August is probably not the ideal time to visit Colombia, but a time share exchange was available and we decided it would be as good a time as any!
Jet Blue flight from Portland to Cartagena with just a five hour flight from JFK to CTG was perfect. We spent the first night in Cartagena at Casa del Curato, situated right in the center of Cartagena’s old city. We had the evening to explore and were immediately taken with the lovely, and beautifully restored old buildings. The hotel desk clerk arranged for us to be picked up (Marsol) and be transported via small bus to Santa Marta – a 200+ mile drive. I’d read reviews of Marsol, some of which were favorable, and others not! However, despite the crazy driving of all vehicles on the roads and the fact that we stopped VERY frequently to drop off or pick people up, and ran all over the city of Baranquilla, we made it to Santa Marta in just over 4 hours!!! We were most relieved at our decision to NOT rent a car whilst in Colombia!!