We were really anxious to visit Cartagena. During our family gap year we really craved beaches and beautiful historic places. Cartagena fills both of those desires. When we first arrived we wanted to learn more about this stunning city, so we booked a Cartagena walking tour.
And I’m so glad we did. It was the perfect introduction to the city. We learned so much, and it really oriented us to the city. While you can find free walking tours of Cartagena, I would argue that this walking tour of Cartagena is the best.
Keep reading to find out why and what to expect.
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Walking Tour Of Cartagena Details
In order to make the absolute most of our time in Cartagena, Colombia, we set up a walking tour through Airbnb experiences. Our thought was to explore the walled city with a local guide, so that we could understand which spots we should revisit. In addition, to all the great neighborhoods to visit, we learned so much about the city!
The walking tour of Cartagena we chose had incredible ratings and reviews, an approachable price ($45 a person in 2023 – now $53 per person), and an intimate group setting. As I’m revising this post almost 3 years later, she still has almost a perfect rating because she’s that good!
We are so glad we did this Cartagena walking tour. Anita was the best guide! If you book her tour, I know you will really enjoy her too. Here’s a link to the Cartagena walking tour.
What Makes This Tour So Special?
First of all, Anita is super knowledgeable about the city. As we walked through the various areas in Cartagena, she told stories and detailed history of each part.
In addition to this, she’s so friendly and caring. When she saw that our kids were getting tired, she stopped to get them ice cream which was included in the price!
The tour was planned out very nicely for everyone. Cartagena is hot! Anita understand that it can be draining to walk around a steamy city, so she plans strategic stops throughout the tour for you to cool down and rest your legs.
Cartagena Walking Tour – What To Expect
So let’s dive in to what you can expect from a walking tour of Cartagena with Anita, so you can decide if it is something you would be interested in doing.
First Stop – Parque Centenario
We met Anita in Parque Centenario, which is a shaded park right across the street from the main entrance into the walled city. We started the tour by walking through the park.
As we stolled, Anita mentioned we could find Tamarin monkeys, large iguanas and active sloths. This hooked our children right away. They are always suckers for animals.
It was an unexpected treat to see some really great wildlife right in the middle of Cartagena. During our tour we saw sloths and iguanas but missed the monkeys.
We returned later during our trip and were delighted to find the little monkeys hanging out in the trees!
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Second Stop – Getsemani
After exciting Parque Centenario, we entered the first neighborhood in our Cartagena walking tour, Getsemani.
Historically this was one of the poorest and roughest parts of the walled city. Because it was located closest to the docks, sailors would return from the seas and be eager to find a drink.
Today, this neighborhood remains full of life, but without the rough edges. You will see incredible graffiti lining the city walls and a vibrant art scene. Honestly, it has some of the best art we’ve seen on our travels to date.
Getsemani is also where many of the hostels, bars and nightclubs are located. During the day the area is fairly quiet, but in the evenings, folks pack the streets.
At every turn we saw a new, beautiful view of a charming, narrow painted street. We loved this area of Cartagena and returned a few times.
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Third Stop On The Cartagena Walking Tour – La Matuna
Following Getsemani, we entered the neighborhood of La Matuna. This area is the business center of downtown Cartagena.
It is not beautiful unless you like 1970’s commercial building architecture. If so, you might be the only one. Congratulations!
Cartagena became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 and this piece of the historic downtown was updated just prior to that. Unfortunately, its modern touches don’t align with the historic charm of the rest of the walled city.
It was interesting to see the impacts of the UNESCO designation during our walking tour of Cartagena. Although, if you come on your own, it is a spot you can avoid… especially in the evenings.
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Fourth Stop – San Diego
After a quick snack of an arepa and a delicious juice we came to the gorgeous neighborhood of San Diego. Here is where the middle-class people lived back in the day. Many of the homes in this area of Cartagena have been restored to their former glory.
The San Diego neighborhood is much quieter and more peaceful than the rest of the walled city. Come here if you enjoy aimlessly wandering streets lined with bright homes, fun doors, and flowers growing overhead.
Another feature of this area is a recently renovated bullfighting arena, which has been turned into an events center and upscale mall. Even if you are uninterested in shopping, the arena is so beautiful! You should definitely stop and see it.
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Last Stop On The Walking Tour Of Cartagena – El Centro
The final destination on the Cartagena walking tour was El Centro. It is the most popular spot in the walled city. This neighborhood is where many of the very rich families used to live in the city.
Currently, you will see that the majority of these homes have been turned into upscale hotels, shops and restaurants. It is a beautiful area and very lively in the evenings.
After your walking tour of Cartagena, our recommendation is to wander over to El Centro and get on the wall just before sunset. You can snap some incredible sunset photos from there. Then grab a couple “wall beers” from one of the many vendors that you’ll encounter, and enjoy the view!
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Cartagena Walking Tour Summary
I would highly recommend taking a tour with Anita. Her tour is phenomenal! She is a book of knowledge and her English is great.
She narrates the history of Cartagena, and also gives amazing recommendations on restaurants and other local attractions in the area that only a local would know.
This walking tour of Cartagena made our stay much better than it would have been if we had planned things on our own.
After the Cartagena walking tour, I met up with Anita to pick her brain. Together we created a complete travel guide to Cartagena full of recommendations. It includes amazing restaurant recommendations, tips on Cartagena attractions and so much more.
Check it out here: Ultimate Cartagena Travel Guide: Tips From A Local Expert
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