12 Best Sights in The Caribbean Coast, Colombia

If you want to learn a bit more about the history and incredible cultural riches that the area has to offer, this is an essential stop. Housed in a handsome former customs house, the well-designed displays provide an overview of the culture and craftsmanship of the pre-Columbian cultures—the Nahuange and Tairon—which thrived in the area as well as insight into the lives and traditions of the native cultures of modern Magdalena, notably the Kogui, Wiwa, Arhuaco, and Kankuamo groups of the Sierra Nevada. There is also an entire salon dedicated to the great liberator, Simón Bolívar, who died nearby, and who's vigil was held in this very building. Information is presented in English and Spanish, and tours must be organized in advance.

On the seafront, flag down a taxi and head to the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, 20 minutes away. This honey-color hacienda is where Simón Bolívar died in 1830. The grounds of the estate have been converted into a small botanical garden and there are a number of monuments to Bolívar, most notably the gleaming Altar de la Patria. There is also the Museo Bolivariano de Arte Contemporáneo, which houses an impressive range of contemporary artworks by artists from all of the countries liberated by Bolívar.

Relatively easily to get to, Bahia Concha is a 30-minute taxi ride from town and is an attractive bay set in the region's typical bosque seco (dry indigenous forest) with warm, gently lapping water. It is, however, a popular destination on weekends and local holidays, so best to avoid at those times. Much of the first part of the beach is cluttered with metal frames for shade canopies, and there are several options for buying cold drinks and a freshly grilled fish lunch. Plan to come early, and head down to the far right end of the beach—you can even ask for a cooler when you buy drinks and take it with you. Here you will find empty sands, a patch of shade and, a little way up the rocky side of the bay, some degraded but still beautiful patches of coral for snorkeling. Although the beach is within the borders of the PNN Tayrona, you do not have to pay the full entrance fee, only a small fee to local administration. Best for: partiers; walking; snorkeling. Amenities: toilets; food and drink.

Originally known as the Barrio de los Jagüeyes (the ponds), being the neighborhood richest in fresh water (the city's most precious resource), San Diego was home to most of the gardens supplying fresh produce. These days, travelers are seeking out the peaceful streets of this enchanting north-end district lined with squat colonial houses and mansions painted white, ocher, and deep blue. Boutique and other hotels are opening, along with restaurants. Around the area, multicolored bougainvillea cascades over balconies, and open doorways reveal lush hidden courtyards. Plaza San Diego is a local gem, anchored by the Escuela de Bellas Artes (School of Fine Arts), based in a former convent. At the northern corner of the city walls you'll find Las Bóvedas (The Vaults), a row of storerooms built in the 18th century to hold gunpowder and other military essentials, now home to colorful, tourist-oriented souvenir shops.

The cathedral on the main square is always the heart of any Latin American city. Plaza de Bolívar—watched over by a statue of South American liberator Simón Bolívar—is a shady place from which to admire Cartagena's 16th-century cathedral. (It's officially the "Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de Santa Catalina de Alejandria.") Construction lasted from 1577 to 1612. British pirates attacked and pillaged the site about halfway through the process, a fate that befell many buildings in Cartagena in those early days. The colorful bell tower and dome date from the early 20th century; inside are a massive gilded altar and towering arches.

Finalized in 1789, the ancient cemetery displays elaborate tombstones and mausoleums of the bold and imperious as well as the lowly of Mompox. Look out for the bust of Candelario Obeso, the forefather of black poetry in the Americas, as well as the tombs of early German and Lebanese immigrants looking to make their fortunes. On Wednesday of Easter week Momposinos make the pilgrimage out to the cemetery to place candles on the tombs of family and friends, making for a moving and illuminated spectacle.

Perhaps the architectural icon of Mompox itself, this imposing baroque structure towers over the Magdalena River and dates back to the 17th century. Molds of palms, flowers, and lions adorn its wedding-cake-like tower.

A stop at the Cartagena Museum of Modern Art provides a colorful overview of regional modern art, including a gallery dedicated to local painter and sculptor Enrique Grau (1920–2004). The building itself is fascinating, creatively combining a 17th-century customs house and a 19th-century warehouse for a modern look. Besides rotating displays of Latin American art from its permanent collection, the museum presents changing shows by new artists. Outside the museum, on Plaza de San Pedro Claver, the charming wrought-iron works by Eduardo Carmona showing daily local activities are also part of the museum. Allow 45 minutes for a visit. Admission is free on Wednesday.

The small Zenú Gold Museum, an institution funded and operated by Colombia's Central Bank, displays an interesting assortment of artifacts culled from the Zenú, an indigenous group that lived in this region some 2,000 years ago. Golden breastplates and intricately wrought jewelry are intriguing, and labels are in English and Spanish. The museum is off popular Plaza de Bolívar and worth a stop, particularly if you won't make it to the magnificent Gold Museum in Bogotá.