I think I have a thing for the Caribbean.
In just a few months, I’ve made my way around this vibrant Eastern paradise, first with Cuba and as of a few weeks ago, to Cartagena, Colombia. Carta happened on a whim when I wanted to take a trip with gal pal Cait and was thinking of places to go. Since I speak Spanish, love dancing, and have no problem drinking copious mojitos at a time, I found some plane tickets and got Cait on board for a long weekend of essentially adult spring break.
Cartagena is a city that people don’t know about yet. Situated right on the water and surrounded by fortress walls left over from its past, it’s everything you want about the Caribbean without the thousands of tourists (although the cast of Real World was on our flight, so maybe that’ll change now).
Although not an island, Cartagena mimics island life. Things happen when they happen, which is unhurriedly, but within a reasonable time frame. It’s also hot. Like, really hot. Like look at your phone and it’ll say “85 but feels like 102” hot. That means you spend your mornings guzzling down a fresh fruit juice smoothie or iced coffee, exploring one or two things, then staying indoors until the heat subsides around 5pm. It can seem like you aren’t doing much, but ultimately, this is adult spring break, so the real fun happens at night anyways.
Some tips when you plan your own trip:
Speaking Spanish didn’t help me much; the Colombian accent is hard! Most people know English except the ladies who work at La Paletteria, and you can just point to all the ice pops there anyways.
Aguardiente is the liquor of Colombia. It’s got a licorice flavor and is good in cocktails, or in true Colombian form, as a shot.
ATMs were notoriously difficult to find. Try and get money beforehand at the airport.
Colombia is generally much safer than people expect, but you still should be careful. Take cabs or Uber when coming home at night.
Our favorite spots to eat and drink:
Cafe San Alberto { The Blue Bottle of Cartagena. They serve coffees from different regions of Colombia, and their iced coffee breathed life into us everyday }
Mila Pasteleria: Well known spot for their pastries and brunch. The carrot cake and cheesecake are amazing.
La Cevicheria: People say there’s a wait here, but we came at the geriatric time of 5pm and had no problem finding a table. Sit outside and watch the street performers and vendors, who will heckle you but leave you alone quickly. Order all the ceviche and a mojito, although watch out—their drinks are CRAZY strong.
La Paletteria: Our lifeline of the trip. Ice pop central with rotating daily flavors. We legit came here everyday, one time even twice within ten minutes. No regrets.
Cafe del Mar. A tourist spot but well worth it to watch the sunset over mojitos. Get there right at 5pm, as it fills up quickly
Demente: Solid tapas place on the East side, close to bars.
El Barón: Cool bar right in the plaza. Sit outside and order any of their inventive cocktails. The mojito I had was the size of my face, which probably explains why the rest of the night was blurry…
Carmen: A fancier place and simply wonderful for a final meal; reserve ahead. We had a 7-course meal with wine pairings, and it was a delicious, unique take on South American food. We definitely looked and felt like we were on a romantic couple’s trip.
Recommended to do:
Any of the plazas: I swear there are plazas at every other block. Some are surrounded by bars or restaurants, others are platforms for street performers; all are great for people watching.
Castillo de San Felipe. A huge fortress on the East side. Worth exploring and climbing to the top, although —bring water and a hat, as it gets HOT up there.
Isla Rosario: Some islands are very touristy, and we were lucky to have a private day trip to Coralina Island! We got to snorkel, swim around, and enjoy a lovely meal right on the Caribbean.
Bazurto Social Club: Great spot for super local dancing. All upbeat Colombian music all the time, and the spot where I straight up got lost in the crowd dancing my face off.
Havana Club: There’s a Little Cuba of sorts in Cartagena, full of Cuban-themed bars and restaurants. Havana Club is by far the most famous one for its live salsa music and dancing. It’s okay if you don’t know salsa—there are tons of locals who are more than willing to lend you a hand.
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