Cartagena, Colombia, offers an old Latin-American atmosphere alongside a spice for life
2011-05-11
The multicolored buildings along the streets of Cartagena, Colombia, provide tourists with a cheerful background for exploring the city's best attractions. For centuries, this Caribbean port has been home to an array of characters, including pirates and poets.
While strolling the streets of Cartagena, tourist may stumble upon the statue of a woman gesturing towards the sea, reports The Chicago Tribune. Inscribed on the pedestal is the saying "don't touch me", which was meant to ward off invaders looking to pillage the city of its gold in the 16th century. Behind the sculpture is one the city's best places for dancing, Quiebra-Canto, which offers various genres of tunes such as afro-latino and traditional salsa.
On the hill of San Lazaro lies the Castillo de San Filipe de Barajas, a fort constructed in 1639 by Antonio de Arevalo. The brick building provides pretty views of the city below, and features an array of dark tunnels for tourists to discover, reports Fodor's.
The plaza view from Paco's restaurant provides a look into the daily life of local Columbians while patrons indulge in its delicious dishes. One specialty at this authentic eatery is langostinos a la sifu, or deep-fried lobster.
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