A Week in Paradise: Cartagena

Upon arrival to Cartagena, please make your way through Customs and collect your baggage. When you reach the Arrivals area, you will be met by an English-speaking guide & private driver holding a sign with your name on it. After settling into your vehicle, you will be transferred to your hotel, which will take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The allure of the Caribbean coast is perfectly epitomized by Cartagena de Indias, often described as absurdly photogenic, and one of the most iconic destinations in Colombia. During your time at leisure in Baru Cartagena, you’re invited to kick back and relax. Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort creates a unique synergy between nature and architectural design. With LEED certification and drawing inspiration from the surrounding biodiversity, each detail is carefully considered using natural materials to evoke a feeling of luxury, which translates to relaxation, sophistication and fun à la plage.

Enjoy another full day at leisure in Baru Cartagena at the Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort.

After breakfast this morning, make your way to the nearby docks and board a boat with shared service to Cartagena. The boat ride will take approximately 1 hour. Upon arrival to the docks at Cartagena, you will be met by an English-speaking guide & driver who will privately transfer you to your hotel, which will take approximately 20 minutes. Founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia, Cartagena offers a wonderful insight into the life of the region through the 16th to 18th centuries by way of beautiful churches, atmospheric plazas and fascinating historical sites. Cartagena enjoys year-round tropical temperatures, and the historic old town and Getsemani neighborhood – with their dramatic colonial buildings – juxtapose strikingly with the nearby Boca Grande beach peninsula and its Miami-style, exclusive high-rise towers. Cartagena was the Caribbean gateway port of the Spanish. Here they stored the riches plundered from the interior before shipping them back to the Old World. Unsurprisingly the city was a draw for pirates, most notably Sir Francis drake in 1586, who "mercifully" agreed not to destroy the city in return for a substantial ransom that he hauled back to England. After the attack, plans were made to fortify the city with a defensive wall and fort which remain today, and took nearly 200 years to complete. The Spanish finished them just 25 years before Cartagena gained Independence in 1821. The Costeños, locals, are an open and fun-loving people. They combine the best of the Caribbean with diverse backgrounds and have a delightfully laid-back attitude. This passionate and vibrant city with its rich history and well-preserved colonial architecture exudes character. Mix in African rhythms, indigenous influences, and Spanish colonial splendor, and it’s no wonder that Cartagena is widely described as the Jewel of the Caribbean.

Accommodation: Hotel Casa San Agustin

Carved from a colourful history rife with piracy, Caribbean heat, fusions of African, indigenous and European culture, Cartagena is Colombia’s living museum. Colour splashes every corner, balconies overflow with blossom, and energy seeps beneath the ancient wooden doors of hotels, restaurants and Casa Privadas. Your 6 hour tour will take through the old town under the Puerta Del Reloj (clock tower entrance), a symbol of Cartagena, into the Plaza de los Coches. Your guide will divulge the myths and legends, histories and stories of Cartagena from ancient time’s right up to the present. From the Plaza San Pedro Claver with its stunning church, on through to the Plaza Bolivar with its shady areas and where a fresh lemon juice can be enjoyed. During the walk you’ll also visit the Museum of Cartagena. The former headquarters for the Inquisition of 1610, the building itself is considered one of the most characteristic colonial constructions of its time. Throughout its interior visitors to the museum will find instruments of torture and prison cells. A short walk away is San Pedro Claver Cloister, monastery and museum; built in homage to the protector of slaves, San Pedro, and which serves as reminder of the turbulent past of Cartagena, and more broadly, the Americas. The Cloister where Pedro Claver lived and died has become a special place of silence, and reflection – a shrine to the life's work of this extraordinary man. Adjoining the monastery is a beautiful baroque church, designed by German and Dutch architects. Here, at the high alter, within a glass encasement, lie the remains of Saint Pedro Claver, “the slave to the slaves.” Leaving San Pedro Claver, make your way to Celele restaurant for lunch (included), and later continue your walk through the streets of Getsemaní. Unlike the rest of the colonial part of the city, where many families have sold their homes to be converted into boutique hotels or exclusive restaurants, Getsemani still retains much of its traditional culture. Many of the original families from the neighbourhood still live here, creating a hip yet family-friendly atmosphere. The local residents share their space with artists, bohemians, restaurateurs and poets in this eclectic little community. There is more to Cartagena that just the colonial walled city, and getting out to explore beyond the ancient walls is very much part of the fun.

Today, enjoy the city at your own pace. On this, your final full day in Cartagena, take the time to stroll through the historic center of the city, relax by the water, or take in the spectacular culture of the city. Whatever you choose, be sure to save space for dinner! In the evening, please make your way to nearby El Gobernador Restaurant, a trendy resto-bar featuring upscale international cuisine, for a final 3-course meal including 1 non-alcoholic drink (wine and other beverages are available on site at additional cost). 

After an incredible week in Colombia, it is time to return home. Following breakfast, you will be privately transferred to the airport. Approximate transfer time is 30 minutes.