Once synonymous with drug-related violence, Colombia has come to enjoy a measure of safety unseen since the early 1940s. Its mountain-backed capital city, Bogotá, is well worth visiting for its excellent museums and historic neighborhoods such as La Candelaria and Usaquén. But the centerpiece of any first visit to Colombia should be the exquisite walled Caribbean city of Cartagena, still surrounded by the extensive fortifications constructed to repel pirates. Its wealthy residents built elaborate mansions and palaces, many of which have now been converted into atmospheric hotels and restaurants.