Cartagena Colombia

Notes from Facebook Group.

I wanted to thank everyone who helped me plan our fabulous trip to Cartagena. We loved this beautiful and chic city. The architecture was gorgeous, and we found it extremely safe and clean. I also want to thank C.C. Steele (a member of this group) who help me with the plan and the car/driver. We got an opportunity to meet her in Cartegena and see her fabulous beachfront apartment that she rents out in the town (in case anyone is interested). Here is our itinerary. I do plan to write a full blog about it. Until then, please ask me any questions about our trip. 

Our Itinerary:

Day 1: 

Check-in at the hotel (There are so many wonderful hotels in the walled city. You can’t go wrong with any). We stayed at Charleston Santa Teresa. 

Lunch at Harry Sasson. (Restaurant in Charleston Santa Teresa owned by a famous chef). 

Rest in the afternoon or pool time.

Walk around the Walled City. Go to Café del Mar for drinks during the sunset for the best views (make a reservation in advance).

Dinner at Candé (you will see tons of sites on the way) and back to the Hotel. (make a reservation in advance).

Day 2:

Room service for breakfast followed by a family photo shoot.

Beach for the kids (a couple of mins from the hotel).

La Vitrola (Lunch) at noon.

Chocolate making class from 2pm to 4:15pm at The Choco Museum.

Back to the hotel for rest or pool time.

Date night at Mistura (dinner - make a reservation in advance). 

Day 3:

Breakfast buffet at the restaurant.

Leave for Aviary by car at 9am.

Lunch in Baru.

Visit the Convent of Popa on the way.

Plaza Santa Teresa (dinner). 

Followed by a horse carriage ride around the town with family.

Day 4:

Breakfast buffet at the restaurant

Cooking class for the whole family at the hotel starting at 11am. 

Lavish lunch at 1:30 pm (eat all the delicious food you prepared).

Rest or pool time at the hotel.

Visit Getsemani in the early evening. Snack and drink at Cafe Stepping Stone.

Date night at Restaurant 1621 (dinner- make the reservation in advance). Take a romantic horse carriage to the restaurant.

Day 4:

Leave for the Hotel Punta Faro at 11am right after breakfast. The pickup was a 5 min walk from the hotel.

Reach Hotel Punta Faro at 1:30 pm.

Lunch at the hotel.

Beach time and relax.

Dinner at the hotel.

Day 5:

Breakfast at the hotel.

10:00am, Panoramic boat tour to the islands. 

Beach time.

Lunch.

More beach time.

Bike around the island.

Bioluminescent Phytoplankton boat tour at 6:30 pm.- Swim with Bioluminescent Phytoplankton.

Dinner.

Day 6:

Breakfast.

10:30 am - Leave for the snorkeling tour.

Beach time.

Mommy-daughter spa time & Papa-son bike time.

Tennis.
Dinner.

Day 7:

Breakfast and Leave the hotel at 9:10 am

Reach Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa at 11:20 am.

Lunch at La Cevicheria. Make sure to wait. Have a drink at Santa Clara Hotel while you wait.

Pool time.

Visit Castillo San Felipe Fortress in the evening by car.

Dinner at Restaurant Club de Pesca. Make sure to visit it before the sunset, as it’s the most gorgeous sunset view of the harbor.

Day 8:

Breakfast at the hotel.

Pool or beach time with kids. 

Lunch at the pool.

Shopping and walk around the town.

Carmen (dinner- make a reservation in advance).

Fly back home.

Other things you could do but we did not: Cartagena Boat Tour, Visit Rosario Island, Santa Marta.

Here are some of the pictures.

ISRAEL

Information from Lisa Crawford.


Our kids loved Jordan. If you are flying into Amman, you should see Jerash (incredible Roman ruins) before you head down to Petra. (Also, if you have an extra hour in Amman, we loved King Hussein’s auto collection—amazing!) After Petra, there is Wadi Rum (like a southern Utah desert playground) and then Aqaba on the Red Sea (snorkeling, etc.). Aqaba is the easiest border crossing into Israel.

As you head north to Jerusalem, be sure to stop at Ein Bokek to float in the Dead Sea and Masada. If you have time, Ein Gedi is also a nice hike. Then go north to Sea of Galilee area. As long as you are in Israel proper (not West Bank areas) renting a car is very easy and gives you a lot of flexibility. I don’t know about your kids, but mine get bored quickly with tour guides or sites that don’t have an interactive or exploring aspect to them. Being in Jerusalem for Easter week could be awesome or could be insane. Sorry I don’t have experience with it yet. You can find out about Christian services and church opening times at http://www.cicts.org/ What I think we will do is treat Saturday as Easter, since that’s when church is anyway. And, then maybe the Garden Tomb won’t be mobbed.

Here’s an itinerary I would recommend (all my kids' favorite things):

F 4/12 (I think church in Jordan is on Friday—don’t know if you’ll get there in time)

Sa 4/13 Jerash, Amman (stay in Amman or Wadi Musa)

Su 4/14 Petra (stay in Wadi Musa or bedouin style in Wadi Rum)

M 4/15 Wadi Rum, Aqaba (stay in Aqaba)

T 4/16 Dead Sea, Masada, Ein Gedi (stay in Jerusalem)

W 4/17 Jerusalem Old City (Dome of the Rock, Tower of David Museum, ramparts walk, St. Anne’s/Pools of Bethesda) (stay in Jerusalem)

Th 4/18 Nazareth Village (a living museum demonstrating what life was like for Jesus growing up), Sea of Galilee (we loved a boat ride by Galilee Sailing), Capernaum (stay in Tiberias)

F 4/19 (Good Friday) Tel Dan, Nimrod’s Fortress, Caesarea, Jaffa for dinner (We love Old Man and the Sea) (stay in Jerusalem)

Sa 4/20 Garden Tomb, 10am church at the BYU Jerusalem Center, Mt. of Olives (Garden of Gethsemane, Orson Hyde Garden—never crowded and beautiful!) (stay in Jerusalem)

Su 4/21 (Easter Sunday) City of David, Davidson Archaeological Park, Jewish quarter (stay in Jerusalem)

M 4/22 shopping and depart