Colorful neighborhoods, beautiful artwork, and great food surrounded by the ocean. Cartagena has a vibe that is unmatched by other Colombian cities. Here is how I spent 3 days in this party town!
My first evening in town was spent mostly taking in my surroundings and getting familiar with the area. I stayed at one of the more popular Hotels in the area...the Hotel OZ. Everything was modern and service top-notch here. Right around the corner were plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants to choose from...plus the beach is one block away!
The next day I had a tour of the city which included visiting the colorful little town of Getsemani.
Also, during this city tour...we made stops at Monumento Torre del Reloj and Monumento a Pedro de Heredia...along with walking thru several popular plazas like Plaza de la Aduda, San Pedro Clover, Bolivar, Proclamacion, and Parque del Centenario...where you will see some sloths and monkeys roaming freely!
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The next day, for the first time...I took the time to take a cooking class to learn the local cuisine!
It was very fun, interactive, and very very delicious!
In the evening, I arranged an ATV tour located on the city's outskirts. I was able to drive on 3 different beaches, trails, and dirt roads. I saw some beautiful cliffs and rock formations that can only be seen on this very organized tour. Towards the end, we were taken to a private spot on the beach, to relax, and take in the sites, while the locals cut open a cold coconut for us to drink.
Additional Note: Make sure you bring plenty of Columbian Pesos in order to haggle and cut thru the red tape if you know what I mean. In Colombia, like most countries, the dollar (or in this case) the peso is king!
