Colombia’s National Beauty Pageant Every year during the second week of November Cartagena fills with the most beautiful women in all of Colombia. The National Beauty Pageant brings women from every corner of the country to compete for the Queen’s Crown and the right to represent Colombia in the Miss Universe Pageant. They bring with them A-List stars from all over the…
Las Bóvedas (The Vaults) in Cartagena Las Bóvedas (or the Vaults) is really a single complex of 23 individual storerooms (or dungeons depending on your point of view) built between 1792 and 1796. The 47 arches and 23 domes were dreamt up by Antonia de Arevalo, an engineer who was charged with completing the extensive fortifications of the city of Cartagena after…
The Districts of Cartagena With a deep history reaching far back past the Spanish Colonial occupation and a new and vibrant metropolitan outlook, travelers can find something to delight in no matter their interests. Cartagena Colombia is a city of wonders. Throughout the districts of Cartagena you’ll find unique and interesting attractions that will make your stay in this Caribbean gem unforgettable…
The Plaza Santo Domingo in Cartagena This colorful plaza is located in the heart of the historic Walled City of Cartagena, making it a great place to meet up with friends before sightseeing or a night on the town. Surrounded by beautifully restored Spanish Colonial architecture, a Botero Statue, Plaza Santo Domingo is actually named for the famous church that sits at…
Convento de la Popa in Cartagena This beautiful convent sits atop the highest hill in Cartagena, overlooking the city and Caribbean Sea below. From the flower-filled patios you can gaze down into the city and enjoy a nearly 360 degree panorama. Viewing this spectacle from this historic point it’s hard not to imagine what Cartagena would have looked like a hundred or…
Experience the Vibrant Summerland Dance Festival in Cartagena, Colombia The Summerland Dance Festival in Cartagena is a World-Class rave on the beach: 30,000 plus of gorgeous bodies writhing under the stars as some of the best music in the world washes over them! Every January this near-endless parade of parties and amazing musical acts descends upon Cartagena for three long days and…
Celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Cartagena The weeks surrounding Christmas and New Year are the perfect time to visit Cartagena if your idea of fun is non-stop partying, rubbing elbows with VIPs and celebrities, and seeing how this Gem of the Caribbean transforms itself for the season. You wouldn’t think that this historic city would be such a lively place…
Cartagena: A Traveler’s Destination of Choice Cartagena Colombia (Cartagena de Indias) has rapidly shed its old image and become a destination of choice for world travelers. The city offer such an intoxicating blend of natural beauty, cultural creativity, and historic “presence” that it attracts not only wealthy and well-to-do Europeans, Colombians, and Americans (who expect top-tier service and elegance) but also shines…
Colombian Emeralds in Cartagena Verdant greens and complicated depths have made emeralds one of humankind’s most coveted stones for over 4,000 years. From pre-historic times through today these one-of-a-kind natural wonders have captivated emperors, shamans, kings and queens, movie stars, the elite, and everyday folks alike. Colombia offers some of the most exquisite emeralds around and the shops in Cartagena make finding…
Playa Blanca Playa Blanca on the Isla de Baru (Baru Island) is one of the most popular tourist destinations around Cartagena—and it’s easy to see why. While many of the beaches near and around the city itself are far from spectacular in comparison, Playa Blanca offers soft, white sands, crystal clear turquoise water, colorful tropical fish, local delicacies like ceviche, and tasty…
Iglesia de Santo Domingo Cartagena Of all the Catholic churches and cathedrals in Cartagena, the Iglesia de Santo Domingo is one of the most breathtaking. Not only is it the oldest Catholic church in Cartagena, it also contains some of the most beautiful hand-carved religious statuary in the city. But before the church became a cool retreat in which weary travelers could…
Café Havana – Cartagena’s Cuban Hotspot Who would have thought a Cuban-themed nightclub owned by a traveling Spaniard would be one of the hottest nightclubs in Cartagena? It’s true. Locals and visitors alike are drawn to the tasty cocktails and the authentic sounds of live salsa bands from Thursday night right through the weekend at Café Havana. Café Havana is probably the…
Passionate Latin History Told Through Dance Music and dance are such an integral part of Latin Culture that it’s almost impossible to separate one from the other. When you set foot in the tropics you can feel the syncopated rhythms and the exotic beats running through you. And there’s nowhere better to immerse yourself in the joyous expression of Latin Dance than…
