CARTAGENA
Melissa Tremblay
Right off the coast of the Caribbean, lies the most vibrant and beautiful city in the world. Colonized by the Spaniards in the early 1500's, they left behind a city filled with color and unparalleled architectural charm. Brick-paved streets, grand cathedrals, and flower-adorned balconies fill the colorful, charming streets of Cartagena. Wrapping around the old city center lies a brick fortress with original canons still intact, originally built to protect the city from pirates, which you can walk, sit, and enjoy sunsets and cocktails along. Today, Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, bursting with rich, Colombian culture. What you find is a city full of warmth and life. With 365 days of guaranteed sunshine a year, street carts filled with fresh fruit and Colombian street food lining every street corner, friendly, smiling locals, and lively music filling every corner you walk by, you are guaranteed to have an incredible, memorable experience.
Cartagena is well-known for its islands and beaches. If you are not afraid of waves, guaranteed adventure, and bouncy boat rides, a daytrip to the islands located one to two hours away are highly encouraged and recommended. My favorite trip recently was to Blue Apple. With crystal blue waters, boundless greenery, beds with linen canopies to lie on right next to the water, and trees draped with twinkling lightbulbs, it became an even more beautiful sight come sundown. Coral reefs can be found around the islands, and you can spend the day scuba diving and snorkeling. An incredible meal of coconut rice with fried fish and plantains or seafood paella is always guaranteed, and accommodations can always be found on every island to further enjoy everything their nightlife has to offer.
Making your way back inland, empanadas, cheese-filled arepas, and sweet and salty potato chip, pineapple-topped hot dogs are all must-have Colombian street foods, but Cartagena is also filled with an incredible restaurant food scene. Starting your morning with coffee and pastries, the smells of freshly baked breads invite you in. Epoca Coffee Bar and Soloio, with its charming indoor/outdoor plaza are two places that you definitely have to stop and visit. Nearing lunch time, Crepes and Waffles has been a favorite of mine since I was young, and the location in the city center has a beautifully adorned rooftop with a breathtaking view of the city. Once you are full of salty, creamy crepes, you can head down the narrow, cobbled streets to find yourself at Gelateria Tramonti, where an Italian expat has opened one of the best gelato shops in town. Nearby, you will find unique, handwoven bags, handcrafted jewelry, and artesanias as you poke your head into shops lining every street. Once you are ready for dinner, you can head over to La Trattoria pizza. Located in artsy Gethsemane, original, hollowed bones have left a restaurant with an open rooftop allowing you to see the stars and the bustling street life. Performers of all sorts- musicians, dancers, impromptu rappers, and manly, big-bellied Shakira impersonators pass as you bite into artisanal, thin-crust pizzas perfectly fired from the oven. In the past few years, Gethsemane has transformed into the art center of town, with colorful, umbrella-lined streets and countless murals painted by local artists. Loud, pulsating music draws you in as you walk by the numerous salsa parlors, with live bands playing every night, and Champeta lessons which you can watch through windows.
Architecturally rich, Cartagena tries to preserve its beauty as it grows and expands. Recently, an antiquated, retired bull-fighting arena which had nothing left but dusty bones, was transformed into one of the most beautiful shopping plazas I have ever stepped in. Preserving its original shape, the shopping plaza winds in perfect circles all the way up to the fifth floor, with a terrace maintained for performances in the center. There are incredible shopping opportunities all throughout the city, with local artists and designers selling their crafts, and La Cerrezuela is no different. At night, the lights are turned down low, and the elegant, sleek upper-floor dining level has musicians play jazz as you relax and enjoy the high-quality, variety of foods offered.
Cartagena has an old, elegant, vibrant soul, and a presence which is unforgettable once you have experienced it. Going home, you will close your eyes at night with memories of rich music and intoxicating smells, paired with the twinkling of sunlight dancing on the ocean and the feeling of sun on your skin, and you will find yourself being softly haunted by the beauty you have experienced. In time, you will find yourself there again, walking those cobble-stone streets, hearing that uplifting, colorful music, and it will be just as beautiful, if not even more so, than you ever remembered.