In a nutshell

We will admire the walled city of Cartagena, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cruising over the bay, we will be able to appreciate the scale of its defence system before enjoying a guided tour of the biggest fortress: San Felipe de Barajas.

Main stops

Cartagena Bay cruise
Views of the city's fortifications
Guided tour of San Felipe de Barajas castle

The programme

After a short coach ride, we will reach the quay where a boat will be waiting to take us on a sightseeing cruise over Cartagena Bay, which is deep and well protected, and we will be accompanied by a guide who will show us the main points of interest.
Founded in 1533 by a Spanish conqueror, Cartagena de Indias soon became one of the biggest ports in South America. It is from here that the immense riches came, which the Spanish monarchy used to finance the conquest.
The city's imposing fortifications will appear before our eyes, an enormous system built from the 17th Century onwards to defend the port and its booming trade against enemies and pirates.
From the sea, we can appreciate the colossal size of the 11-km walls, mostly the work of Italian architect Battista Antonelli, which his contemporaries described as a masterpiece of Spanish military engineering in America.
We will reach San Felipe de Barajas castle, the largest Spanish fortress in the New World, built on a hill so that any attempt to invade the city could be controlled both by land and sea.
We will head back onto dry land and take part in a guided tour of the fortress, which has helped to make Cartagena de Indias the most impenetrable city overseas under Spanish rule. From the top of the castle, which is a World Heritage Site and one of the seven wonders of Colombia, we can enjoy wonderful views of the sea and the rest of the fortifications. *At the end of the tour, we will stroll back to our coach, which will take us back to the ship.

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