Cartagena sparkles with modern sophistication
The day's swelter dissipates in twilight as a makeshift bar appears in the cobbled colonial plaza. Locals sidle up for a cup of espresso -- a cozy version of the café scene a few feet away, where out-of-towners sip daquiris and snack on gourmet pizza.




Jane Wooldridge is the Miami Herald's award-winning travel editor and a genuine travel fanatic. Between her business and personal lives, she has visited much of the U.S., Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia, with a few out-of-the way stops such as Mali, Tunisia and Mongolia. A veteran of lodgings ranging from five stars to under the stars, she frequently travels alone; her husband and stepsons tag along when schedules permit. 