Cartagena: The Golden Wound That Shines
By Thiloththama Jayasinghe
Cartagena is a city of contradictions—and it embraces them all like old friends. Known as “La Heroica,” this Colombian coastal gem is one of the most intact Spanish colonial cities in the Americas. Behind its thick coral stone walls, once built to keep out pirates, lies a colorful wonderland of salsa rhythms, mojito-scented breezes, and untold stories.
Walk into the old city through the Clock Tower Gate and you’re immediately swept into a different rhythm. Horse carriages clatter over cobbled streets. Balconies erupt in bougainvillea. Street vendors call out with trays of fresh mango and coconut water.
But it’s the stories—often unspoken—that give Cartagena its soul. The city was once a hub for the transatlantic slave trade, and echoes of pain are found in places like the Palace of the Inquisition. Yet alongside that history, Cartagena also gave birth to literary legends like Gabriel García Márquez, who called it his “eternal city” and infused its essence into his magical realism.
Today, Cartagena is reclaiming its narrative with grace and pride. Afro-Colombian culture pulses through the Getsemaní district, where murals sing, drums echo, and locals dance freely in the street. It’s gritty, it’s golden, it’s alive.
And as the sun sets over the Caribbean, from the ramparts of Café del Mar, Cartagena doesn’t just look beautiful. It feels eternal.
Cartagena Travel Gems:
Visit the vibrant Bazurto Market (not for the faint of heart!)
Explore San Felipe Castle at dawn
Sip rum at Alquímico, a colonial house turned cocktail lab
