El Arcón

Cartagena


This impressive place housed in a handsome colonial mansion is the best antiques shop in the walled city, a veritable treasure trove of art, furniture and various curios that's well worth searching out if you'd like a truly memorable souvenir of your time in Colombia.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cartagena attractions

1. Iglesia de Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo

0.13 MILES

Erected between 1666 and 1732, this gorgeous church received a full renovation in 2015. Its ceiling is covered with Mudejar paneling, while its pink-and…

2. Las Murallas

0.18 MILES

The Old Town is surrounded by Las Murallas, the thick walls built to protect it. Construction was begun toward the end of the 16th century after the…

3. Monumento a la India Catalina

0.19 MILES

The monument at the main entrance to the Old Town from the mainland is a tribute to the Carib people, the group that inhabited this land before the…

4. Las Bóvedas

0.22 MILES

The bóvedas are 23 dungeons built between 1792 and 1796 and hidden within the 15m-thick city walls. They were the last major construction project carried…

5. Casa de Rafael Núñez

0.29 MILES

This charming mansion, just outside the walls of Las Bóvedas, was the home of the former president, lawyer and poet Rafael Núñez. He wrote the words of…

6. Plaza de los Coches

0.37 MILES

Previously known as Plaza de la Yerba, the triangular plaza just behind Puerta del Reloj was once used as a market for enslaved people. It is lined with…

7. Puerta del Reloj

0.37 MILES

Originally called the Boca del Puente, this was the main gateway to the inner walled town and was linked to Getsemaní by a drawbridge over the moat. The…

8. Catedral

0.4 MILES

Work on Cartagena’s cathedral began in 1575, but in 1586, while still under construction, it was partly destroyed by the cannons of Francis Drake. The…