Walls of Cartagena

The walls are what make Cartagena's old town feel like a single monument rather than a collection of pretty streets. According to Colombia's official tourism board, about 11 km of wall surround the historic centre. Work began on 8 September 1614 on the orders of King Felipe III, after Sir Francis Drake's attack on the city, and the circuit took almost two centuries, being completed in 1796. Francisco de Murga fortified the Getsemaní side from 1631, and later Antonio de Arévalo built an underwater barrier between Punta Icacos and Tierrabomba to close the Bocagrande channel to enemy ships.

The fortifications are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and are described by the tourism board as the most complete fortification in South America. They were designed to work with the forts around the bay, such as Castillo San Felipe and the Bocachica defences, against English, French and pirate raids. The first stage alone included 15 bastions with a clear Italian influence.

Walking the walls is free and open to everyone, and it is the easiest way to understand the layout of the city. The circuit takes in bastions such as San Ignacio, San Francisco Javier, Santiago Apóstol, Santo Domingo and Santa Cruz, as well as the Muralla de La Marina facing the sea, which protected the northern and western sides of the old town. The main gate is the Torre del Reloj, where the walled city meets Getsemaní. Near the northern end are Las Bóvedas, the late 18th-century vaults between the Santa Clara and Santa Catalina forts that now house shops.

The tourism board singles out sunset as the moment to be on the walls, when the light falls over the Caribbean and the domes of the old town. It is also when the horse-drawn carriages start to circulate below. During the day the walls have little shade, so take water and sun protection. Escuela Taller Cartagena de Indias, which looks after the fortifications, warns visitors not to climb on the walls themselves, both for their own safety and to protect the heritage.

If you are arriving by car, authorised parking is available at the Las Bóvedas square, opposite the Santo Domingo bastion and at Parque de La Marina. The historic centre is about 15 minutes by car from Rafael Núñez International Airport. Allow an hour or two for a walk along the main stretch, and combine it with the Plaza de Santo Domingo, the Torre del Reloj or an evening in Getsemaní.