On the streets and sidewalks of this square, eleven steel sculptures depict scenes from the popular neighborhoods of La Heróica: children playing, families and friends chatting or selling fruit. They are the work of the artist Edgardo Carmona and a tribute to this iconic Getsemaní site where at night you can have beers at the Black Parrot Bar or eat a tuna tartar at the restaurant Demente.

Also known as Plaza Libertad, this square is the meeting point of the Getsemaní neighborhood. In the evenings there are street art shows that can be enjoyed from the nearby bars and cafes. In recent years it has become a stage for live music.

With different techniques and styles, the images on the walls represent the mix of ethnic groups, cultural influences and iconic characters from Cartagena such as India Catalina or fruit vendors (called Palenqueras). This is an outdoor urban art gallery that has been a meeting point for Cartagena artists since 2013.

Guillermo Vega was born in Corozal (Sucre), a town located 168 kilometers (99 miles) from Cartagena. He is considered a 'naive' artist because of the ingenuity of the strokes with which he depicts street dogs, women on the beach and nocturnal spirits, and because of his completely self-taught background. His workshop is an exhibition site for the emerging artists of the city.

El Mural Coffee House and Café de las Novias, with its marvelous desserts, are some of the places that have opened in recent years near this road to recover its historical commercial vocation. In the past, Calle Larga was the meeting point for businessmen from different countries, called 'Turks' by the locals who weren't sure of their nationalities. Today, Calle Larga is located next to the Julio Cesar Turbay Ayala Convention Center of Cartagena de Indias, where events such as the National Beauty Pageant or the Cuchara de Palo Culinary Fair take place.

Gabriel García Márquez came to study law at the University of Cartagena. Here he became a journalist: his friend, writer and doctor Manuel Zapata Olivella, took him one day to the newspaper El Universal and introduced him to Clemente Manuel Zabala, editor in chief at the time. Since he had already read some of his stories published in El Espectador, Zabala told him to take a seat and write a piece.

Many years later (not as he faced the firing squad but as he stood in front of the wall), Gabo bought a house in the Historic Center and created the Gabriel García Márquez Foundation for New Ibero-American Journalism. His remains lie in the university where Literature stole him from Law and turned him into a Nobel Prize winner. Long live those thefts!

EIn the Fernando Botero Presidential Suite at the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Hotel, you can fall asleep among paintings and photographs by the Colombian artist Fernando Botero. The World Travel Awards chose it as the best presidential suite in Latin America. It was decorated by the artist's daughter, Lina Botero, and aside from the many paintings decorating the walls, it has a private collection of books and photographs. In case you want your dreams to have a touch of art, one night at the suite costs 2,500 USD.

In the National Aviary of Colombia, located on the island of Barú, 40 minutes from the center of Cartagena, you can see 2,000 birds of 170 different species.

The visitors can take a tour in which they explore five categories: conservation, research, interaction, education and exhibition. In the Aviary, the species of birds are separated in the different ecosystems of the country: desert, mangroves, coastlines and jungle.

Cartagena was the place where Pedro Claver, a Spanish priest who defended the rights of African slaves and died here in 1654, became famous. On July 6th and 7th, 1986, Pope John Paul II came to La Heróica: he visited the Chambacú neighborhood, the San Pedro Claver Church and the Archdiocese. Today, both men are saints.

Furthermore, on his first visit to Colombia, Pope Francis chose this city as the last one in his tour around the country. During his time there, he visited neighborhoods such as San Francisco, Torices, Daniel Lemaitre and the Santa Rita sector. In his last homily he talked about respect for human rights and dignity, just as our ancestors did when they defended freedom.

"On September 8th, 1654, San Pedro Claver died here, after forty years of voluntary slavery; of tireless work in favor of the poorest. He did not stop; after the first step, many followed. His example makes us leave our own selves in search for our neighbor," said the Supreme Pontiff.

The forts in the town of Bocachica, on the island of Tierra Bomba, are 20 minutes by boat from Cartagena. The forts of San Fernando and San José, for example, are full of mythical stories of Spaniards who attacked and counterattacked enemy vessels.

These buildings, which annually receive about 8,000 visitors, also served as prisons due to their difficult accessibility and the great protection they offered. Here you can also find San Ángel, the highest point of the island, which offers the best view of the Caribbean Sea.

Champeta is not the only rhythm you can hear and dance in Cartagena. Salsa fever, a cultural movement that had its peak in New York during the sixties, is still a vibrant component of Cartagena's nightlife.

El negro bembón, Anacaona, Pedro Navaja, Sandra Mora and Gan Gan y Gan Gon are all timeless music characters who get together every night in emblematic bars such as Donde Fidel (Down Town), La Esquina Sandiegana (San Diego), El Platanal de Bartolo (El Bosque) and Café Havana Salsa Club (Getsemaní). This heritage is still very strong in the city and is not exclusive to any generation. Dancing brings people together.

