Cartagena

Cartagena is the jewel of Colombia's Caribbean coast, a colonial walled city bursting with color and warmth. Within the great stone ramparts, the Old Town is a photogenic maze of balconied mansions draped in bougainvillea, flower-filled plazas, and horse-drawn carriages. Evenings are for strolling the walls as the sky turns pink and street vendors sell fruit and cold drinks.

Just outside the historic core, the once-bohemian Getsemaní district has become the city's most vibrant quarter, its lanes strung with flags and umbrellas and lined with street art, bars, and salsa spilling onto the pavement. Boat trips reach the white sands and clear waters of the Rosario Islands, an easy escape from the city heat.

This stretch of coast is hot and humid throughout the year. The drier season from December to April brings the most reliable sunshine and is the peak time to visit, while the later months are hotter and wetter.