20 brilliantly colourful pictures of Colombia

Professional photographer Matt Garceau shares his experience of photographing Cartagena, Colombia.

"The nearly 500-year-old walled city of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, comprises a compact series of neighbourhoods that are surrounded by enormous Spanish walls and fortresses. Pressed right up to the Caribbean sea, the melange of aged buildings inside are painted brilliant colours of blue, yellow, orange, and green. Amidst an enticing labyrinth of architectural attractions, vibrant pink bougainvillea spills over the cracked and peeling paint in the tropical savanna climate."

"Within this setting, the artefacts, history, and people can make for a photographic tableau. Colourful ladies with bowls of fruit on their heads bob pass teenage boys selling cigarettes and sweets. Neighbours leaning out of their open windows to chat with passers by. People dance in the streets and stray cats mingle amongst the street food vendors. The scents of the streets are intoxicating and very intriguing to explore."

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A woman sells fruit on the streets

A man pushes a cart through the Gethesmane neighbourhood

The Centro Historico

Early Morning in the Centro Historico

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The Los Pegasos Statue

A wall decorated with Colombian colours

One of the many colourful doorways in the city

Cartagena looking miniature from above

The Caribbean Sea on the coast of Cartagena

A local man with a pigeon

The waters of Cartagena

Pigeons fly through a residential neighbourhood

A baseball game on the street in Gethsemane

A bride and carriage in the Centro Historico

Market stalls selling souvenirs

Yellow buildings bright against the blue sky

Private home with bougainvillea in the Centro Historico

An historic church in the city centre

Lookout along the sea front wall

India Catalina statue

You can see more of Matt's photography here. Explore more of Colombia with the Rough Guide to South America on a Budget. Compare flights, book hostels and hotels for your trip, and don’t forget to purchase travel insurance before you go.

Travel advice for Colombia

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