Cartagena de Indias: A magical girl’s trip!

I traveled to Colombia last year for the first time and was blown away by the whole country – the people, the topography, the food, the climate and the nature. And when I got to Cartagena, I knew I would return many times again for its year-round 80 degree weather, Spanish colonial vibe, spectacular shopping, restaurants, and night life. And with just a 3.5 hour non-stop flight from Atlanta, it was easy to pull together an all star cast of adventurous and fun women for a long weekend jaunt!

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Touring this gorgeous city with our favorite guide, Eddy.  Cartagena is a well preserved and Spanish colonial city with the largest fort in the Americas.

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Shopping in Cartagena is reason to come alone!! The stunning Colombian and South American designs make the boutiques an absolute treat. Pricing is incredible given the quality and I would say you pay about a 1/5 of what you would pay if you were to find something just as pretty at Saks or Niemans back in the States.

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No trip to Cartagena would be complete without chartering a boat out to the Rosario Islands for a day of lobster, margaritas, and swimming in the warm Caribbean ocean -year round!

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Cartagena swim

There’s a vast array of Colombian, Cuban, and Peruvian restaurants serving up some brilliant cuisine and every imaginable take on seafood. Creativity abounds here, and certainly doesn’t stop at the excellent cocktails!

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No shortage of fabulous hand-crafted cocktails and music! A fun venue for every night of the week!

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Perfect way to end a fabulous trip: a cycling ride through all the wonderful neighborhoods of San Pedro, Getsemani, and Bocagrande.  Such a special place and a Sunday morning is the perfect time to enjoy its peaceful side!

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There are many lovely places to stay in Cartagena but my top pick is the Hotel Casa San Agustin across from the University of Cartagena.  The hotel is a former private mansion and could not be more comfortable, and the service provided by the lovely team makes one truly feel at home!  A 5 minute walk in any direction takes you to the best shops, restaurants and bars in the city.  Though there is no official spa or gym, they were glad to send a yogi, massage therapist, or manicurist over to lend a hand!  All top notch!

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Cartagena is the perfect long weekend for couples seeking some fun and romance or a ladies group looking to live it up!  It is a special place that has yet to be over-run by tourism but it wont be long so hurry up and let us plan your special adventure!  Resort to Laura Madrid has just the restaurants, the perfect shops, fun music venues and fantastic local guides to show you the best of Cargagena! Huepa, hey!

 

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