Cartagena, Colombia Travel Guide
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Practicals in Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia Practicals
LAYOUT
Cartagena resides on the Caribbean side of northern Colombia. Cartagena has two main areas where tourists visit: the Old City (also referred to as Old Town, Walled City) where, just south of its main entrance are Getsemani and La Matuna, and Bocagrande, a long seaside strip with upscale hotels, restaurants, and condos, and where Castillogrande is.
Old City
Cartagena’s Old City or Walled City (also, Old Town) is the main attraction for visitors. Entering Old City under the famed Clock Tower Gate, you enter Plaza de los Coches, a large plaza with statues, a hotel, outside food vendors, clubs and bars, and of course, the horse-drawn carriages. This area is part of the larger Centro area, Cartagena’s downtown or heart. Centro has Plaza de Bolivar and Palacio de la Inquisicion, Plaza de Santo Domingo, and street vendors line up along the southwest side of the Old City.
To the north (kind of east) is the Old City’s San Diego. Near the northern tip of San Diego you’ll find Casa de Gabriel García Márquez (Carrera 2). Just north is Plaza de Las Bovedas (the Vaults plaza), a long strip of shops and the base of a ramp to climb up Cartagena’s Walled City in the Santa Catalina Bastion. On these walls, you can get a beautiful view of the Caribbean and see the fort’s canons and lookout points.
La Matuna
When you exit the Old City under the Clock Tower Gate, you enter Cartagena’s La Matuna area, the financial and hostel district. Go north outside the Old City’s wall is a commercial area full of shops and restaurants and street vendors. Just south of the Clock Tower are Calle 24 and Media and in between them is Camellón de los Mártires. On Calle 24 are Teatro Cartagena and Centro de Convenciones. To the north (or east) of Media is a large park, Parque del Centenario. South of Media are hostels on Media Luna 8 and streets 9, 10, and 31.
Getsemani
Getsemani borders La Matuna just south/southwest and this area has lots of restaurants and shops and bars (Calle 24). The main north/south streets are Calle 24 and Calle Larga (or Calle 25 Real). Near the north/northeast part of Getsemani is Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. On Calle Larga is a very convenient commercial center, Centro Comercial Y Empresarial.
Bocagrande
If you’re up for it, you can walk or wheel along the streets, Blas de Lezo and San Martin to reach Bocagrande. Blas de Lezo has a sidewalk that runs along a port and turns into San Martin, the main thoroughfare running north/south of Bocagrande.
VISAS
US citizens do not need a visa to enter Cartagena (for stays 3 months or less) but do need a valid US passport.
ELECTRICTIY: 110V
TIMES TO GO: December – March (high times)
PHONE: Country code is 57, and city area code is 5. (57) (5) and the rest of the phone number.
LANGUAGE: perfecto Spanish