Recently back from a Western Caribbean cruise on Norwegian Jade. Our first stop was the historic coastal city of Cartagena, Colombia. We prowled around the thoroughly walkable historic walled district. It’s a charming collection of colonial-era churches, monasteries, plazas, palaces and mansions with street after street filled with shady patios and flowering terraces.

One highlight was Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, a superfort that dates to 1536. Rebuilt and enlarged several times over the years, it became the greatest fortress Spain ever built in the Americas. It’s impressive, with sweeping views of the surrounding landscape and Cartagena’s cityscape.