An evening in Cartagena's old city

The Clock Gate

The main entrance to the downtown is the Puerta del Reloj, the Clock Gate, which opens onto the Plaza de los Coches, the Square of the Carriages. Juan de Herrera y Sotomayor began designing the gate in 1704. It is the natural start for a walk through the old city. Downtown has varied architecture, mainly colonial in style, with some republican and Italian-style buildings, such as the cathedral's bell tower.

Plaza de los Coches

The Plaza de los Coches was the centre of Cartagena's slave market in the 17th century, a history worth knowing as you cross it. Spain was the only European power that did not establish trading posts in Africa, and it relied on the asiento system, which licensed merchants from other nations to supply enslaved people to its colonies. Today the plaza is lined with arcades and colonial buildings.

Three neighbourhoods inside the walls

UNESCO describes three neighbourhoods inside the walls. The first is the centre, where the Cathedral, the Convent of San Pedro Claver, the Palace of the Inquisition and the Government Palace stand, with many fine residences of the wealthy. San Diego, also called Santo Toribio, where the last church built in the walled city stands, was home to merchants and craftsmen of the middle class. Getsemaní was the suburban quarter once inhabited by artisans and enslaved people. Each has its own mood, so choose the one that fits your time before the sailing.

Plazas to stroll

Near the Clock Gate come the Plaza de la Aduana, the Customs Square, and the Plaza de San Pedro Claver. A little farther is the Plaza de Bolívar, a small park with a statue of Simón Bolívar, surrounded by balconied colonial buildings. Across from the Government Palace stands the Cathedral of Cartagena, which dates back to the 16th century. The church of San Pedro Claver keeps the casket of the Jesuit saint known as the Saint of the African slaves. The Palace of the Inquisition stands beside the Plaza de Bolívar, and the plaza was once named after the Inquisition. Wikipedia describes the Old City as known for its lush plazas and sherbet-hued Spanish colonial buildings, which is a fair description of what you see.

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Walls at sunset

The walls enclose the old city. The walls enclose the centre and San Diego, and Getsemaní was enclosed by its own walls from 1631. A walk beside them before a sunset sail connects the two halves of the evening, because you see the stone from the street and then from the water. Bring water and keep to the time on your confirmation. Cartagena is hot and windy, so a walk is best taken slowly and with a hat on your head.

Fitting it around the sailing

The booking calendar shows the starting time for each date, and your confirmation repeats it. Use that time to plan the rest: a walk through the plazas beforehand, or dinner in the old city afterwards, since the pirate cruise does not include a meal. Allow enough time to reach the Pegasus Pier, where the ship leaves, and leave the walk early rather than late. If the cruise ends after dark, arrange your way home before you board.

Who this isn't for

The walk and the cruise fit one evening if you start early and keep to the time on your confirmation. If you prefer not to walk in the heat, choose a short walk or skip the ramparts and take a taxi to the pier. If you want a full-day history tour, a guided walk with a local guide is a better choice than a cruise. The pirate evening is one part of a Cartagena day, and it works best when you do not try to fit everything around it.

Read next: Cartagena sunset cruise: the basics