What to do in Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena Colombia is a city for lovers and romance. It’s for sunset lovers and cobblestone street shoppers. It’s a perfectly preserved historical city with original graffiti perfectly melded to the canvas.
Cartagena is a european-style gem located along the carribean coastline of Colombia. It’s narrow cobblestone streets are peppered with cornerside cafes that spill over into the streets, courtyards that take up a full square block in the middle of the city, fruit stand and local artists on every corner, it’s somewhere that you can wear a white linen shirt with a fedora and your date can wear a wonderful flowy dress as you both enjoy a glass of wine on a castle as the sun sneaks behind the horizon.
Cartagena was built for Instagram models long before Instagram existed. To sum it up, Cartagena is simply lovely. And in this post I hope to give you some good direction and tips to make your stay there as enjoyable as mine.
Which neighborhood to stay in Cartagena
Centro Old City
The Old City of Cartagena is a perfectly preserved colonial neighborhood with narrow cobblestone streets and amazing local restaurants and coffee shops. The entire neighborhood is surrounded by old castle walls scaling about 20 feet high and 30 feet wide on the top. You’re able to walk along the top of the walls at your leisure with payments or gates, just walk up the ramps and enjoy the scenery. There are even a few bars and lounge areas on the Caribbean side of the walls, which are coincidentally the best places to watch the sun set each evening.
Shopping in the Old City is delightful, you’ll find everything from designer brands to street vendors and local shops.
There are also a ton of great restaurants with amazing seafood and international foods to enjoy. The bar scene is relatively light but there are a few places to go in the evening.
There are a few hotels and no shortage of AirBnBs in the Old City.
Getsemani
Getsemani is the hip neighborhood, filled with hostels and backpackers, bars, and clubs, and some great street food. Getsemani is going to be the solo traveler's neighborhood. Stay in one of the many hostels here, make friends, and explore the city as you pass through.
Getsemani is also directly next to the Centro Old City walls so you will be getting the best of both worlds.
Bocagrande
Bocagrande is for the traveler looking for a little bit more modern/Miami style section of the city then the Bocagrande area would be it. Here you’ll find skyscrapper hotel/resorts and luxury apartment AirBnBs. If you’re a fancy pants who requires modern amenities (no shame) then stay here.
What to do in Cartagena
Go to the Beaches
Playa Blanca
Cartagena is not known for its beaches directly in the city so head an hour south to Playa Blanca for crystal clear waters and a shit ton of people. It is seriously packed but not so badly that you won’t be able to find space. Locals are all over with everything from fresh lobster (and any other seafood) out of their shanty restaurants to jet skis and banana boats pulled right up to the beach.
There are more than enough buses or boats that will take you to Playa Blanca. Bring cash.
Rosario Islands
This one is another day trip but I LOVED it. Overall it's pretty bare bones. We stayed there for a few nights in a hostel that was really more or less camping. It's not relaxing on a beach chair sipping a cocktail type beach but more like a staying at a hostel with mosquito nets, showering for 2 hours a day, and semi-camping type beach. BUT IT'S GORGEOUS! And there's so many activities! We went kayaking through mangroves and snorkeled with the bioluminescent plankton (I saw so many squids too!) And there's a beach party every night so I do recommend staying at least a night.
The town is very poor and there aren’t too many places to eat (3) but there's one place that's super cheap with really fresh seafood that’s really worth trying.
Bocagrande
The beach in Cartagena proper. The water is choppy and it kinda feels tacky. We stopped here after we arrived at our AirBnB at like 3pm so it was more out of convenience. It’s more of a “I’m really hungover and saltwater cures everything” kind of beach.
Get lost in the Old City and Getsemani
Go to Cafe Havana in Getsemani for the best salsa dancing in Cartagena.
Seriously, just roam around. Take a stroll through the streets and see where it takes you. There are so many little shops and food stands to get caught up in.
Some bars/restaurants of note were:
Cafe Havana is the #1 night stop in Cartagena. It’s a packed salsa dancing bar/club with wonderful live brass music. If you’re coming here be ready to get out maneuvered by some real dance machines.
La Cevicheria is the place to go if you like ceviche. It’s fresh and they have so many unique variations.
Marzola Parrilla Argentina
Peru Fusion
KGB Bar is a neat themed bar dedicated to the glory days of the Soviet Union. Enjoy Moscow Mules and people watch amongst the walls of propaganda posters.
Las Bovedas Las Bovedas are some neat local shops in old stockyards, however, I found most of the items to be your typical tourist trinkets. Go for the photo but save your money. Everywhere in the old city is fun to walk to and relatively close. It’s worth passing by as you explore.
Watch the sunset on the wall at Cafe Del Mar or Baluarte San Francisco Javier.
Del Mar is more of a restaurant and Baluarte San Francisco Javier is more of an open air cocktail lounge. Both are on top of the Old City Wall.
Castilla de San Felipe de Barajas
An easy to get to castle near the central city. You can take some walking tours or explore it yourself. I don’t recall the price of admission but it wasn’t much. If you do it quickly you could cruise through in an hour (it’s actually pretty darn large). I’d pencil it in for about 2-3 hours.
Take a Street Food Tour
There are so many good fruits that you can’t really get anywhere else like sweet granadilla, narajilla, maracuya, gulupa, and so on. Not to mention the arepas and empanadas. And so many others. Either guide yourself or find a local group to take you on a tour of the many different street foods of Cartagena.
Getsemani Street Art
Getsemani is also known for great street art. You will be hard-pressed to find a bare wall as you explore the main streets of this vibrant neighborhood. Take out your camera and find the statement piece that speaks most to you!
Visit Santa Cruz del Islote
This tiny little island in the caribbean is about 90 minutes from Cartagena and is known for being one of the most densely populated places on Earth. The entire artificial island covers 2 acres and is home to over 1,200 full-time residents. Definitely a unique place to visit if you’re one of those “I have to do things nobody else does” tourists.
Iglesia de San Pedro Claver and Convento de la Popa
If you’re a church nut then these are the two to visit. Iglesia de San Pedro is the main church in the middle of the old city. You’ll pass by it eventually as it’s in one of the main courtyard areas. It’s a great photo-opp and well preserved architecture. The Convento de la Popa on the other hand, is a convent high up in the hills overlooking all of Cartagena. There is a bus that will take you to the top but any taxi will get you there as well.