Cartagena

Hot, sultry, filled with the sounds of music and bright with color and tradition, Cartagena de Indias has been an important port on the Caribbean since it was founded in 1533. Gold and silver left the port bound for Europe, pirates looted the city, and a walled fort grew to protect both shipping and the slave trade. Cartagena still draws interest, but from tourists who come to enjoy the history, the sights, the weather and nightlife. Cartagena's colonial charm and the old walled city, the Ciudad Amarullada, with tiled roofs, balconies and flower-filled courtyards, beckons visitors to stroll the narrow streets or to enjoy a getaway.