Famous for its flower-laden city streets , cobbled walkways and colorful homes , the walled center of Cartagena de Indias attracts thousands of travelers to Colombia ’ s northern shore each year . Its bold architecture is matched by its electric nightlife , thriving culture and ever-busy city streets , cherished by the energetic costeños that call Cartagena home . Visitors typically stick to the walled city — the maze of historic haciendas in the city ’ s oldest section — or the lively adjacent neighborhood , Getsemani . But the city doesn ’ t end at its ancient ramparts — a trip to Cartagena takes in the Miami-style skyscraper strip of Bocagrande , the sleek white boats bobbing in the harbor and the buzzing beach bars of Marbella . Ever exciting , rich in culture and offering easy access to the Caribbean ’ s deep cerulean sea , Cartagena embodies a unique slice of Colombia ’ s coastline .