Crooned ballads and the smell of fresh bougainvillea fill the air in Colombia's most romantic city, Cartagena. Painted in soft hues of yellow and burnt orange, buildings in the Ciudad Amurallada (Walled City) evoke a fairytale setting. Visitors can't help feeling like protagonists in their own private telenovela as they stare into the Caribbean from atop the city walls. Stroll through peaceful streets lined with Spanish Colonial architecture, visit art galleries in Getsemani, or head to an open-air café for silky tres leches cake and a refreshing mojito. With its mix of trendy Bocagrande shops, its enviable beaches, and its impressive history, Cartagena has ample reason to claim the title of South America's go-to getaway.