Nestled along the sunny shores of the Caribbean Sea in Colombia, Cartagena is a city brimming with old-world charm and vibrant streets. We interviewed a local travel expert to find out the best things to do in Cartagena and what to avoid. You will find all these answers below in this complete Cartagena travel guide.
Cartagena feels like stepping into a living history book, where cobblestone pathways wind past brightly adorned buildings bursting with colorful flowers. We instantly fell in love with the city when we arrived.
Before getting to Cartagena, we were in Medellin for a month. Medellin has many positives but it doesn’t hold a candle to Cartagena in my opinion.
In addition to its vibrant atmosphere, it’s also a culinary delight! If you love fresh seafood, you will be in heaven!
With its abundance of activities, you will never be bored in Cartagena either. You can unwind on picturesque beaches or embark on boat excursions to nearby islands. Enjoy street performances or dance to lively music and so much more.
Our Cartagena travel guide details all of the best things to do in Cartagena, what not to do, family-friendly activities, where to stay in Cartagena and some excellent choices for restaurants.
Now, let’s get to it!
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Meet Our Local Cartagena Travel Expert
We met Anita during our amazing walking tour of the walled city the first weekend of our stay in Cartagena. Read all about this incredible walking tour here. We couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the city.
Anita taught us so much interesting history. We got to see beautiful landmarks and ended up with endless recommendations for things to do in Cartagena and delicious restaurants to try.
When I decided to interview locals on my blog to get their advice on travel destinations, Anita was an easy choice, and she happily agreed to help me write this Cartagena travel guide.
Anita was born in Cartagena but moved away shortly after she was born and grew up in Bogotá. She came back with her husband about 10 years ago to build her travel business while her husband worked as an engineer.
Her work in tourism started when she opened a small hostel in Cartagena. Now she leads informative guided tours through Airbnb experiences.
Best Time To Visit Cartagena
Cartagena is hot year round with a rainy season and dry season. There is no wrong time to visit Cartagena.
Peak Season
The dry season is between December and March and it also coincides with peak travel season. We visited during this time of year, and it was sunny and hot almost every day.
Peak season also means the highest prices for flights, activities and hotels, though. Colombia as a whole is fairly cheap, but Cartagena is the most expensive city in the country to visit. Consider traveling at a different time if you are looking to save money.
Off Season
Visiting Cartagena during the rainy season shouldn’t deter you from a visit. The off season in Cartagena is between May and November. You will find the best prices during this time and the least amount travelers. It is a great option if you don’t mind a short, mid-day shower.
The city only gets about 40 inches of rainfall annually and much of that is concentrated during October and November. So, I would really only recommend avoiding those two months.
Shoulder Season
If you looking for the best time to visit Cartagena for the best price, I would aim for September or April. This is when you will find the lower costs than peak season and less chance of rain.
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Top 5 Attractions In Cartagena
Like all my local travel guides, I researched multiple blogs and found what are said to be the best things to do in Cartagena, Colombia. Below are the 5 most popular attractions with Anita’s ratings and tips.
Explore The Walled City
The walled city is the best place to visit in Cartagena. There are so many different places to explore. I would highly recommend taking a tour with Anita to see all of the different neighborhoods.
There are 4 sections of the walled city that are very distinct. Getsemani is the hub of amazing art and boasts a colorful graffiti scene. It is safe day and night and fun to explore at all hours. If you are looking to buy art from a local artist, this is where to go.
San Diego is Anita’s favorite part of the walled city because it is calm, has beautiful landscapes, architecture, colorful houses and spectacular squares. It is also my favorite part too! You can wander the gorgeous streets here and not have to worry about crowds of people. It is just you and the flowers!
Centro is a very stunning section of the walled city but it can get a little busy. This area was home to the richest families, so the buildings are large and impressive. Many of them have been transformed into hotels.
Be sure to check out Anita’s favorite square, Plaza de San Pedro Claver, which is in El Centro.