When people started saying, "the party is at Fidel's", his owner had no choice but to change the name of the bar. "It was called La Lonchería del pollo because we sold chicken next door, but the people of Cartagena changed the name and I listened to them," says Fidel Leottau Hernández. His love for salsa began in 1968 when he opened his first two clubs (El Continuo and El Abacoa). The sailors who visited them brought him records from the salsa band El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico.

Located in a corner between Los Coches and Aduana squares, Donde Fidel has walls decorated with photographs of Rubén Blades, Andy Montañez, Óscar d'León, José Alberto 'El Canario', among others. They are all Fidel's favorite artists and their songs are a hit on the dance floor. The only thing Fidel asks of people who come to party is to follow his rules: no discrimination of any kind and no harassment of women. "I want my bar to be a meeting point where everyone can feel safe. Here, the customer is the boss," he says. The bar is best known for its live shows. Donde Fidel opens every day of the week, no exception.

Location: Portal de los Dulces, carrera 4. 

As you walk through the streets of Cartagena you will find the largest offer of lodging and entertainment in the city in the old residences of viceroys and settlers. These buildings have one or two floors, large doors and windows, balconies, patios and gardens inspired by Arabic, Roman and Greek architecture. Most of them currently house haute cuisine restaurants, boutique hotels and sophisticated clothing and accessories stores.

The architectural wealth of Cartagena’s historic center, together with its tradition of being a high-level international destination, allowed the trend of boutique hotels to consolidate. These places merged their concept with that of an antique shop or gallery because there you can also buy decorative objects with a historical value.

Tcherassi Hotel+Spa, by Colombian designer Silvia Tcherassi, is one of the many options you can find. After a meticulous restoration of an 18th century colonial mansion, this hotel has seven spacious and luxurious rooms.

Among other alternatives that are positioning themselves in Cartagena's hotel scene you can find the Bantú Hotel By Faranda Boutique, the Ananda Hotel Boutique and Casa Pestagua Relais Châteaux. These hotels stand out due to the highly curated decoration and the personalized attention they offer.

In matters of fine cooking, Cartagena's cuisine is betting on rescuing the heritage left by afro, Arab, indigenous and Spanish cultures.

"Cartagena is beginning to understand that it is through its Caribbean cuisine and not through foreign cuisines that it can contribute to the gastronomic values ​​of the country. A tourist is not searching for salmon or paella. On the contrary, he will want to fall in love with the local cuisine," said Carlos Gaviria, Colombian chef and culinary teacher, winner of the best cookbook award of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2017 with his work Técnicas profesionales de cocina colombiana (Professional Techniques of Colombian Cuisine).

Traditional restaurants such as El Club de Pesca, La Vitrola and Donde Olano remain loyal to the flavors that enshrined them, while the new culinary bets begin to gain recognition. This is the case of Proyecto Caribe: based on research, the restaurant has begun using ingredients such as sweet peppers and different types of corn in dishes, setting trends in contemporary cuisine around the ethnic plurality of the region.

Chef Gaviria recommends trying the street food stalls where the locals eat, like the restaurant owned by Arelys Rebolledo on the street in front of the Plaza de las Bóvedas.  

When choosing a dish, the chef suggests the seafood variety, casseroles, ceviches, posta negra, arepa de huevo, carimañolas and Palenquero sweets. To drink, he recommends chicha de corozo.

For the past three decades, during the Christmas season, the city pays tribute to the chefs of the traditional pasteles cartageneros (prepared with chicken, rice, pork and turkey). This dish can be purchased at the Parque de la Marina for around 10,000 COP (3.16 USD).

From December 16th to 25th
Parque de la Marina

A night of collective euphoria in which reggaeton, salsa and vallenato will make the audience dance. Carlos Vives, J Balvin, Maluma, Rubén Blades, Sebastián Yatra and Poncho Zuleta will perform some of their best-known hits at this year-end party in 2018. The tickets are available from 189,900 COP (59.94 USD).

December 29th
Jaime Morón Stadium

The Festival’s thirteenth edition is dedicated to the exploration of the role of mathematics in music. Performances of artists such as Italian pianist and musicologist Giovanni Bietti; the Philharmonic Orchestra of England and Colombian soprano Julieth Lozano will revolve around ideas such as symmetry, proportions, numbers and geometry, which have inspired great composers like Johann Sebastian Bach throughout the centuries.

From January 4th to 13th
Adolfo Mejía Theater (inaugural concert)

This fair, known as Farex, is a showcase that allows the promotion of Colombian handicrafts in order to export them to international markets. For ten days, visitors will get to know how typical pieces are made, the materials used and the stories behind the works of more than 200 Colombian artisans.

From January 3d to 13th
Convention Center

After thirteen editions in the city, this event has positioned itself as one of the most important literary stages in Latin America. Cartagena's historical center has been the backdrop for talks by authors such as Nobel Prize winners Mario Vargas Llosa and Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, as well as activist Jody Williams, 1997 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. The 2019 programme will be revealed in November.

January 31st – February 3rd
Adolfo Mejía Theater