Check out the Museum of Modern Art I loved perusing this compact but well-presented museum. It’s located within the walls of the 17th century Royal Customs House in Plaza San Pedro Claver. If you look for the whimsical sculptures made from spare parts outside the museum, you can’t miss them. Established in 1959, the museum is home to both permanent and temporary exhibits by local, national, and international artists. There is a particular focus on Alejandro Obregon and Enrique Grau’s works and a selection of contemporary Caribbean art.
and gift shops, the bustling area is often crowded with bus tours. It’s an ideal one-stop-shop for those looking for gifts and souvenirs but are tight on time.
Visit the Palace of Inquisition This building was used as a place of torture during the Spanish Inquisition. Heretics, witches, and those who disobeyed the rules of the Catholic Church were brought to trial here between 1610 and 1815. Upstairs is a modest history museum, and outside in the courtyard, there are models of gallows and a guillotine. The most imStroll along the City Walls pressive feature is the building itself, a beautiful Constructed to protect the city from marauding example of colonial architecture. pirates, the length of the wall runs for nearly . seven miles. It’s an impressive engineering feat, Take in some maritime history at the built between 1586 and 1786, and it takes about Naval Museum two hours to walk its entire length. I attempted it, For those interested in maritime history, it’s but I have to say that it’s not advisable under the worth paying a visit to the Museo Naval del Cariintense Colombian sun! I darted into a café for be, which focuses on Naval history in the Cariba cold drink halfway along the wall before turnbean. Most of the signage is in Spanish, so it’s ing back. There are several bastions from where wise to ask if an English-speaking guide is availguards looked out for potential attackers. Early able unless your Spanish is decent. The courtevening is the best time to visit the wall when yard is used to display cannons, and there are a many people gather to watch the sunset. number of artifacts found in the harbor. Another attractive section is dedicated to pirates. Dip into the Gold Museum Although it’s not on the same scale as the Gold Wander through the Hip Neighbourhood of Museum in Bogota, Museo del Oro is a lovely litGetsemani tle museum in its own right. As a bonus, it’s also I always like to seek out alternative areas in the free. Exhibits display the remarkable craftsman- cities I visit, and Getsemani was on my wish list ship of Colombia’s indigenous Zenu people’s long before arriving in Cartagena. Just south of intricate gold work. The stand-out feature is an Centro Historico, this area was somewhat notoriimpressive pre-Hispanic gold jaguar. Additional- ous back in the day for gang crime, prostitution, ly, there are 538 gold exhibits and a selection of and drug dealing. These days, Cartagena’s hipcarvings. The museum is in a magnificent buildpest neighborhood is overflowing with galleries, ing on Plaza Bolivar, and it’s worth bearing in street art, and cool cafes. It’s about a ten-minute mind that it’s well air-conditioned – a godsend in walk from the walled city but has a great vibe the heat of Cartagena! and is well worth visiting. I had one of my best nights out in Colombia at Plaza Trinidad, where Pick up a souvenir at Las Bovedas live music fills the air and dancers take to the Constructed by the Spanish Army at the end of streets. Vendors set up stalls selling street food, the 18th century, Las Bovedas were originally and the area buzzes with energy. storage vaults for ammunition and used as dungeons in the civil war. Finally, Las Bovedas were Take a Free Walking Tour of the City converted into shops. Home to galleries, bars, There are several free walking tours of the his20 | | Terra Travelers