The last section of the walled city is La Matuna. This area is the business center and not very pretty. This area of Cartagena was redone shortly before it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and now is stuck in the 1970s. There’s no need to visit this area of the city.
Visit The Beaches In Cartagena
Private Clubs And Hotels On Rosario Islands, Baru And Tierra Bomba
The best beaches in and around Cartagena are out of the city. You can arrange to get there through a travel agency or book the tours on your own.
If you are looking to use a travel agency, we recommend La Costeña. The best way to contact them is through WhatsApp: +573235778707. We used La Costeña to book our day trip to the Rosario Islands. They were very helpful and easy to work with.
You can read more about our day trip to the Rosario Islands here if you are interested in what it is like.
Barú
La Isla Baru is a gorgeous place to visit on day trip or as an overnight. The resort we picked was on the end of this stunning peninsula. Isla Baru can be accessed by water or by car depending on where you are going on the island. We could only get to the resort we chose by boat and it took about 45 minutes to get there from Cartagena.
If you are interested in staying overnight in Barú, Anita recommends the Sofitel. It is a very nice place to stay, especially with kids. If the Sofitel is out of your budget, another couple of great options are Hotel Playa Manglares and Carey Beach Barú.
Rosario Islands
For the Rosario Islands, Anita recommends going to Islabela. You can take a day trip to Islabela or stay the night.
The Rosario Islands are also about 45 minutes to an hour boat ride from Cartagena.
If you have more than 5 people, a fun way to get around the islands is to rent a private boat and island hop. You can go to a nice place like Mangata for lunch.
To party, go to Cholon. This is the party beach and is not recommended if you are visiting Cartagena with kids.
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Tierra Bomba
Makani is the club to visit on Tierra Bomba for a day trip. This luxury resort is perfect for the family too with its separate section for kids. You can stay the night on Makani, but it is quite pricey.
Tierra Bomba is a short boat ride away from Cartagena (only 15 minutes), so if you are looking for a private beach to visit without spending an hour on a boat each way, this is the island to visit.
You can also stay the night on Tierra Bomba at a more affordable rate. We recommend Vista Mare Beach House or Fenix Beach Cartagena.
Public Beaches On Baru
The beaches such as Playa Tranquila and Playa Blanca on Barú are cheaper to get to than going to a private hotel or club but they come with negatives as well.
The beaches themselves are more beautiful than the ones next to the city, so it can be worth the drive or boat ride out to them. The only reason I would choose the beaches in Bocagrande or Castillo Grande is if you are staying in this area and can easily walk to them.
The downsides to the public beaches on Baru are that many vendors walk the beaches and will frequently ask if you would like to purchase from them. It is convenient, in a way, because you can get what you would like as you are spending the day there. However, it also makes it hard to relax and is a little annoying when you are being approached all of the time.
There is also only one place to put trash, so these beaches can be a little dirty.
Public Cartagena Beaches – Boca Grande And Castillo Grande
The beaches in Boca Grande and Castillo Grande are popular due to their proximity to many hotels and apartments. The sand, however, makes the water a grayish color, so they aren’t really that pretty. Just like the public beaches in Baru, there are plenty of vendors around to sell to you.
Boca Grande’s beach has bigger waves and there are small restaurants and bars on the beach. Our kids loved jumping in the waves here. Our Airbnb was right on this beach making it very convenient for us to visit.
There is a strong current on the Boca Grande beach, so you will need to be careful. Lifeguards have stations up and down the beach and will ask everyone to leave the water at 5:30pm.
The beach in Castillo Grande is much calmer. The waves are smaller and it is less of a party scene. These beaches are better for families with small children.
Again, the only reason I would visit these beaches is if you are staying within walking distance of them. They can be fun, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get to them.
Enjoy The Cartagena Nightlife
Go Dancing
Colombians love to dance and if you do too, Cartagena has some excellent places to move those hips. If you are able, it is one of the best things to do in Cartagena.
Cafe Havana in Getsemani is a great place to go salsa dancing in Cartagena. The architecture in the building is beautiful and iconic. They also have amazing bands that play there.
