Cartagena and beyond

By Richard Godden, Latin America specialist

Cartagena and beyond

Having recently read Mark Bowden’s ‘Killing Pablo’, my preconceptions of Colombia were not all positive. Nevertheless, the opportunity to travel came up and after negotiating both London Heathrow and Miami airports, I landed in Bogota to meet with our host and the other travel industry guests.

The purpose of my trip was to familiarise myself with Colombia as a tourist destination, visit hotels and gain an understanding as to what Bales’ clients experience during their travels in the region.

After an overnight stay in the modern Zona Rosa district of Bogota, I boarded the early morning Avianca flight to the northern coastal city of Cartagena. Cartagena is a splendid city of grand old houses, modern residential blocks and, of course, the walled historic centre. The historic centre is a vast labyrinth of charming Spanish colonial houses whose balconies are adorned with colourful flowers. Fifteen minutes of walking around this area of the city left me considering it alongside Havana as one of Latin America’s most impressive colonial preservations. Marquez’ fans will be in heaven. Notable sightseeing experiences include the Convento de la Popa convent and the San Felipe de Barajas castle - both iconic in their own right and both giving the visitor an excellent insight into the history of the city. Other places of interest include the Cathedral and the Inquisition Palace. No visit to the city would be complete without an evening horse-drawn carriage ride. In my opinion, this is the best way to fully appreciate the charm of the city and arrive for your evening meal. Cartagena is certainly a romantic place and would be an ideal location to propose, get married and have a honeymoon! The boutique hotels of the city are well practised in the art of hosting such events and will happily dress bedrooms with rose pettles and champagne.

After two wonderful days in Cartagena and a three hour road transfer, I arrived in the coastal city of Santa Marta – famous for being the place where South American liberator Simon Bolivar passed away. Santa Marta is the oldest city in Colombia and is surrounded by tropical mountain scenery. The centre itself is not as impressive as Cartagena’s historic city but the surrounding area has a lot to offer. A few kilometres from the city centre is La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino - the place where Simon Bolivar died. Also, just outside the city is the small fishing village of Taganga. This is a great place to chill out and watch the sunset. An hour further north-east from Santa Marta is Tayrona National Park. The park is covered with tropical rainforest vegetation and flanked by white sand beaches. This is a perfect getaway location and somewhere where you can forget all your troubles, kick back and relax. A visit here is an excellent choice if you are looking for a slower pace of life whilst still having the option to take long walks, try horseback riding or even embark on a rafting trip. This area is also the jumping off point for adventures to Ciudad Perdida - the ‘lost city’.

Having taken another short Avianca flight, I found myself back in the cosmopolitan city of Bogota. On arrival we were met and whisked off for a full day city tour. This began with a funicular ride to the summit of cerro de Monserrate which is a hill standing at over 3,200masl. (It is also possible to take a cable-car or, for the more active, walk to the summit). Needless to say I was feeling rather breathless having just flown in from the 35 degree heat and 90% humidity of the Caribbean coast! Along with my group, I briefly observed a service in the nearby chapel and took in the surrounding area. Lunch was enjoyed at a restaurant offering splendid views over the city before returning to relative normality at just over 2,600masl. Further sightseeing in the historic La Candelaria area of the city offered me the opportunity to see where President Alvaro Uribe has been pulling the strings of modern Colombia. Other notable sightseeing experiences are the Museo del Oro which houses one of the world’s largest collections of gold artefacts. Also well worth some time is the Museo de Botero. This art gallery showcases the work of Colombian artist Fernando Botero who is famous for accentuating the fullness of his subjects. You can also see work by Picasso, Dali, Rendir, Matisse and Monet.

Colombia offers some tasty gastronomic delights. Breakfast usually consists of sliced tropical fruits and ‘arepas’ which are a versatile maize-based delicacy taken with butter or cream cheese. Seafood is also very tasty in the coastal regions. If you want to feel like a local, you should punctuate every section of your day with a ‘tinto’ which is a dark coffee usually taken without milk.

My conclusion is that Colombia feels safer than we are led to believe. I’m sure that the negative perception held by most British people will soon be made redundant. During my time there, I felt very confident in my own personal security. Colombian people are remarkably laid back considering their countries’ turbulent past. Their warmth and hospitality have certainly left an impression on me. I cannot wait to go back!