drivers wait for passengers in front of the port gates. The destination of the trip is the Puerta del Reloj, the former main gate of the city wall. 

Contrary to popular belief, Cartagena is a safe city. Murder and manslaughter may occur in drug regions; not in Cartagena. On days when cruise ships call at the port, the presence of the security forces and the tourist police is visibly increased.

However, we find the many hawkers who want to bring their goods to women and men to be intrusive and annoying. But they have to make a living from selling their goods, so forbearance is required!