Cartagena attractions

Occupying a prime position at the main entrance of the UNESCO-listed Old Town Cartagena, La India Catalina Monument is a bronze rendering of the daughter of a local chief, who was abducted at age 14 from her home in Galerazamba. Once she’d learned Spanish, she had to accompany the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Heredia as an interpreter and pacifying presence in interactions between the Spanish and Indigenous groups.

Built in 1911 to commemorate a century of Colombian independence, Cartagena’s Teatro Adolfo Mejia (Teatro Heredia is based on the Italian-Caribbean design of Havana’s Tacon Theater. The creme-and-yellow theatre reigns over the Plaza de la Merced and is famous for its frescoes and marble staircase imported from Italy.

Boasting a prime location on Bolivar Square (Plaza Bolivar), the Palace of Inquisition (Museo Histórico de Cartagena de Indias) museum is housed in an 18th-century mansion that was once the headquarters of the Spanish inquisition. Not for the feint of heart, the museum exhibits diverse artifacts that range from torture devices and paintings to pre-Colombian statues and ceramics.

A national monument, the Rafael Nuñez House Museum (Casa Museo Rafael Núñez) in Cartagena was once home to the famous politician, poet, and lawyer, Rafael Núñez. As someone who served as the country’s president on four occasions, Núñez is an extremely important figure in Colombian history—not only did he write the country’s 1886 constitution, but he also wrote the words to the Colombian national anthem.

Opened in 1992, on the 500th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the Americas, Cartagena's Naval Museum of the Caribbean (Museo Naval del Caribe) traces the history of the city and its surroundings, and reveals why Panama became a separate country. It’s housed in what was once a Jesuit college, and occupies a prime position overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Situated on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, Cartagena Cruise Port welcomes 30 different cruise ship lines and features several attractions that reference the country’s natural resources—before exiting, pass through a replica emerald mine and an aviary with birds such as flamingoes, peacocks, and parrots.

Located in the heart of Cartagena, Plaza Bocagrande is a one-stop shop for all your retail and entertainment needs. Once a fishing village, this sleek and sophisticated neighborhood is now home to the vast Plaza Bocagrande Centro Comercial shopping mall, perched on a peninsula that juts out into the Caribbean Sea.

Cartagena has its own beach, but venture farther afield to the Rosario Islands (Corales Islas del Rosario) for some snorkeling, scuba diving—or complete relaxation. Isla del Encanto provides a tranquil escape from modern life. The private island is home to a resort hotel where visitors can spend the day by the pool or on a beach lapped by the Caribbean.