Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa

Cartagena

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DESTINATIONS colombia cartagena Do & See Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa

Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa

Visible from almost everywhere in Cartagena, the Convent of Santa Cruz de la Popa all the way up the a 150-meter hill known as Mt. 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 Mt. 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). An 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.

Do & See

There is a great deal of things to do in Cartagena, even if simply taking a stroll through the city's beautifully preserved Old Town with a distinct colonial flare. Some of the highlights include an obligatory visit to the imposing Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, a walk along Cartagena's defensive ramparts, a trip to the chilling Inquisition Palace (which still contains the original torture devices used to extract "confessions"), and a deep dive into the incredibly hip neighbourhood of Getsemani, teeming with eateries and bars where locals mix and mingle with guests from far and wide.