Amber Alcocer After our trip through Panama we decided to continue to Colombia and to start we arrived in Cartagena. If you have not yet read the first part of the tour in Panama City, I invite you to take a look.
It is the first time that I visited Cartagena and I had read that it is a photogenic and beautiful city so I wanted to go. We chose to stay within the walled city, we found a beautiful historical building and we also wanted to be able to walk everywhere so we were also looking for something central.
Where to Stay in Cartagena?
We stay in the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara and what I liked most about this hotel was the 400 year old building and the incredible pool area. Cartagena is humid and quite hot so having a large pool at the hotel was like arriving at an oasis after walking through the desert.
If you visit Cartagena, this Sofitel Legend Santa Clara is an excellent option. For us, who love to walk, everything was very close, but it was good to return to the hotel to relax.
On weekends (Thursday to Saturday) they open the rooftop bar called “Botika” with an excellent atmosphere and also the haute cuisine restaurant “1621”, so you can take that into account when planning your visit.
If you want to know more about the Hotel Sofitel Legend Santa Clara I made a video/review that you can find at my YouTube channel.
Where to Eat in Cartagena?
We stayed in Cartagena for about 3 days so it wasn't enough time to explore the city in depth. We visited several restaurants but I will share with you the ones I liked the most.
Cande
Our first day in the walled city we opted to try typical Colombian food so the concierge of our hotel recommended we visit the Cande Restaurant.
The house was very nice, the food was delicious and there was also live music. It is worth mentioning that the service was excellent. It has a nice bar at the entrance and is open every day so it can be an excellent option to try a little of Cartagena's gastronomy.
1621
Restaurant 1621 is located in the hotel Sofitel Legend Santa Clara. You can choose between eating inside in the restaurant or outside in the beautiful garden, both options are nice but we chose outside. It is a really beautiful place and with 400 years of history, the building is really beautiful.
The restaurant is only open on weekends (Thursday to Saturday) and is exclusively for dinner. The menu is a tasting menu.
The mocker
Another excellent option for a more casual dinner is this restaurant. After walking all over Cartagena we were very happy to go to eat. We went to The Mocker twice because we really liked the food and the atmosphere.
It is a Spanish restaurant ideal for snacks and tapas. We loved the broken eggs, the Spanish omelette and the cheese/ham board.
I also have to mention that the service was excellent.
Botika
Before our dinner at restaurant 1621, we went to the bar Botika for some appetizer drinks.
The rooftop has a view of the sea and on the other side you can see the hotel pool, the atmosphere is undoubtedly fun and the waiters are dressed as nurses.
Things To Do In Cartagena
Despite our short stay in Cartagena, every day we went out to explore the walled city.
Walk
One of the best ways to get to know Cartagena is by walking. The city is so picturesque that you don't want to miss a single street and all the little houses are perfect for taking an Instagram photo.
Gethsemane
This part of the city is more artistic and you can find street art everywhere. Ideal to go in the afternoon for a drink and enjoy people watching.
This was my experience in Cartagena, the next article will be in Bogotá. Any recommendations or places I missed? I will take it into account on my next visit. If you want to comment something please write it below.
