Cartagena, Colombia Port

Once a Spanish stronghold, Cartagena retains many of its heritage influences including quaint narrow streets lined with picturesque buildings and houses with balconies. The Old Town is the walled centre of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its colour architecture bringing a sense of charm. It’s a lively city too, with great bars, restaurants and shops to explore at your leisure – but be aware that local street vendors can be persistent as you wander some of the more popular tourist areas, though a firm “no” will usually suffice.

Those with an interest in the history of the region will find the Museum of Cartagena to be fascinating. It looks unassuming and picturesque from the outside but houses many instruments of torture from the days of the Spanish Inquisition, alongside artworks from various periods of the city’s history. Also worthy of an excursion is the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas – an imposing fortress on the hills overlooking the city, designed to defend it from invading pirates. Meanwhile the Herida Theatre often has wonderful live performances of traditional dances, with influences from across Colombia.

The currency in Cartagena is the Colombian Peso. Cartagena is 5 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT -5).