Cartagena is a charming colonial port city on Colombia's Caribbean coast. A Spanish fort overlooks the walled city bursting with historic treasures mostly relating to a rich melting pot of diverse cultures. Picturesque centuries-old cobblestone streets enclosed by ancient walls inspired Gabriel Garcia Marquez's realism and his Nobel Prize in Literature. Cartagena is a vibrant open-air museum, overflowing with culture and history, including colonial churches and plazas, colorful fruit vendors, street art, refined restaurants and lush flowering balconies.

Narrow cobbled streets are lined with restored colonial buildings painted in bold colors and impressive churches casting their shadows across tree-lined plazas. The notable town, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is home to top-notch restaurants, hotels, boutiques and beautiful beaches. Cartagena became the chief literary muse to the Nobel Laureate, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, who set many of his "magical realism" books there, establishing his hallmark. The city offers a number of important year-round festivals devoted to film and music. Sun and beach lovers delight in the city's abundance of water sports, scuba diving, and cruises.