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 (Islas del Rosario) Rosary Islands
Many tourists leave Cartagena for the two-hour ride in a modern launch to this archipelago of coral reefs washed by blue and green waters. There they enjoy the peace and beauty of white sand beaches. Lovers of deep sea diving find in the coral reefs a unique landscape surrounded by sea species typical of the Caribbean.
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Cartagena de Indias has been considered a World Heritage Site since 1984 under the name of Cartagena Port, Fortress and Historical Monuments. It is located facing the Caribbean Sea in one of America’s most beautiful bays, set off by walls that were raised to protect its treasures. The conservation of its colonial traditions, complemented by the beauty of its landscapes and beaches, has made it a tourist haven.
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Access |
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An 80-minute flight from Bogotá is the quickest and most direct way to reach Cartagena, although there are also flights from Bucaramanga, Cali and Medellín every day. International flights are available from Mexico, Guatemala, Miami, Panama and San Jose, Costa Rica. The land route is 1 090 km from Bogotá, 643 from Medellín and 115 from Baranquilla over the paved coastal Atlantic highway.
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Tourist Attractions |
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 Forts and Castles
Forts and castles were strategically built around Cartagena de Indias to defend its inhabitants from the continuous attacks of English and French pirates who, well aware of all the new lands had to offer, sailed the Caribbean in search of treasure. Spanish military engineer Bautiste Antonelli reached Cartagena in 1589 and started on the construction of the monumental works that today constitute an example of the military architecture of the period. The forts of San José and San Sebastián and the castles of San Felipe de Barajas and San Fernando y las Bóvedas are still standing today.
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 The Clock Tower
This early nineteenth century tower is considered the city’s emblem. Its narrow streets and handsome balconies bring to mind the fantasy of both the past and the present intermingled in a single place.
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 La Popa Hill
This hill offers a vantage point from which to enjoy the beauty of Cartagena and the contrast between the historical and the modern city. It is also the site of La Candelaria Convent, built in 1603 by the Augustinian fathers, whose columns over the centuries offered peace to those who withdrew from the life of the times to the tranquility of its cloisters.
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 San Pedro Claver Convent
This convent was built in 1603 in honor of the great Pedro Claver, the saint who spent his life defending the slaves in the new world. It was in Cartagena that he found the spiritual strength to fight the evil and cruelty of those who claimed that their light skin color was enough to entitle them to dominate the world.
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 The Inquisition Palace
This typical colonial mansion with its large patios and handsome balconies is remembered as having been the headquarters of the Holy Inquisition, where the Court of the Holy Office judged and condemned to death those accused of being wizards or witches. Instruments of torture used to force prisoners to confess to diabolic practices against the Catholic Church have been kept as a sign of the intolerance of the times.
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 The Rafael Nuñez House
Part of the city’s historical area, the house’s masonry and woodwork are characteristic of its Antillian style. It was occupied during the nineteenth century by Rafael Núñez, an outstanding Colombian who served on three occasions as its President and who also wrote the words of the national anthem. The house was converted into a museum and today displays personal objects that belonged to the President.
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