{"id":37396,"date":"2026-05-05T14:28:46","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T19:28:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.besabine.com\/cartagena-colombia-reisgids\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T14:50:45","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T19:50:45","slug":"cartagena-colombia-travel-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.besabine.com\/en\/cartagena-colombia-travel-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel guide Cartagena, Colombia | Sights, tips, and practical info"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cartagena: the most famous and touristy city in Colombia.<\/strong> Where I have been 5 times. It’s no wonder, because Cartagena is beautiful, lively, historic, and the city is also a great base for visiting the Rosario Islands. A relaxed spot on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, where the locals are in no rush and dance through life. And despite the negative impacts of mass tourism, Cartagena is a city you simply have to see when you’re in Colombia. In this article, you’ll read everything about Cartagena: a bit of history, sights, where to stay, handy tips, and the surrounding area.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The history of Cartagena<\/h2>\n
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Cartagena has a history that is anything but boring. The city was founded in 1533 by the Spanish<\/strong> and quickly grew into one of the most important and wealthiest port cities<\/strong>. This made Cartagena a favorite target for pirates. <\/p>\n

To protect the city, the famous walls and forts were built, which still stand today.<\/p>\n

In 1811, Cartagena was one of the first cities in the region to declare independence from Spain<\/strong>, earning the city the nickname La Heroica<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

With a 13-kilometer-long old city wall<\/strong> and a historic center that is a World Heritage site<\/strong>, there is so much to see here. Strolling through Cartagena is like walking through an open-air museum.<\/p>\n\n\t\t