Port
Cartagena, Colombia
Activity Level
Moderate
Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$79.95
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 4 hours
Meals Included
Meals not included
An impressive fortress, the magnificent city of Cartagena was once the treasure chest of the Spanish Main and thus a high-profile target for pirates.
Explore by air-conditioned coach or minibus on a panoramic drive through the city that had the reputation of being the most impenetrable bastion of the Conquistadors. The 'new town' became a prosperous urban center in the relatively short time between initial settlement in 1533 and Independence in 1811.
Travel past marvelous Republican architecture and the Manga residential area, where some aging mansions have been restored to their original splendor.
Explore the Fort of San Felipe de Barajas -- a 17th-century construction acknowledged as the most important work of Spanish Military engineering in Latin America.
At Las Bovedas, you'll have about 20 minutes for handicraft shopping and for meeting local artisans who proudly display their works for you.
Pass through Simón Bolívar Square and the Inquisition Palace before continuing to the cathedral, also called the Minor Basilica, built in 1537, destroyed by fire, and rebuilt in 1612.
Stop at the Church of San Pedro Claver -- the patron saint of slaves. Some free time in the Old Town area allows you to shop, explore, or relax before you return to the ship.
Notes:
Guests wishing to stay in town to shop or explore independently are welcome to do so but must make their own way back to the ship.