Discover the landmarks and sights at the heart of Cartagena’s stunning cultural legacy on a guided walk in the walled old city. You’ll first travel from the yacht by motor coach to San Felipe, the massive colonial-era fortress whose hilltop location offers the best views of this coastal metropolis. The coach then transports you back down the hill and through the gates of the original, colonial-era walls and into the historic city center. Your guide will share highlights from Cartagena’s five-centuries-long history as you stroll the narrow cobblestone streets and cross leafy plazas, enjoying the lively ambience of pedestrian-only areas, cafes and restaurants open to the sidewalks. Admire the Spanish-colonial architecture, celebrated as among the best preserved in the Americas, from the mansions of 16th-century merchants and houses with bougainvillea spilling out of the balconies and over walls to former convents-turned-hotels and grand churches. Along the way, you’ll visit sights including the Inquisition Palace, the seat of 17th- and 18th-century religious tribunals and now a museum where the instruments of torture on display contrast with the building’s elegant design. The last stop is San Pedro Claver, the monastery where the Catalan Jesuit priest who became the patron saint of slaves lived and died. Today a museum renowned for its rich collection of religious art, it is also an homage to the life’s work of an extraordinary man. The visit extends to the adjoining church, a beautiful Baroque structure where the saint’s remains are on display.
A guided walk in the old walled city showcases Cartagena’s unrivaled colonial heritage of churches, museums, mansions and more.