Plaza de Las Bóvedas

Las Bóvedas (The Vaults) form part of Cartagena’s Old City walls, positioned between Santa Clara and Santa Catalina forts. Originally built as dungeons in the late 1700s, with bombproof chambers and 47 porticos, these thick-walled spaces served successively as Spanish military storage, 19th-century prison cells (where seawater flooded inmates at high tide), and later as republican garrisons. Today, the vaults house 23 shops selling Colombian crafts and souvenirs. While most stalls offer similar Cartagena-themed items, you also find handmade artisan works like wall hangings and sculptures by local artists. The arched passageways, now shaded by ancient porticos, make for a distinctive shopping experience with Caribbean Sea views from the upper levels.