Located between, Fort-de-France and Saint-Pierre, the village of Le Carbet is a place of special historical importance, as it was the landing site for Cristopher Columbus' fourth and final voyage to the Caribbean in 1502. Today, this village houses some fantastic gardens, including Latouche's Creek Garden, which boasts over 200 species of tropical plants.

Visible from almost everywhere in Cartagena, the Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa all the way up the 150-metre hill known as Mount Popa. The hill got its name for resembling a poop deck of a ship. After four centuries of varied history, the convent itself is now open as a religious museum. From the top Mount Popa you’ll get the best panoramic views of Cartagena and its beaches. The fastest and least stressful way up the hill is with a taxi (be sure to haggle on the price). Important tip: if you take a taxi or a car service to this location, pay them a few pesos to wait for you to drive you back. The taxis on top are all already "reserved" and Uber drivers are not eager to drive all the way to the top to pick you up.

Enclosed within a protective wall reaching up to 20 metres in width, the Ciudad Amurallada (or Walled City) is Cartagena's old beating heart. Packed with well-preserved colonial buildings, it's a pleasure to stroll through; its streets of colourful low-rise merchant homes marked by iconic balconies are now mostly walked by either tourists or students who attend classes at the University of Cartagena during the day and linger for meals and nightlife after school is out. Cafes in Plaza Aduana and Plaza Santo Domingo teem with patrons, forging an incredibly jovial atmosphere; the districts of San Diego and El Centro are two not to be missed. There is plenty of food and shopping to be had, with a mixed bag of world-class restaurants and street food hawkers and the incredibly photogenic palenqueras — women dressed in vibrantly coloured clothing selling fruit in the streets — images of whom have become emblematic of Colombia as a travel destination.

Named after Victor Schoelcher, a leader in the fight to free slaves in the Caribbean during the 19th century, this beautiful public library is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Fort-de-France. It was first built in Paris for the 1889 World Exposition, then taken apart and shipped to Martinique to be reassembled as it is seen today.