07-05-2025
Five Reasons To Visit Cartagena Colombia Now
Aerial view of Sofitel Baru, just a 30 minute boat ride from Cartagena Sofitel Baru
Cartegena Colombia offers visitors many things including culture, world class cuisine, inventive cocktails, birding, shopping and ocean breezes. Best of all, this South American destination is an exotic escape that doesn't require travel with multiple connections and long layovers. It's just a mere four-hour nonstop flight from Atlanta. Whether you are coming for the vibrant cultural life or a coastal getaway, you'll be able to get down to the business of vacationing right away. These are the five must-do things for any visit to this natural and cultural paradise.
Combine the best of both worlds with a stay at the (1) Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort which is a 30 minute luxurious catamaran ride from the airport. The French-owned Sofitel property brings a European-inflected level of service and quality to this sprawling enclave of restorative Caribbean vibes with five pools, a (2) gleaming white sand beach, full-service spa, and five different restaurants. Guests can tuck into the serenity here or hop on the resort's private catamaran for a ride into town to spend a full day shopping and exploring. The resort will even arrange a night at the Sofitel in Cartagena should you wish to make an overnight of it. Regardless, you'll be able to enjoy all that Cartagena has to offer and retire to your luxe digs overlooking the cerulean waters at the end of the day.
Baru Suite at Sofitel Baru TICO 3PALACIOS
Mornings start with the trill of birdsong as this region is well known for its abundant avian life—indeed, Barú is home to a biodiverse ecosystem with one of the largest populations of butterflies and bird species in the world. (3) Book a visit to the nearby Barú National Aviary, where you'll get up close and personal with flocks of flamingos, peacocks and bossy macaws. After a morning of birding, perk up with one of the resort's immersive Colombian coffee tasting experiences and a lunch at the beachside food truck El Manglito (it sounds casual, but the quesadillas, tacos and fresh cocktails that emerge from this tiny kitchen are delightful). Be sure to book a fine dining experience at Humo where dishes influenced by Colombian, Peruvian and Japanese cuisine are prepared over a robata grill. Fill the rest of your time with a rum tasting, cooking class or spa treatment. The days will go by quickly so plan accordingly.
A dish of lobster with local cherries kimchi sauce, chives and Carantanta at Celele restaurant in Cartegena KKB
Book a guided tour of Cartegena's (4) Getsemaní neighborhood—one of the city's vibrant, even slightly edgy, cultural centers with a host of art galleries, restaurants and shops. The streets are alive and colorful with muraled walls and doorways overgrown with bougainvillea vines. Some of the city's best dining is here as well, including a restaurant that must be on your list: (5) Celele—voted one of Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants. The menu is both homage to soulful Caribbean flavors and impressive technical artistry. Dishes are almost too beautiful to eat, but you must. Orejero fritters are a marvel—made with duck confit, smoked duck tartar, moringa mayonnaise, pickled cucumber and a savory orejero hoisin sauce. Local artisans supply the plates, napkins and glassware and the humble but vibrant interiors keep the mood light and playful—even though intense work is going on in the kitchen.
Stroll through Cartegena's Old City, or Ciudad Amurallada, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most well-preserved colonial city in Latin America. The charming streets and alleyways make for a wonderful boutique shopping immersion. Finish your visit with a stroll through Parque del Centenario (Centennial Park), where you'll hopefully spot the city's most popular residents—a sloth and golden tamarind monkeys.
