11 Fantastic Things To Do in Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena is Colombia’s most colourful city, located in the north of the country on the Caribbean Coast. The city itself is a UNESCO world heritage site and attracts a lot of tourists who come for its beautiful beaches and vibrance but they stay to learn more about the city’s history and culture.
It’s a city with two very different areas the Old Town and Bocagrande. The Old Town is part of the city that has kept its colonial-style architecture and is home to those colourful buildings you will often see in photos. Whereas Bocagrande is sometimes referred to as little Miami you’ll find many skyscrapers, resorts, hotels, shopping malls and apartment blocks here.
The difference is striking and you’ll be able to see this from many different spots in the city, personally, I stuck to exploring the Old Town. One thing to note about Cartagena is that it is HOT, unlike other major cities in Colombia. So it’s ideal if you’re looking for some sun after a few cloudy days in Bogota.
The city is extremely well catered for tourists, in fact maybe too well, but it means you’ll find plenty of accommodations, cafes, restaurants and things to do here. And today I will share my top 11 things to do in Cartagena, Colombia, so stick around to find out more about what this city has to offer.
Explore the Old Walled City
This is the most iconic part of Cartagena, but be warned it’s the most expensive and crowded part of the city as well. I totally recommend strolling around of your own free will and taking it all in. But for those who like a bit more of a plan, here are a few spots for your list: Plaza de Bolivar, Plaza de San Pedro Claver, Iglesia de Santo Domingo, Puerta del Reloj, basically all the plazas and churches.
Another great way of exploring this part of the city is by taking a free walking tour, you’ll learn more about Cartagena this way and get a chance to ask any questions you have. In my opinion, these tours are sometimes the best way to learn about the past, present and future of a destination.
A little tip for anyone wanting some beautiful photos of the Old Walled City that don’t have 345 tourists in the background, is to get up EARLY, like sunrise early.
Take a Sunset Cruise
My personal favourite activity in Cartagena was taking a sunset cruise, so add it to your list as a must do. We went with a company called Bonavida Catamarenes and they will take you out on the waters sailing around for around 2 hours during a stunning sunset. The vibes were fantastic, drinks were flowing, music was playing, people were dancing and the views were unreal. It cost 85,000 COP per person and includes a free drink and a little bite to eat.
Another way of seeing a fabulous sunset is by going to the infamous Cafe del Mar, the spot to be at sunset with a cocktail in hand. However, if you don’t want to pay the tourist prices at Cafe del Mar another option is to buy your own tipple of choice and sit and watch the sunset from the walls of Cartagena.
Explore Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
Although named a castle, this is more of a fortress that was constructed in order to protect the city from pirates or invaders that may approach the city by land or sea. Nowadays it’s simply been preserved to allow visitors to explore the grounds and its tunnels. It’s also possible to do a guided tour in order to learn more about this historic site, entry costs 30,000 COP per person.
Spot the Sloths at Parque del Centenario
There aren’t many options for green spaces in Cartagena, but make sure to visit Parque del Centenario. You’ll find vendors selling everything from second-hand books to grape juice, I also loved the man with a trumpet that was always playing by the fountain, so peaceful. Randomly you will be able to see sloths, monkeys, iguanas and who knows what other animals in this park, just look for the people pointing their cameras at trees.
Check out the Street Art in Getsemani
Getsemani was by far my favourite area in Cartagena, it has a very vibrant feel and there was captivating street art everywhere you went. Whilst you are mooching around the murals you will also come across many people selling artwork or even creating pieces on the street. If I could have packed a few canvases in my 40L backpack I would have.
With plenty of cafes and restaurants in this area, you won’t go too hungry but don’t be surprised if someone starts singing, rapping or dancing in front of you. These types of performances are pretty common here and it doesn’t hurt to have a little small change in your pocket.
Swim in the Blue Waters of the Rosario Islands
People often think Cartagena is a beach destination and whilst it does have beaches, they aren’t necessarily the best. However, fear not, if you want to get out and spend the day on the beach take a day trip to the Rosario Islands. You can spend the day on a catamaran stopping at different snorkelling spots, or you could get a day pass to a resort or beach club.
We took a day tour to the resort Islabela, where the waters were a gorgeous turquoise colour and the surroundings were peaceful, an absolute 10 out of 10 day. If you are after more of a party than relaxation Isla Cholon or Bora Bora beach club might be more for you.
Discover more day tours to the Rosario Islands here ——>
Visit San Basilio de Palenque
San Basilio de Palenque is a small town around an hour from Cartagena and was the first free town for enslaved people in the Americas. It’s unknown the exact date the town was founded but it’s thought to have been in the 16th century by Benkos Biohó, a former African king who escaped a slave port in Cartagena.
You’ll find plenty of day tours to Palenque where you can learn more about the town and its history. Our walking tour guide in Cartagena told us the enslaved used to create secret maps to Palenque within their hair braids.
