Cartagena city walls

Work on the wall began in the late 16th century, after the attack by English pirate Francis Drake. Cartagena was one of the most important ports in Spanish America and had to be sealed off against the English and French.

Today the wall surrounds the historic center and you can walk along the top. It's open and free. Along the way there are bastions, each with its own name: Santo Domingo, San Francisco Javier, Santa Catalina, San Ignacio, La Merced.

The most common walk runs along the sea side, between the Baluarte de Santo Domingo and the Baluarte de Santa Catalina, near Las Bóvedas. Sunset is when the most people go up.

What to see

• Baluarte de Santo Domingo, over the sea.
• Baluarte de Santa Catalina, next to Las Bóvedas.
• Baluarte de San Francisco Javier and the Marina wall.
• The sunset over the Caribbean from the top of the wall.

Getting there

• On foot from anywhere in the historic center and from La Matuna.
• By car: the old town has authorized parking lots, for example on the plaza by the Las Bóvedas barracks, near the Baluarte de La Merced, across from the Baluarte de Santo Domingo and in the Parque de la Marina.

Tips

• Go up at sunset, when the heat eases.
• Don't climb the walls: it's dangerous and damages the heritage site.
• Bring water; the sun is strong during the day.