Note: There is a 60,000 COP cover charge at Cafe Havana, which is about $15 dollars per person.
For a cheaper and more authentic experience, locals and other Colombians go to Donde Fidel to salsa dance. It is right in El Centro. There’s no cover and the beer is cheap; however, they don’t always have live bands.
La Movida in El Centro is another good place to go with more popular music.
Important: Bars are only open until 1am on the weekdays and 2am on the weekends.
Hop On A Chiva In The Evening
If you want to party like a local Colombian, you should hop on a Chiva. It is very Colombian!
Not all Chivas are equal, though. You will need to look for the fun ones. Some people just sit on the Chiva and listen to music, but as Anita pointed out to me, the point is to party!!! Get up and dance!
Think of a Chiva tour as a small tour of the city with dancing in the evening. They go around to different places such as the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, the bronze boots and the Cartagena sign.
Book a tour like this one on Viator or this one on Get Your Guide.
You can also book a private Chiva for 2 hours, but this only really makes sense if you are traveling with 30 of your closest friends.
I wouldn’t recommend this tour if you are traveling with kids. My children did think it was fun to watch them drive by our apartment in the evening though.
Visit The Mud Volcano
The Mud Volcano is an attraction with mixed reviews. Anita doesn’t like it as it is small, crowded and stinky. Those things alone kept our family away.
Most tours combine the mud volcano with a stop at Galerazamba which is the pink sea that you can visit in the dry season. This is more interesting to Anita than the mud volcano itself, but it is only for viewing and a photo opportunity.
Please note: The pink sea is not pink in the rainy season due to the rain. The best time to see it from December to April. The later into the dry season, the more vibrant the colors will be.
This could also just be a personal preference, so if you like the effects of the vitamins that you get from splashing around in the mud, you might enjoy this activity.
Go To The Local Market Bazurto
A visit to the local market, Bazurto, is not recommended by Anita. Where it can be nice to try the fresh fruit from the market, there are other places around the city where you can buy fruit from vendors.
The Bazurto market can get very crowded and dirty. It is held in the street, there are rats, and it’s smelly. Buy your fruit somewhere else!
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Additional Family-Friendly Activities
The following things to do in Cartagena are all family-friendly attractions recommended by Anita. Since we are a traveling family, it is nice to have a few kid-specific things to add to your itinerary. Here are our Cartagena travel guide recommendations for kids.
Check Out The Aviary
The Aviario Nacional is great place to visit in Cartagena for the whole family. According to their website, there are 1700 birds from 170 species. Costs are 85,000 COP for adults and 58,000 COP for children, which is roughly $22 for adults and $15 dollars for kids.
Anita says it’s a beautiful aviary with so many bird and her kids are always happy when they go there.
The aviary is on the Barú peninsula. Combine going to the aviary in the morning and a beach, like Playa Blanca, in the afternoon for a nice day in Cartagena.
Go Snorkeling
One of the best things to do in Cartagena with kids is to go snorkeling. Your kids will love seeing all of the small fish around the coral reefs.
If you book a trip to the Rosario Islands or Baru, find one that includes snorkeling or one where you can add it on for a small additional fee.
Another option is to specifically book a day of snorkeling with a company like Paraiso Dive Cartagena. They will take your family to less crowded areas in the Rosario Islands away from the big tours.
Rent a SUP
You can rent a stand up paddle board at Karib Kayak & Paddle Center or a few other companies in the area for a pretty inexpensive amount.
This is a wonderful way to get out on the water and see the Castillo Grande area from another perspective.
Go On A Pirate Ship At Sunset
There are actually a couple of options for boarding a pirate ship at sunset in Cartagena. The Phantom pirate ship is the larger option that you will notice docked in the bay when you drive by. This is a relaxing tour with drinks included.
The other option, and the one our family really enjoyed, was La Fantástica. This pirate ship is definitely smaller than the Phantom, but what it lacks in size they make up with fun.
They brought out pirate costumes and play swords for the kids and even shot off a cannon (kinda – fireworks 😆) at the Phantom ship! It was so much fun! I would highly recommend it.