Also, you will see many ‘palenqueras’ around the old town of Cartagena and undoubtedly in photos of the city. They are the gorgeous women in vibrant dresses, often with fruit baskets on their heads and have become a symbol of Cartagena worldwide.
Hop on a Chiva Party Bus
You won’t be able to miss these brightly coloured buses and come night time they turn into quite the party. Drinks flow, and music is blasted all whilst zooming around the city of Cartagena, if you looking to join in on the fun head to nearby the Muelle de los Pegasos and ask around.
Get Muddy at Totumo Volcano
Totumo Volcano is located around 1.5 hours outside the city and most people choose to go on a tour. This is actually considered an active volcano but an active mud volcano, whatever that means. Who knows you might see mud shooting meters high into the sky. Personally, I couldn’t get on board with getting covered in mud, but supposedly it has healing properties, so no judgment here if you want to check it out, it’s certainly unique.
See Plaza Trinidad Come Alive at Night
Plaza Trinidad is the heart of the Getsemani neighbourhood and at night it will be bustling with people, especially at the weekend. You’ll find many people gathering here for a beer and a bite to eat, we also saw a few very impressive dance performances. I can’t quite capture the feeling of this square at night so just go see it for yourself.
After this you have a few options, head down the nearby umbrella street (not its official name but you’ll see) for a budget-friendly cocktail or five. Another option is to go salsa dancing the night away at the famous Cafe Havana in Getsemani. And if your wanting a slightly quieter evening there is a lovely Italian restaurant just off the Plaza Trinidad called Di Silvo Trattoria that I highly recommend.
Drink a Cup of Colombian Coffee
As the third-highest coffee-producing country in the world, it would be wrong to visit Colombia without experiencing a cup. Most locals drink what is known as ‘tinto’ essentially just a small black coffee, you’ll find many street vendors in Cartagena selling it if you would like to try it. However don’t be surprised if you don’t like it as it’s usually low-quality coffee, but it’s a fan favourite in Colombia.
If you are more of a fan of a cappuccino or an iced latte then head to the famous Cafe San Alberto just off the Plaza Santa Domingo, I even managed to convert Josh into drinking coffee here. Libertario in Getsemani was another cafe with a good cup of Colombian roasted coffee.
Getting to and Around Cartagena, Colombia
In all honestly we walked between most attractions in Cartagena, therefore didn’t really need to use much transport. But there is Uber in the city and this is what we used for getting to the airport and it was super simple and affordable.
We got the bus from Santa Marta to Cartagena and chose to go with MarSol, nothing super fancy but did the job. It took about 4/5 hours and cost 60,000 COP per person the advantage of this was their drop-off point in Cartagena was only about 5 minutes in a Uber from the Old Town, as the regular bus terminal is located a lot further from the Old Town.
Colombia Travel Tips
The national currency of Colombia is the Colombian Peso or COP. Two things about the currency you may often see it written with the dollar symbol and also if you see prices written like this ‘$25” it most likely means 25,000 COP.
You’ll find in the large cities of Colombia such as Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena you will be able to pay by card for most things. However, outside of the cities, you will most likely need to pay in cash or if you can pay on a card you may incur a fee.
We didn’t have a problem taking cash out however a lot of ATM charge a fee, this blog post shows the different banks and which ones are fee-free.
The national language of Colombia is Spanish, not only is it respectful to know the odd phrase, I also think your trip becomes a lot easier if you have a basic understanding. Whether you watch some TV shows in Spanish, take some Spanish classes or just simply download Duolingo to practice, I think it’s important.
The plug sockets in Colombia are type A and B, which is the same as in the US, so unless you have US chargers you will need a travel adaptor. I always recommend the worldwide ones as you can be ready for anything and also it allows you to charge multiple things at once.
There is a popular saying among Colombians “no dar papaya” which basically means don’t be an easy target. Don’t flash valuables or cash, keep phones and wallets secure and close to you and have a fabulous but safe trip.
The weather in Colombia depends more on location than the season. Mostly it’s a country that has 2 seasons, dry and wet. You’ll find it’s warmer in the north e.g. Santa Marta, Cartagena and the further south you go it gets a little cooler. The weather in Medellin is described as ‘eternal spring’ and the high altitude in Bogota makes for a much cooler climate.
In terms of transport around Colombia, the fastest way is normally by taking a flight, the main airlines are Wingo, LatAm and Avianca, I usually found Wingo to be the most budget-friendly. However the most affordable way is by taking buses, you’ll find many long-distance buses available, just expect nothing to arrive on time and be extremely patient with these buses.
Cartagena is such a fantastic destination to visit in Colombia, just keep in mind the Old Town, in particular, is very much catered to tourists. This means you will likely be offered tours and sold to in the streets, if you not interested just smile and give a ‘no gracias’ and they will most likely leave you to your day. It’s all part of the experience of Cartagena, so embrace it.
Have you been to Cartagena before, share your favourite moments of the city in the comments below.
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