Another beautiful area filled with architecturally significant buildings in a cozy and friendly neighborhood. This area is representative of the history of the Walled City which is this part of the city. Theses are the kind of neighborhoods of our childhood. Well worth a visit!

This plaza is over on the San Diego side of the Walled City, and it comes alive at night, with musicians and dancers. There are restaurants with a lot of outdoor seating, and during the day, there are vendor stalls in the middle of the plaza. If you are already in this area, it's worth stopping by.

A beautiful busy plaza a bit away from the very centre of the old town that I happened upon by accident. It is very close to the city walls and dominated by the magnificent church at one side. Loads of shops, stalls and eateries give the place a great buzz.

A beautiful neighborhood with some of the most luxurious restaurants in the city (and the most expensiver of course). It's a very good place if you just arrived to the city and want to have a calm first dinner in the place while you plan the next days. I will encourage you to eat/drink in local places rather than in big chains.

Very bland plaza with lots of local artisans and trinket sellers plying their wares. All the restaurants around the edge are tired looking yet reasonably priced. Nothing special like the whole city.

Plaza San Diego is full of restaurants, clubs, stores, vendors and musicians. We liked to go here at night, for a snack and a drink. The lighted plaza is full of ambiance, and great for people watching - non-stop entertainment

Plaza San Diego is a fabulous place any time of day, but it is at its very best on a busy evening when the vendors are out selling, the street performers emerge, and musicians come out to entertain. Though it is fun to eat at one of the many dining establishments around the plaza (El Balcon is outstanding), it is even better to buy a cold beer at the little market across the street from El Balcon and sit down on a bench and soak in the atmosphere. The plaza is absolutely teaming with activity, and it reminds me so much of some of the more lively plazas in Spain where people of all ages and walks of life stay out until the wee hours of the morning. Before the days of air-conditioned comfort and color TVs many plazas in Latin America were like this, but unfortunately (an especially in places where it gets really hot) this kind of plaza life seems to be disappearing. In Cartagena, it is alive and well, and this is what makes it one of my favorite cities in the world. If you go to Cartagena, you absolutely must spend at least one evening at Plaza San Diego. NOTE: Pay no attention to the reviewers who complain about the supposedly obnoxious vendors around the plaza. This is how some people make their living, and you will find that most of them are actually polite and will not bother you if you nicely say you are not interested in what they are selling. To be sure, we had no problem whatsoever with the vendors anywhere in Cartagena, and in many cases we really enjoyed talking to and interacting with them.

Lots of entertainment at night-musicians are lined up to perform and make a few $, vendors-yes they are everywhere, terrace, restaurants, food vendors, music, good atmosphere.

We happened upon this small park while looking for the Hotel Santa Clara Sofitel, which we had heard was one of the oldest buildings in the Old Walled City. Its exquisite courtyard is truly an oasis from the city's oppressive heat and humidity and the furnishings in the public areas (it's okay to roam around and likely we could have had a drink there if we'd asked) are museum quality. It's a goal in itself. Tiny Plaza San Diego out front seemed tawdry in comparison, lined with mediocre bars and restaurants and souvenir shops. Ditto the square itself, where vendors held forth or else denizens sat or dozed. Perhaps we did not look closely enough but I would not call it a destination in itself unless you are staying in the immediate vicinity (and if I were staying at the Santa Clara I would never leave its confines!). As it was, our B&B was in a neighborhood a 15-minute walk from the Clock Tower entry on the other side of the Old Walled City and there were more interesting areas in which to hang out.

Cozy place just outside Sofitel Santa Clara. Nice but expensive small boutiques - ok bars and restaurants