Read more about our experience on La Fantástica here.
Additional Cartagena Recommendations
I wanted to include one hidden gem in this Cartagena travel guide. It is one recommendation that Anita says is not to miss if you have time to visit.
Visit The Town Of Palenque
Palenque is a small town 30 miles from Cartagena. Palenque is known as the first free town of the Americas and is recognized by UNESCO as the Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005 (according to Latina Republic). This village has relied on tourism for many years. It is a great place to have a cultural experience.
The lady pictured above is from this community and comes to Cartagena to earn money. You can support them by taking your picture with them for a small amount.
The best way to experience Palenque is through is a tour. This way you can learn about the people’s culture and their rich history. Click here to book a Palenque Tour.
Where To Stay In Cartagena With Kids
There are a few different areas of Cartagena that are nice to stay in. It will depend on what you are looking for in a hotel and what is important to you.
Here are my recommendations for where to stay in Cartagena with kids.
The Walled City – El Centro, San Diego and Getsemani
The city center of Cartagena is one of the best places to base yourself. You will be within walking distance of many of the attractions making transportation easy. Here are a few hotels I recommend:
- Casa Morales Cartagena by Soho – An amazing family-friendly hotel right in the heart of Getsemani. Has large rooms that are perfect for big families, a pool and a/c.
- La Passion by Masaya – A beautifully decorated hotel in El Centro with a few different spacious room options for families, including a family room.
- Hotel Bantu by Faranda Boutique – I love the style of this hotel in San Diego with a very refreshing rooftop pool and friendly staff!
Bocagrande
Staying in the modern area of Cartagena comes with a few perks. The closeness to the beaches is the main one. There are also many great restaurants in this area.
You will have to hop in a taxi to get to many of the things to do in Cartagena, however.
Here are a couple of great hotel options for Bocagrande:
- Hyatt Regency Cartagena – Best part of this hotel is the infinity pool! But also it has amazing room set ups for families. It is not as pretty as a boutique hotel, but you will enjoy the amenities.
- Hotel Dann – We stayed next to Hotel Dann in an Airbnb and our kids were always jealous of this hotel. The pool was bigger, cleaner and always in the sun. The direct access to the beach is fantastic! In addition, they have good room options for families as well.
Cartagena Restaurants And Bars
The restaurants and bars in Cartagena are top notch. Below are Anita’s recommendations for the best places to eat in Cartagena, Colombia.
Restaurants With A Remarkable View
Alyzia at Movich Hotel – Make a reservation to eat at the Movich Hotel rooftop bar, Alyzia. The food and drinks are delicious, but what really makes it is the views, especially at sunset. It is a restaurant I have been dreaming about returning to when we go back to Cartagena.
Mirador – Another amazing option for a rooftop experience right next to the clock tower.
Botika – For rooftop views of the sea in an upscale gorgeous hotel, try Botika.
51 Sky Bar – Want to hit the rooftops of Bocagrande? Check out 51 Sky Bar for the views and drinks. Not know for their food, so dine elsewhere.
Delicious Local Cuisine
Celele – Contemporary Caribbean food with Colombian flare in Getsemani.
Top Breakfast Joint
Beiyu – The best place for a fresh and delicious breakfast. They are temporarily closed as they are moving and upgrading their space. Check the link to see if they have reopened during your trip. I will check periodically and update this post when they have reopened their doors.
Best Lunch
Cancha – Delicious seafood. If you like ceviche, get it here. I did and it was incredible.
La Mulata – Latin, Caribbean food that is fresh, honest and a decent price.
Cusco – Peruvian food in the heart of El Centro.
Notable Dinner
Cande – One of the most well-known and top rated restaurants in Cartagena. Delicious seafood and has vegetarian and vegan options as well.
Carmen – One of the best meals we had in Cartagena was at Carmen. Located in a beautiful little building in San Diego.
Ana – Asian and Caribbean fusion.
1621 Restaurant – Michelin star restaurant
