Flights to Cartagena | Vacations in Cartagena
Hotels & Resorts in Cartagena, Caribbean. The early Spanish explorers were searching for a more direct trading route to the spices of India and so their efforts were described as La Ruta de India. Even though this was a major topographical mistake of the times, the name is still revered in Colombia for it's historic significance.
The name: Cartagena de Indias does however cause a problem when used in international promotion of the city. In their ignorance, many foreigners who are not familiar with our historic name, still identify us as being located within the country of India!
Like Cartagena, Colombia, the Cartagena in Spain is a walled city with a fine harbor. The city was founded in 230 BC by a Carthaginian, and at one time it was said to be one of the richest cities in the world. Today this seaport city in Spain has about 200,000 inhabitants as opposed to Cartagena, Colombia's 1,000,000. When those who are new to searching enter just the name Cartagena, many of the results will include this Spanish city.
Cartagena is nearly surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. Small, coral stone protected beaches can be found only a few meters outside of the ancient Walled City. The larger beach extends around the peninsula of Bocagrande and Laguito, the other popular tourist area of Cartagena.
Less than 25 minutes by bus (about 25 cents) from the Walled City, there is another beach: Boquilla. Ten minutes beyond Boquilla Beach, is Manzanillo Beach. The more heavily used beaches are maintained each night, with large tractors, pulling power sand rakes. The above beaches are popular because of their nearness to the cities hotels. The beach sand is brown because there are no nearby offshore coral reefs feeding the beaches with white "sand" which actually is the tiny fragments of shells and coral which make up the reefs eco system. The Island of Boca Chica contains Fort San José, one of the two outermost forts which provided early protection of ancient Cartagena.
Looking for Discount Flights to Cartagena, search now. Shop, Compare and Pay Less, Book your Vacations to Cartagena Today and Save!
Close Window
