by Yle López-Llata, Cuckoo B co-founder @ylelolla
Cartagena de Indias is probably the most beautiful city of the Caribbean. Its colonial buildings, huge variety of boutique hotels and excellent restaurants, and its beaches make it a great destination for an escapade with your couple, family, or friends.
STAY
A place to stay I totally recommend is the Hotel Mansión Tcherassi for its very friendly staff, neat decor, and perfect location. Oh! And their Italian restaurant is really good.
EAT
A restaurant I loved is the Alma restaurant where you can breathe the colonial tradition of the city and where you can taste the local cuisine. If you visit, you should order the Caldereta de mariscos a la Cartagenera, that is exquisite.
GETTING LOST
A must in Cartagena is to discover its beautiful boutiques with creations of locals artists, like Casa Chiqui or St Dom.
An interesting place to visit is the tomb of Gabriel García Márquez at the Claustro de la Merced. García Márquez had a close bond with the city, since he made it his home in his college years.
FROM THE WATER
I recommend to spend an afternoon sailing in a catamaran at sunset. You can rent one and have a good cocktail listening to live music, while you watch the walled city and the new city from the water. A great thing to do in Cartagena!
BEACH TIME
If you have time you should visit an island and spend a whole day in a Beach Club. I loved the Barú island: music, beach, fresh fruit, and sun. What more could you want?
IN MY TRAVEL BAG
My favorite accessories from Cuckoo B for Cartagena:
For going out at night, the Alika earrings.
The Ester earrings for an afternoon stroll in the city.
For a casual look, the Akiko bag.
