Turbaco, Colombia

With a population of 115,000, Turbaco is a bustling municipality in Colombia's Bolívar Department, roughly 20 km from the major city of Cartagena. The town is known for its annual "Fiesta de Toros" celebration in December, ringing in the new year with bullfights. However, this quaint tradition belies the region's turbulent past - in 1510, Spanish explorer Juan de la Cosa was fatally wounded here before the area was conquered by Pedro de Heredia in 1533. More recently, Mexican general Antonio López de Santa Anna spent years in exile in Turbaco in the mid-19th century. While the bureaucracy can be a persistent headache, Turbaco may appeal to those seeking an authentic Colombian experience outside the major cities.