Cartagena’s walled old city is the most beautiful colonial ensemble in South America — a labyrinth of bougainvillea-draped balconies, yellow and pink mansions, and cobblestone streets enclosed by 11 km of 16th-century Spanish fortifications. This post accompanies a real cartagena walking tour filmed in 4K, the video CARTAGENA, Colombia — Walking Tour 4K with Captions, which explores the historic walled city with captions providing context for the colonial architecture and its remarkable preservation.
About This Walking Tour
This captioned 4K walking tour explores the Ciudad Amurallada (Walled City) of Cartagena — a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed since 1984. The route enters through the Puerta del Reloj (Clock Tower Gate), the main entrance to the old city, and moves through the colonial streets past the Plaza de los Coches, the Plaza de la Aduana, and the Cathedral of Cartagena (begun 1577). The tour captures the balconied mansion streets — particularly the colourful facades along the pedestrian lanes of the San Diego neighbourhood where bougainvillea spills from every window.
The walk continues along the city walls — the most complete surviving colonial fortifications in the Americas — and covers the massive Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas (begun 1657), the largest Spanish fortress in South America, which sits on a hill overlooking the city with a network of tunnels beneath it. The Getsemaní neighbourhood, immediately outside the walls, was historically the home of Afro-Colombian and enslaved communities and has transformed in recent decades from neglected to celebrated — its streets are now covered in extraordinary murals and its Trinidad Square has become one of the most vibrant neighbourhood plazas in Colombia.
Highlights of Cartagena
The city walls of Cartagena were built between 1586 and 1796 — construction began in response to Sir Francis Drake’s 1586 sack of the city. They extend 11 km around the old city and Getsemaní, reaching up to 17 metres high and 17 metres wide in places, with 26 bastions and 5 entry gates. The walls are in exceptional condition and walking their full circuit provides continuous views over the Caribbean, the colonial rooftops, and the modern city beyond.
The Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is the largest Spanish fortification in South America — its 40,000-square-metre base, network of tunnels designed to carry sound warnings of any intruder’s approach, and commanding position on San Lázaro Hill made it essentially impregnable during the colonial period. Admiral Edward Vernon’s British fleet of 186 ships failed to take it in 1741. Getsemaní was the home of enslaved Africans and their descendants brought to work the colonial port — its cultural heritage is now celebrated through the murales programme that has covered neighbourhood walls with paintings, and the Afro-Colombian cultural organisations that operate from Trinidad Square.
A Brief History of Cartagena
Cartagena was founded by Pedro de Heredia in 1533 and quickly became the most important port on the Spanish Main — the primary exit point for silver from Peru and gold from New Granada. Its strategic value made it the target of repeated attacks by English, French, and Dutch pirates and navies; Sir Francis Drake’s 1586 raid extracted a ransom of 107,000 ducats. The response was the construction of the city walls and the Castillo, transforming Cartagena into the most heavily defended city in the Americas.
Gabriel García Márquez — the Colombian novelist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982 for One Hundred Years of Solitude — was born in the Caribbean town of Aracataca 200 km from Cartagena but used Cartagena and its region as the inspiration for many of his works. He married Mercedes Barcha in the Cathedral of Cartagena and spent his final years in the old city. Cartagena’s old city and its fortifications were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
Practical Tips
Colombia’s currency is the Colombian peso (COP). Spanish is the official language. Rafael Núñez International Airport is approximately 3 km from the old city — one of the most conveniently located airports in Colombia. The walled city is compact and entirely walkable; taxis are needed for Getsemaní (approximately 5 minutes from the walled city walls). The old city is best walked in the cooler morning or evening hours — midday heat inside the walled streets can be intense. Getsemaní is best visited with local awareness of which streets are busiest and most lively.
Best Time to Visit
December through April is the dry season — the most comfortable for walking the walls and the old city streets. December and January, and July and August, bring festivals and increased cultural activity. The Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI) takes place in March.
Watch & Explore More
Watch the captioned 4K walled city tour above and explore one of the most beautiful colonial cities in the world. For more Colombian city walks, see Bogotá: La Candelaria to the Gold Museum and Medellín: El Poblado to the Escalator Comunas. Subscribe to @walkingtoursvideoscom for walking tours from cities on every continent.