Welcome to Cartagena
Location:
In the North part of Colombia, on Caribbean Sea side.
Area/Surface:
572 km²
Population:
890.000 people
Calling code:
+57 5
How to get here:
By car:
The main roads which cross Cartagena, regardless you come from south or from north are: National Road 90 and 90A. Not far from these, pass the National Road 25 which connects the north part of Colombia to the central part. From capital Bogota you can come on the National Road 50 towards west (Medelin) and then take National Road 25 towards north.
By ship:
Cartagena is the biggest and most important port of Colombia and it has 3 natural ports and other 40 private. So, it is quite easy to get here on water but it is used especially to transport the merchandise.
By plane:
Cartagena City has the most crowded airport in the north part of Colombia, Rafael Nunez International Airport with daily flights to and from the majority of Colombia’s cities, but also to international destinations.
Foundation year:
1st June 1533
When to go:
The best period to visit Cartagena City is from December until May-June when is the dry season. The annual average of temperature is between 23 and 29° C. The rainiest months are between September and November.
Cartagena City, Colombia
Name and history of Cartagena, Colombia:
Cartagena City is the 5th largest from Colombia and its name comes from the Spanish city with the same name. In the moment of its foundation in 1533, there were only 200 people and today are over 890.000 people. In the following centuries the city passed under the French, English, Spanish domination and even the pirates attacked and conquered the city several times. Spanish people built the defensive walls around the city and fortress to protect it by enemy invasions. These were built in the 17th century due to the continuous attacks. Later on in 1811 at 11th November, Cartagena obtain the independence from Spain and in 1815 in their attempt to regain the city, Spanish people were defeated by Simon Bolivar’s troupe. If these weren’t enough, is good to know that the population of the city was decimated by diseases and by crisis periods. However after several attacks (the most violent in the beginning of XIX century when the city was almost destroyed), Cartagena was restored almost entirely. Since 1984 the fortress and the historic city were included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Climate, tourism, tourist objectives and attractions in Cartagena, Colombia:
A relatively constant climate all year round in Cartagena with temperatures between 20 and 30° C, always attracted tourists. However, because it’s situated in the tropical area, here are two seasons, one wet usually between June and November and one dry from December until May. So, tourism is the main source of earnings for Cartagena which is annually visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists who come here to admire the historic city, the fortress which is in fact a castle, but also the other tourist objectives, many of them several hundreds of years old.
Cartagena City panorama with skyscrapers behind
The impressive 12 km wall which surrounds the historic city, together with San Felipe de Barajas Castle and the narrow and paved streets, will fascinate you for sure. It’s considered almost unchanged from its construction and is one of the most beautiful cities from Colombia and of course even from whole South America. (Find more journeys on blog.worldlifetimejourneys.com) Picturesque markets, balconies and colonial streets, old churches of several hundred years like San Pedro Claver (first saint of the new world), Cathedral next to Bolivar Plaza, Santo Domingo Church and many others, will always waiting you to visit them. Beside these, lots of other tourist attractions are waiting for you to see them. Among the most important are: Coaches Plaza or Plaza de Los Coches (a coquette plaza, paved in colonial style on which the coaches are still running like hundreds of years ago fascinating tourists), Inquisition Palace (where prisoners were judged, condemned and tortured), Bolivar Plaza (from the historic city), Gold Museum, the Clock Tower, Santa Cruz Monastery and many others.
Beaches and water activities in Cartagena, Colombia:
If these aren’t enough, try to relax and sunbath on a wonderful beach from the city. The best known is White Beach or Playa Blanca, a preferred place to enjoy the sun and warm water of Caribbean Sea. Many cruise ships choose to stop in this city for the beauty and romance and because is one of the best protected and less dangerous cities from Colombia. Also, here you can go for scuba diving or snorkeling to see the coral reefs nearby or you can go by boat to Rosario Islands situated at a short distance from Cartagena. Regardless what you choose to do, you will leave from here smiling. Visit Cartagena, Colombia!
Sunset over Cartagena, Colombia
