Where to Next? Cartagena 🇨🇴

Cartagena offers a wide range of boutique hotels and accommodations, but visiting over New Year’s meant most were fully booked. Instead, I leaned into something more personal—unique private homes—and was rewarded with spaces full of character, warmth, and soul.

My favorite stay was at a private home known as Casa Real Cabrero, owned by a local architect currently restoring one of the city’s largest upcoming hotel projects. His home is layered with antiques, curious objects, and beautiful paintings by his sister. It felt lived-in, thoughtful, and deeply personal—the kind of place you don’t just stay in, but imagine yourself living in.

Over the years, I’ve watched Cartagena’s gastronomic scene become increasingly international, often catering to foreign palates. But what I always crave are the dishes I grew up eating—the most traditional, home-style meals. Few things feel more complete than a plate of fresh fried fish, coconut rice, patacones, and a simple salad, paired with tropical juices like corozo, lulo, or maracuyá.

Street food is everywhere here. Fruit vendors, small tiendas, and corner spots offer fresh juices, bread, and my personal favorite: cocktail de camarón—simple, nostalgic, perfect.

Cartagena sits on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. The weather is beautiful, but intense—the sun demands respect. One of the simplest pleasures is finding a coco frío to stay hydrated while moving through the heat.

I feel fortunate to have grown up here. My memories are filled with beaches, slow afternoon strolls, warm breezes, and sunsets that seem to stretch endlessly across the horizon.

One of my favorite rituals is sailing at sunset with friends—circling Cartagena Bay toward Tierra Bomba, practicing sailing techniques as the sky shifts from gold to deep blue. The day often ends anchored quietly, the city skyline glowing in the distance, rewarded with stillness, laughter, and perspective.

 Cartagena continues to change, but it always knows how to welcome me back—slowly, warmly, and with just enough familiarity to feel like home.