WHAT'S UNMISSABLE IN CARTAGENA? HOW TO PLAN YOUR OWN ITINERARY? START HERE!
One day stopover? An extended long-weekend? Or maybe you have a few more days to play? We've put together some suggestions on things you may want to include, so you can create an itinerary that should keep you amused no matter how long your time or what floats your boat. Feel free to mix and match to build the perfect experience for your interests and timeframe. Then send us an email so we can book it all in.
The idea is that this is a starting point, the rest of our website includes more options in all those drop-down menus above, and if you still don't find what you are looking for, we can do our best to help you source it if you let us know in an email.
Travelling in a group? Maybe these suggested itineraries will help:
Bachelor Party
Bachelorette Party
Wedding Party
Foodies
Yoga + Wellness
Corporate
1. Start with an orientating tour with Cartagena Connections
Yes, we're biased. But we really believe starting your stay with one of our tours; private, streetfood, historic etc, will provide a good orientation that will set you up for the rest of your time in Cartagena. Informed with the local confidence that our tours provide, you'll be able to move around more freely, feel empowered to seek out your own favourites, learn tips that will help you understand local culture and make local friends. If you book nothing else, book this. Trust us.
Shortcut to Local Tour aka Street Food Tour
History tour
Getsemani tour
Private Tour
2. Explore eating options
From high-end heroes to streetfood stars..
Here's some local delights you should try.
And here's our Top Cartagena restaurants
Here's some Foodie experiences including cooking classes
We already mentioned our street-food tour right? It's really good!
This is the best of the Brunch
You'll find a list of recommended vegetarian/vegan restaurants here
2. Explore eating options
From high-end heroes to streetfood stars..
Here's some local delights you should try.
And here's our Top Cartagena restaurants
Here's some Foodie experiences including cooking classes
We already mentioned our street-food tour right? It's really good!
This is the best of the Brunch
You'll find a list of recommended vegetarian/vegan restaurants here
3. Enjoy Sunset with a view
Plan on oohing and ahhing over Cartagena's magical sunsets at least once during your stay. There's various options to enjoy, from rooftops to boat trips.
Here's some top picks: Movich Hotel Rooftop, Cafe del Mar, Municipal Terraza food trucks, Sky 51, Marbare, Club de Pesca, Bay tour, Stand up paddle board
3. Enjoy Sunset with a view
Plan on oohing and ahhing over Cartagena's magical sunsets at least once during your stay. There's various options to enjoy, from rooftops to boat trips.
Here's some top picks: Movich Hotel Rooftop, Cafe del Mar, Municipal Terraza food trucks, Sky 51, Marbare, Club de Pesca, Bay tour, Stand up paddle board
4. Relax with some beach or island time
Unless you're visiting other beach destinations as part of your Colombian travels (like San Andres/Providencia, Parque Tayrona, Rincon del Mar etc) you'll probably want to include at least some beach/island time as part of your visit to Cartagena. What's the best way to do it?
You can Hire a boat for complete flexibility (we can help you plan an itinerary).
or book an island or beach day pass for reduced costs and all-inclusive price to day clubs on Tierra Bomba island, Baru island or the Rosario Islands .. our current fave options are: Sabai Beach Resort on a remote tip of Baru island and Pa'ue and Fragata in Rosario Islands and Eteka on Tierra Bomba. The overall best food and service (and big bonus points for being B-Corp certified) is found at Blue Apple.
Or consider this island hopping day which includes stops in various islands and snorkel or the kids friendly catamaran tour Bonavida
Go diving or snorkeling or fishing or ATV if you are not really a lie on the beach type of person and want more active pursuits
Want a little longer? For overnight stays we love Isla Coralina
4. Relax with some beach or island time
Unless you're visiting other beach destinations as part of your Colombian travels (like San Andres/Providencia, Parque Tayrona, Rincon del Mar etc) you'll probably want to include at least some beach/island time as part of your visit to Cartagena. What's the best way to do it?
You can Hire a boat for complete flexibility (we can help you plan an itinerary).
or book an island or beach day pass for reduced costs and all-inclusive price to day clubs on Tierra Bomba island, Baru island or the Rosario Islands .. our current fave options are: Sabai Beach Resort on a remote tip of Baru island and Pa'ue and Fragata in Rosario Islands and Eteka on Tierra Bomba. The overall best food and service (and big bonus points for being B-Corp certified) is found at Blue Apple.
Or consider this island hopping day which includes stops in various islands and snorkel or the kids friendly catamaran tour Bonavida
Go diving or snorkeling or fishing or ATV if you are not really a lie on the beach type of person and want more active pursuits
Want a little longer? For overnight stays we love Isla Coralina
5. Music and dance
In our humble opinion, every visit to Cartagena really should include music (ideally live), with bonus points if you get dance classes too
Find live music here
Get dance lessons here
Learn about Cartagena's own Champeta with this dedicated tour
Or our Drink and dance tour covers 4 different music and dance styles and matches them with 4 types of local drink
Or join a local DJ (with international experience) as he takes you crate-diving for vinyls or helps you explore the Cartagena club scene.
Also keep an eye on our What's On guide to events and activities that we TRY to keep up to date.
