Cartagena : 4 must do’s!

this vibrant, colorful, magical city is a destination you just don’t want to miss! Cartagena wasted no time in seducing us all to her magnificent churches, picturesque balcony-lined streets and romantic plazas.

My sisters flight got canceled; so I had an unexpected full day and night in Cartagena solo- so I checked into GHL Hotel Armeria Real the property was beyond stunning – much better than my Medellin hotel.

I really just wanted to relax, and journal while reflecting on my amazing journey throughout Medellin (you can read about that here) After taking a small siesta in my lonely but gorgeous two bedroom suite, I traveled to the rooftop of the hotel and watched the sunset kiss goodbye to the Cartagena coastline. I was able to devour my dinner with stunning views while sipping on a lovely libation. Highly recommend finding a rooftop to dance, dine, or drink the night away during your visit in Cartagena

4 must do things when in Cartagena

1. Take the Palenque Tour (full details here)

BLM yesterday, today, and always

2. Get a picture with a Palenqura – make sure to negotiate price prior to getting a picture with them. note: very few people know that they’re not really from Cartagena at all, and there is much more behind these smiling women than meets the eye. read here for more info

what a dream to meet some Palenquera women

3. stroll the Getsemani area – an old working class colonial neighborhood that now is a hip and lively district with many dining and nightlife options!

Discovering Getsamani

4. Go dancing in the Centro area – there are numerous bars and clubs. Delirum, Crazy Salsa, and Alquimico were some really fun options we tried. remember if you engage with the street dancers they will expect a tip from you – and they can be quite aggressive

my girls and I ready for a night out to celebrate the bride to be!

Full gallery of my time in Cartagena

Other Colombia reads:

Solo in Medellin

This magical city is everything and more and can not be missed when you visit Colombia! Colombia has clocked in as my 23rd country and I couldn’t be more excited. Initially the trip was planned as a bachelorette party but I decided to add a few days ahead of the girls and go solo to…

Palenque – a piece of motherland Africa

Maybe it is because we are in the age of “wokeness” or maybe as I have gotten older I have learned to appreciate and value my heritage and melanin! more than ever before. So when I started my research on Cartagena I realized there is a town named San Basilio de Palenque that is nestled…

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