Magic of Colombia

Founded by the Spanish colonists, on June 1, 1533, in a protected bay in the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena has the most extensive fortifications in South America. A system of zones divides the city into three neighbourhoods: downtown San Pedro, with the cathedral and many Andalusian-style palaces; quiet San Diego, where merchants and the middle class lived; and Gethsemani, the 'popular quarter' with plenty of night clubs. Its fortifications, constructed by the Spanish, are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town the walls protected is also part of that World Heritage designation. Cruise visitors can walk those deeply textured alleyways today through some of the best-preserved colonial neighborhoods of the Americas. There are nice beaches ready to enjoy, such as the busy Bocagrande, which is close to the city and the quiet Playa Blanca, in the south, across the bay.