Calle de la Sierpe (Serpent Street), Cartagena

The first thing you notice on Calle de la Sierpe (Serpent Street) is the bright colors on the walls and the flags hanging over your head as you walk. Looping around from Calle Media Luna to the emblematic Plaza de la Trinidad (a place where important historical events once took place, determining the independence of Cartagena and consequently that of Colombia), this street – also known as Calle 29 – has a great deal of historical importance attached to it. However, it is the abundance of urban art illustrating the legends and mysteries surrounding Calle de la Sierpe's past that makes it one of the most popular destinations in the city.

Indeed, the ubiquitous graffiti here is the main attraction; found practically everywhere – on the walls, doors, and windows, and sometimes even on ruined buildings, – they effectively turn the area into one big photo op.

Standing out among them, in particular, are the two artworks: the Grinning Afro-Colombian Woman, and La Sierpe. The former – a large, striking mural by Dexs – is one of the most photographed pieces of street art in Cartagena. As for the latter (La Sierpe), this depiction of a half-woman, half-snake refers to a legend that gave the street its name.

Back in 1608, locals were often bothered by a hissing sound at night that came from what seemed like a big creature crawling on the ground, making a rattling noise. Gripped by fear, the people complained to the city mayor, Don Antonio de Viloria, who bravely ventured out several nights to find out the cause of it. One night, he finally managed to unveil the mystery – a giant rattlesnake! The serpent appeared out of nowhere, with its menacing phosphorescent eyes, wriggling and noisily shaking the large rattles on its tail.

The mayor, armed with courage and the magic technique he had learned on the island of Santa Domingo, drew some magical figures in the air, immediately after which the snake started to writhe and transformed into a woman, who happened to be a witch. The sorceress begged for forgiveness and implored clemency. According to the legend, she was imprisoned until 1614 when the Holy Inquisition Court sentenced her to 200 lashes and final banishment – for heresy.

As you venture further down the street, keep your eyes peeled for the depictions of indigenous people, as well as some other images, to get a sense of the fascinating ethnic diversity of the local population.