Forget everything that immediately comes to mind when you think of Colombia. The country has been improving its image, especially in many major cities of business and travelers  (with tourism tripling since 2006). On a trip for Latina.com, I got to experience the relaxed Caribbean city of Cartagena de Indias (Cartagena for short) and the thriving metropolitan life in Bogota.

Continuing our Travel Inspiration photo series, see select images that’ll make you want to hop the next flight to Colombia. Both Cartagena and Bogota are accessible by a two-to-four hour flight from LAN Airlines‘ Miami hub, depending where you go first.

To accompany me, I selected the handsome and strong Bleecker Legacy Weekend Tote from Coach which proved to be perfect for any weather as we experienced tropical rain the first day in Cartagena, sun with high humidity the next, and Bogota’s unpredictable weather patterns brought a little of all the elements. Picture yourself in its place in a couple of the photos below, and stay tuned for the post on Bogota as well.

Cartagena, Colombia:

A rainy morning, our journey starts high above all of Cartagena in Cerro de La Popa, a convent that attracts tourists for being the highest peak in town and providing spectacular city views at just under 500 feet above ground.

Coming down the hills and through the neighborhood known as Pie de la Popa, you’ll reach Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, a 16th to 17th-century castle and military fortress that has a system of almost 40,000 feet of tunnels (many of which are too narrow to explore and closed off).

Then it’s about a 15 drive to the Cartagena’s famous neighborhood, the partially walled Old City. Here you’ll discover narrow streets of colorful 19th-century Colonial homes, beach-chic shops, and hotels of varying needs (which we’ll chat about along with food in a future post), and the Torre del Reloj (a clock tower), which is the principle gate into the city (but you’ll find countless entrances all over and can even walk on most of the stone walls and circle the area). Take a horse drawn carriage through the historical town square, with countless opportunities shopping for souvenirs and local treats, then walk around to see the beautiful architecture of the different buildings and homes.

Photos by Andrew Villagomez

Stay tuned for more on Cartagena and Colombia, and feel free to ask any questions of the areas shown here in the comments below or contact me directly.

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