Travel Guide

About Cartagena

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Overview:  Formerly known as Mastia and then later Quart Hadast, today Cartagena is one of the famous Mediterranean cities of Spain. The city came into being in 227 B.C. Cartagena is also the chief commercial and naval ports in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. In 2007, the population of Cartagena was estimated as 211,286. The city has been exclusively known for it rich artistic, historical and archaeological heritage. Cartagena is also known as a walled town that has been surrounded by beautiful forts, which also make it a fine harbour. Cartagena enjoys the strategic location of Mediterranean. A number of people, who belong to different cultures, have made it a must see place across the globe.

Food:  Cartagena is a town that offers a wide choice in the cuisines. It has one for everyone ranging from Caribbean to Mediterranean style or Italian to French. Some of the very famous delicacies are Chicken Soup, Rice with Coconut, Shredded Beef, Fried Plantains, Casava Pie etc.

Tourist Attractions - Best Places to Visit:  √ Archaeological Museum (Arqueológico Municipal) It is locally known as Arqueológico Municipal, located in Calle Ramón y Cajal, in the northeast of the city. The museum is established in a market hall which belongs to 19th century. It comprises Carthaginian, Roman, Visigothic and Arab antiquities.

√ Castillo de la Concepcion Located around 70m/230ft above from the sea level, this place has been known as a park i.e. the Parque Torres. You can reach here by taking a flight from the Cathedral. Castillo de la Concepción is 11th century old place. It is the place from where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the harbor.

√ Cathedral of Santa María la Vieja Cathedral of Santa María la Vieja is located to the east of the Town Hall. It was partially razed during the Civil War and now its ruins can be seen there.

√ La Union La Unión, 12km/7.5mi east of Cartagena, is the center of the largest ore-mining area in Europe. The town developed as a result of the increasingly intensive mining activity of the last 100 years or so, and its prosperity during this period is reflected in a number of handsome Art Nouveau buildings.

Other attractive places in Cartagena comprise of Monumento de los Heroes de Cavite, Museum of Underwater Archaeology (Museo Nacional de Arqueológia Submarina), Peral, Town Hall (Plaza del Ayuntamiento) and many more.

Things to do:  ♦ Visit the Convento de la Popa : - There is a small chapel with photographs commemorating the Pope's visit to the convent in the 1980's. The 360 degree view is astounding, and the architecture inside is absolutely beautiful. The Convento de la Popa is Cartagena's number 1 tourist attraction.

♦ Bathe in the Volcán de Totumo, or nearby Arboletes : - These are mud volcanoes. Totumo is the tallest mud volcano in the world.

♦ Visit the fort at Bocachica : - This strategic fort saw a lot of action is surrounded by a moat and is riddled with tunnels that are inhabited by bats. You can get there in a water-taxi that leaves from the Muelle de Pegasos, the wharf in front of the clock-tower.

♦ Be scared out of your wits in The Palacio de Inquisicion : - Facing Plaza Bolivar, this large building displays original, Colonial and post-independence exhibits. The Palacio also houses the Cartagena Historical Archives.

♦ Explore Las Bovedas : - These former dungeons now house varied stores of Colombian souvenirs. There are more than a dozen of them and no two are the same.

There are innumerable fascinating things to do in Cartagena which cannot be listed here completely. But a trip to Cartagena will reveal all!

Entertainment:  • Cartagena Nightlife : - After dark, have a quiet, relaxing evening. You can take a ride through the narrow streets of the Old City in a horse-drawn carriage and romanticize the old times.

A very different nocturnal tour is a chiva trip through Cartagena. These open-air buses painted in gaudy colors are native to Colombia. Onboard is a trio of musicians and—just as important to the experience—an open bar with Colombian drinks. Passengers hang out the windows and shout at pedestrians and people in other vehicles making the rounds of Bocagrande and Manga. After a drive through the old walled city and a stop at the Plaza de las Bovedas for light snacks, the tour ends at a disco.

• Performing Arts : - For performing arts, visit Teatro Heredia in downtown Cartagena. Some of Colombia's best theater groups, such as El Teatro Libre and El Teatro La Candelaria, perform there frequently, as well as the Colegio del Cuerpo, a local dance company. Teatro Heredia is also is the cornerstone venue for the Classical Music Festival, an international event organized by the Salvi Foundation and held every year in January.

Shopping:  Cartagena is also a good place to shop for inexpensive handicrafts, Christmas decorations etc. The prices are reasonable and you can even bargain if you're buying in quantity. The most popular of the craft shops are Plaza de las Bovedas which offers you the best products. There are plenty of attractive boutique shops in the historic center, as well as shopping malls in El Laguito and Bocagrande.

Activities:  Water sports are the best activities in Cartagena, since the city is surrounded by Caribbean Sea on one side. Afternoon is the best time to play with water since the sea breezes begin their dance at that time. Kite surfing, wind surfing, sailing, scuba diving or sailing and many other water sport activities are available to satisfy your aqua craving.

Local Transport:  As Cartagena is compact, there is little need for vehicular transportation around the city. Most of the interesting museums, restaurants and shops are within very easy walking distance. Bus transportation is available to the nearby resort of La Manga, the city of Murcia and many picturesque villages among the orange groves.

Getting Around:  Cartagena is located about 1000 km north of Bogota, so most visitors chose to arrive by air. You can either take a direct flight from Miami or you can transfer through the Colombian capital of Bogota. The flight from Miami is about 2.5 hours, and it is an hour from Bogota. The Cartagena airport is called Rafael Nunez and is a fully international airport.

A more exotic method of transportation into Cartagena is charter boat. If you have been vacationing in Panama, you can hire a charter boat to Cartagena, as this city is a port for charter traffic between the two countries. These charters are usually extremely small (no more than family of four can comfortably be accommodated) sailboats with one crew member. The trip can take up to five days, depending on weather and stops along the way.

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Country:  Spain

Area:  572 km2 (220.9 sq mi)

Population:  211,286 (2007)

Languages:  Spanish

Currency:  Euro

Region:  Murcia

Geographic Coordination:  37°36′N 0°59′W

Climate and Weather:  Warm and Semi-arid Climate

Best time to visit:  December