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If you’re looking for a unique and affordable tropical vacation destination this summer, look no further than Cartagena, Colombia.
This colorful colonial city, right on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, is one of summer’s trendiest destinations.
According to recent data According to travel booking platform Hopper, Cartagena is the fourth most searched for international travel destination this summer. And it’s also very affordable, making it even better for a summer vacation that doesn’t cost a lot of money.
Here’s why you should add Cartagena to your travel bucket list and plan a trip ASAP:
A unique mix of cultures
I’ve traveled to almost every country in South America, and I’ve never been anywhere quite like Cartagena.
Being on the country’s Caribbean coast, it has a very different atmosphere to the rest of the country, with a very strong Caribbean influence.
But there is also still a strong Spanish colonial influence on the city’s architecture, especially on the walled Old Town, which is full of colorful old buildings and quaint cobbled streets.
Every corner of Cartagena is an Instagram post waiting to happen.
Just outside the old town, the Getsemani district is the hippest part of the city. You’ll find street art, cool bars, trendy restaurants, art galleries and the best nightlife in the city.
Cheap hotel prices
Colombia is generally one of the cheapest countries in Latin America, while Cartagena is as well slightly more expensive than the rest of the country, but it can still be super affordable.
In fact, it is still one of the cheapest beach destinations in Latin America.
And you can find particularly good deals on hotels in Cartagena. Based on Hopper data, the average price per night for a hotel in Cartagena this summer is $119.
That’s more than 50% cheaper than hotels in Cancun, Mexico (the most sought-after destination this summer), where hotels average $255 a night.
When I was in Cartagena I stayed there Hotel Bantu, a great luxury boutique hotel in the walled Old Town for around $150 a night. This hotel had a great location in the old town and I loved the tropical design and colonial-influenced decor.
And the hotel has a pet toucan that roams freely on the property – how cool is that?!
Easy and affordable to reach
Some of the other popular destinations this summer (like Tokyo, London and Rome) aren’t as easy to travel to for Americans.
With exorbitant airfares this summer, some of these more remote destinations may no longer be available to budget-conscious travelers.
The great thing about Cartagena is that flights from the US are generally very affordable. There are a few cities with nonstop flights to Cartagena, but most flight routes will first stop in Bogota, Colombia or Panama City, Panama.
Based on data from Google Flights, most flights to Cartagena are less than $400 round trip from dozens of cities across the United States!
Beaches, history, food and culture
Cartagena is extremely hot and humid all year round. I visited in July and was quite overwhelmed by the heat, but luckily there are beaches nearby where you can cool off.
The city itself has some good beaches in the Bocagrande district (basically the Miami of Cartagena), but the best beaches are on the nearby Rosario Islands.
Taking a day trip by boat to these islands was a highlight of my time in Cartagena.
And there’s plenty more to do in the city than just beaches: exploring the historic churches, museums and fortresses of the old town, eating your way through the city’s delicious street food and enjoying its vibrant nightlife are just a few things you can look at. forward to Cartagena.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
