Home JOURNAL End of Summer Getaway Part I: Colombia

End of Summer Getaway Part I: Colombia

It?s nearing the finale of summer, and we?re itching to get out and have one final hurrah! This week we will share our favorite weekend getaways and our tips on what to wear when you get there. Each day will showcase an easy jaunt from one of our featured cities. Relax, pack lightly, and enjoy the adventure.

Today?s Getaway: Bogota ? Cartagena

The Glitterati of Latin America and a cadre of European socialites frequent this pulsating seaside town to party and relax on private islands by the sea. Cartagena?s most famous resident Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez has a foundation here and even set one of his most famous books in a monastery that is now a hotel. It?s no wonder Unesco has named Cartagena a World Heritage Site -- this town has everything; secluded alleyways to get lost in, antiques and artisanal products to buy, and cool boutique hotels to retire to.

Shop

El Arc?n is an antiques shop brimming with furniture, and is also the best place to find reproductions of the lizard-shaped metal knockers that embellish front doors all throughout town. The Silvia Tcherassi Store is a sleek boutique across from the Hotel Santa Theresa. Her stylish silk tops and dresses in colorful prints, flowing gowns, and acryclic jewelry have revolutionized Colombian fashion. Amitabha is set on a small street that runs between the Santo Domingo Plaza and the city walls. Its hippy chic selection includes ethnic jewelry, peasant blouses, and beach cover-ups.

El Arc?n: Calle Camposanto 9-46. Silvia Tcherassi?s Boutique: Carrera No 31-11, Centro Historico. Amitabha: Callejon de los Estribos 103.

Stay

Tcherassi Hotel + Spa

Calle Del Sargento Mayor N 6-21, Cartagena, Colombia

Silvia Tcherassi is recognized as not only the most revolutionary fashion designer in Colombia, she has also established herself as a global innovator. As the designer and owner of Tcherassi Hotel + Spa, she transformed a 250-year-old colonial mansion into easily the most exclusive hotel in Colombia. With over 3000 plants, a Mario Batali/Chef Daniel Casta?o 40-seat coastal Italian restaurant called Vera, a holistic spa including treatments from Colombian coffee, chocolate, gems, and bamboo, this premiere Colombian fashion hotel quickly rose to one of the Top Ten Designer Hotels in the World.

Tcherassi Hotel + Spa

Tcherassi Hotel + Spa

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara

Carrera 8, Cartagena, Colombia

This 17th century convent was restored into a luxurious hotel and sits next door to the house of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Enjoy drinks in the hotel courtyard complete with a pet toucan and garnished with a Botero. Afterwards have dinner at the 1621 restaurant ? known for traditional old world cuisine fused with new contemporary flavors. The brick courtyard setting makes for a beautiful retreat, you can also ask for a table on the top-floor deck to enjoy the views of Cartagena?s many tiled rooftops.

Eat

La Vitrola, coined the ?culinary kingpin? of Cartagena, is one of the most traditional restaurants in the city. It is the who?s who gathering spot of the city, and it?s not unusual to find celebrities and politicians mingling over dinner. For your caffeine and chocolate fix stop by casual Mila Pasteleria. Another highly touted restaurant is El Santisismo -- you?ll eat classic Colombian dishes prepared by French-trained chefs. The brick courtyard setting makes for a beautiful retreat, you can also ask for a table on the top-floor deck so to enjoy views of the tiled rooftops.

La Vitrola: Centro Cll 33 #2-01 Calle Baloco. Mila Pasteleria: Calle de la Iglesia 35-76 (at Calle de Ayos). El Santisismo: Calle del Torno # 39 - 62.

La Vitrola

See

The Best Beaches

Several motorboats leave from the port every morning to whisk you away to Playa Blanca. Its name says it all ? this white sand oasis on Isla de Baru has crystal blue warm water with stunning views. The 40-minute boat ride brings you a world away. For a more private beach, try the exclusive Playa del Sol ? rent a boat and go on your own. After snorkeling, exploring coral reefs, and enjoying the peace and quiet from the otherwise typical annoying beach vendors, eat fresh seafood in nearby Cholon. Another option for a fifty-minute boat ride from the port takes you to Isla Majagua, where the only hotel (Hotel San Pedro de Majagua) offers massages and tasty seafood lunches.

Palace of the Inquisition is a must-see for its cultural significance and the Teatro Adolfo Mej?a is a beautiful theater built in 1911 to celebrate 100 years of Colombian independence.

What to Wear

Silvia Tcherassi, Callecitas II Clutch