Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena, also known as Cartagena de Indias (Cartagena of the West Indies) was founded in 1533 by Don Pedro de Heredia, and named after the port of Cartagena in Spain’s Murcia region. It was a major center of early Spanish settlement in the Americas and continues to be an economic hub as well as a popular tourist destination. Today the city looks more like a modern metropolis than one of the oldest cities of the New World. The Port, Fortresses and Monuments of Cartagena have been on UNESCO’s World Heritage List since 1984.

History is present throughout the city in its walls, colonial architecture, and in numerous impressive military and religious monuments. These all come together harmoniously with clear-water beaches, exotic nearby islands, and lively bars, cafés, restaurants and night clubs. Surrounded by a ring of massive fortress walls built by the Spanish starting in 1586, the Old City is a delightful enclave, filled with shops, restaurants, and historically significant old structures which make for a fascinating walking tour. Across the lagoon is the enormous Fortress of San Felipe, largest Spanish fort in the New World. High atop San Lazaro Hill, the fortress provides a grand view of the city.