TravelWorld International Magazine Summer 2024

The Buccaneers and
Brethren of the Coast
When Spain conquered Central and South America
in the 1500s-1600s, they had one problem: how to
get the stolen treasures back home? They decided to
assemble huge fleets at the largest port on the Atlantic,
Cartagena, Columbia. Here, under the protection
of a fortress, Spanish soldiers could bring the gold,
silver, and emeralds they plundered and stow them on
heavily armed warships for the final dash to Europe. Of
course, also waiting in ships just offshore were pirates.
One of them was the famous privateer, Sir Frances
Drake. In 1586, he attacked and sacked Cartagena.
Incredibly, the Cartagena headquarters used by the
pirate El Draque is still there. With its massive iron
doors and stone walls, it is a wonderful place to begin
a tour of stunningly beautiful Old Town Cartagena.
The UNESCO World Heritage City is surrounded by
11 km of walls, making it the largest walled city in
South America. While the ramparts are brimming with
cannons and towers, inside the walls, the town is filled
with pleasant cobblestone streets lined with shops,
hotels, and homes painted a rainbow of pastel colors.
Two dozen horse-drawn carriages clatter around at
night, and with old lanterns glowing under palm trees,
it’s a romantic dream of a pirate haven.
The walls of Cartagena are studded and cannons, many of
which have been turned into bars and restaurants
Pirate ship boat rides are available in Cartagena
Colorful Cartagena. Women in traditional outfits will
pose for $1 along the pastel-colored streets.
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You can learn about the real pirates who attacked
Cartagena at the Naval Museum (exhibits in Spanish
only, but English guides available) or at the massive
San Felipe de Barajas Castle, the largest single fort in
the Americas, built on a hill above the town. Why
build a fortress on a hill instead of in the harbor?
Because that’s how Drake attacked and sacked the city.
The romantic streets of Cartagena are lit by historic lanterns.
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Pirate exhibit in
the Naval Museum
in Cartagena
The wildly colorful streets of Cartagena which are
lined with flowering trees.
San Felipe de Barajas Castle, the largest fortress in South America.
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