Altos de Chavon is, perhaps, a rather unlikely attraction for the Dominican Republic – it is a recreation of a 16th-century Mediterranean village (adjacent to the Casa de Campo resort), complete with dining, shopping and entertainment. There is an on-site Grecian-style amphitheater that plays host to major performances and concerts, and views over Rio Chavon from here are spectacular, too.

The Multiplaza shopping center contains over 80 stores and boutiques, a varied food court (with international and local fast food eateries represented), essentials such as pharmacies and banks, a modern 7-screen cinema with a frequently updated movie list, and a gym.

Enclosed within a protective wall reaching up to 20 metres in width, the Ciudad Amurallada (or Walled City) is Cartagena's old beating heart. Packed with well-preserved colonial buildings, it's a pleasure to stroll through; its streets of colourful low-rise merchant homes marked by iconic balconies are now mostly walked by either tourists or students who attend classes at the University of Cartagena during the day and linger for meals and nightlife after school is out. Cafes in Plaza Aduana and Plaza Santo Domingo teem with patrons, forging an incredibly jovial atmosphere; the districts of San Diego and El Centro are two not to be missed. There is plenty of food and shopping to be had, with a mixed bag of world-class restaurants and street food hawkers and the incredibly photogenic palenqueras — women dressed in vibrantly coloured clothing selling fruit in the streets — images of whom have become emblematic of Colombia as a travel destination.