Cartagena or Cartagena de Indias is one of the most beautiful cities of the Americas. With its authentic architecture of the Colonial and Republican times…from the 1600s to the 1800s, the huge fortress of San Felipe, and walled inner city (where we will stay), it has served as the inspiration for numerous books and films about pirates and Spanish America.  The city was founded on June 1,1533.  However, settlement in the region around Cartagena Bay by various indigenous groups dates back to 4000 B.C.

During the colonial period, Cartagena served a key role in the administration and expansion of the Spanish empire. It was a center of political and economic activity due to the presence of royalty and wealthy viceroys. In 1984 Cartagena's colonial walled city (11 kilometers long) and fortress were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (For more on the history, please see Footnote 1 below)

The movie “Burn!” (1969) starring Marlon Brando, about a British Economic Hit Man/secret agent in the mid-1800s, was filmed in and around Cartagena. Brando described it as the best film he ever made. Available at Amazon and other on-line services it offers magnificent scenes of the old city. Much of the movie “Romancing the Stone” with Michael Douglas was also filmed here as well as “The Mission” with Robert De Niro.