Cartagena is a beautiful city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It was one of the strategic trading ports of the West Indies, Spain's overseas colonial possessions after the conquistadores acquired the lands of Central and South America. His story is a fascinating mix of native Indians, pirates attracted by his wealth, Spaniards who represented the new rulers, the Catholic Church which constituted a very influential power. Unfortunately, the sad plague of black slaves who came here to be sold is also added.
Sofitel Legend Santa Clara of Cartagena, one of the most beautiful hotels in South America
The historical part of the city is beautifully preserved and bears witness to this colonial past: the huge walls and forts, masterpieces of military engineering, the austere churches, the lively squares, the elegant houses with wooden balconies and the colorful boungaville, many converted into a boutique hotel , old palaces home of religious and civil power, and above all people. During the day they recreate the frenzy of what used to be a very popular market in the past. Tourists have become new buyers and at the beginning you can have a feeling of assault by vendors who offer everything from street food to classic souvenirs. Rethinking however the history of the city, even if the protagonists have changed, the atmosphere is consistent with what was one of the main commercial centers of South America.
In the evening the historic city with its warm lights and fresh climate acquires another identity. It becomes quieter and it is pleasant to walk in search of a restaurant to enjoy a good ceviche or a place to drink something refreshing, perhaps on a panoramic terrace.
Precisely because history is the most fascinating feature of Cartagena, the Santa Clara Sofitel Legend, affiliated with the Virtuoso circuit, represents the true soul of this city. This luxury hotel, one of the most beautiful in South America, is housed in a building, founded in 1611 which was a very important monastery until its closure at the end of the 1800s, when Colombia became an independent state.
Later he served as an orphanage and as a hospital in a new wing that was built beside the old monastery. Abandoned definitively it fell into disrepair but, converted into a luxury hotel in 1990, the building returned to a new life. The skeletons found in a crypt, located under the elegant bar, inspired the plot of the novel "Love and other demons" by Gabriel Garcia Marques, whose house is right next to the Santa Clara hotel.
Entering the lobby is already a way of traveling back in time, and immediately the eye falls on the beautiful garden in the courtyard with an ancient well in the middle. Here you can have dinner in the restaurant 1621, one of the best in Cartagena, exquisite food with a mix of local tradition, creativity and international influences, very extensive wine list, more than 3000 from all over the world.
At the center of the wing of the building called the Republican, where most of the rooms are located, a large swimming pool is available for pleasant swims or simply for sunbathing while a fully equipped spa is available for those who want to enjoy a relaxing massage, or beauty treatments.
Do you know the only flaw of the Santa Clara Hotel? It feels so good that you never want to go out.
