Cartagena Cartagena (pop. 888 000) the most popular tourist resort town in Colombia is divided into two main parts: the Ciudad Antigua (Old City) and the Ciudad Nueva (New City). Cartagena used to be a popular place for the privateers of the Caribbean (the most famous being Sir Francis Drake). Accordingly, the Spanish invested heavily in thick walls to protect this important harbour from attacks. Within these walls you will find the pleasant Ciudad Antigua, built in 1533 along a beautiful Caribbean harbor. The walls are about 10 kilometres long. It’s very pleasant to stroll down the narrow streets and take in the stylish colonial architecture. The cathedrals and palaces face cool shady plazas, where you can buy little cups of coffee (tinto) and watch the world go by. Around Cartagena some very fine beaches are to be found, where you can get a tan under the tropical sun. Nightlife in Cartagena is quite lively, many bars with good (Salsa) music and cheap beer. It is never hard to find a decent place to eat either. Downtown there are many restaurants with Caribbean and creole specialities. See the separate section on eating out. From Cartagena you can travel on to Cali, Medellín, Santa marta, a great old city on the coast, from where you can visit the Ciudad Perdida of the Tayrona Indians or Bogotá the capital city of Colombia.
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