5. Music and dance
In our humble opinion, every visit to Cartagena really should include music (ideally live), with bonus points if you get dance classes too
Find live music here
Get dance lessons here
Learn about Cartagena's own Champeta with this dedicated tour
Or our Drink and dance tour covers 4 different music and dance styles and matches them with 4 types of local drink
Or join a local DJ (with international experience) as he takes you crate-diving for vinyls or helps you explore the Cartagena club scene.
Also keep an eye on our What's On guide to events and activities that we TRY to keep up to date.
6. Day trip beyond the walls
Here are some options if you have the time to get beyond the walls to experience other dimensions of Cartagena
Mercado Bazurto crazy, chaotic market,
Palenque Connect with Africa and African Diaspora in Colombia
La Boquilla , mangroves, fishing tours, bird watching
Mud Volcano and Galerazamba Pink "Sea"
Tierra Bomba Mountain Bike, or Horseriding
Aviary super impressive sanctuary for bird and other wildlife
Wildlife hikes
Here are some options if you have the time to get beyond the walls to experience other dimensions of Cartagena
Mercado Bazurto crazy, chaotic market,
Palenque Connect with Africa and African Diaspora in Colombia
La Boquilla , mangroves, fishing tours, bird watching
Mud Volcano and Galerazamba Pink "Sea"
Tierra Bomba Mountain Bike, or Horseriding
Aviary super impressive sanctuary for bird and other wildlife
Wildlife hikes
7. Explore drinking options
Learn all about Colombia's world famous coffee
cocktails making classes make a fun activity for groups
And the super popular rum tastings and experiences that include options to match chocolate, tapas or cigars, or distill your own rum.
Best coffee? Our picks are: Libertario, Cafe Mural, Érase un Café, Época, San Alberto, Soloio, Beiyú, El Barón, Juan Valdez
Here's our list for the Best bars.
Drinking bar crawl tour? This is the most popular.
Learn all about Colombia's world famous coffee
cocktails making classes make a fun activity for groups
And the super popular rum tastings and experiences that include options to match chocolate, tapas or cigars, or distill your own rum.
Best coffee? Our picks are: Libertario, Cafe Mural, Érase un Café, Época, San Alberto, Soloio, Beiyú, El Barón, Juan Valdez
Here's our list for the Best bars.
Drinking bar crawl tour? This is the most popular.
8. Locals only
We love to get you connected with local experiences and see tourist dollars supporting local community.
Here's some experiences we can connect you with:
Local street haircut
Go to a champeta picó
Volunteer beach clean up day
Boxing in local gym
Join a local DJ (with international experience) as he takes you crate-diving for vinyls or helps you explore the Cartagena club scene (ask for Marko - speaks English)
Eat a corriente (start with Este es el Punto in Getsemani)
Go to a batetapita, local baseball or football game
Fly a kite alongside the wall (the official kite flying festival is the month of August)
Play dominos or chess with a local
These experiences are local experiences, not created for tourists, and as such, it is probable that if there is a host, they will not speak English. But that's part of the fun, right? For activities like, "eat a corriente" lunch, this is a host-free nudge to go explore on your own following some suggestions. For the others on the list, let us know what you're interested in and we'll connect you over whatsapp with a local to host you.
Also check out events that might be happening on our what's on guide
We love to get you connected with local experiences and see tourist dollars supporting local community.
Here's some experiences we can connect you with:
Local street haircut
Go to a champeta picó
Volunteer beach clean up day
Boxing in local gym
Join a local DJ (with international experience) as he takes you crate-diving for vinyls or helps you explore the Cartagena club scene (ask for Marko - speaks English)
Eat a corriente (start with Este es el Punto in Getsemani)
Go to a batetapita, local baseball or football game
Fly a kite alongside the wall (the official kite flying festival is the month of August)
Play dominos or chess with a local
These experiences are local experiences, not created for tourists, and as such, it is probable that if there is a host, they will not speak English. But that's part of the fun, right? For activities like, "eat a corriente" lunch, this is a host-free nudge to go explore on your own following some suggestions. For the others on the list, let us know what you're interested in and we'll connect you over whatsapp with a local to host you.
Also check out events that might be happening on our what's on guide
9. Treat yo'self
You're on holiday afterall. Here's some ideas if you are looking for some RnR and other services we can connect you with:
In-house massage
Spa Day
Yoga
Photography portrait session - of you, your family, your besties, your boo. A great way to preserve the memories of a special trip.
Private in-house chef - one-off event or a chef to prepare multiple meals throughout your stay.
IV Vitamin treatments
Botox and cosmetic services
Medical and Dental
You're on holiday afterall. Here's some ideas if you are looking for some RnR and other services we can connect you with:
In-house massage
Spa Day
Yoga
Photography portrait session - of you, your family, your besties, your boo. A great way to preserve the memories of a special trip.
Private in-house chef - one-off event or a chef to prepare multiple meals throughout your stay.
IV Vitamin treatments
Botox and cosmetic services
Medical and Dental
10. Shop for presents/souvenirs
Fancy mall
What to buy
Art
Colombian designers
Handcrafts
Emeralds
Coffee
Fancy mall
What to buy
Art
Colombian designers
Handcrafts
Emeralds
Coffee
WHAT DID WE MISS? Let us know at [email protected]
*Disclaimer: we actually discourage strict, tightly packed itineraries.. much of the magic of Cartagena creeps up on you when you give it enough space to surprise you, but these suggestions and our website will hopefully make a helpful guide so you can go-with-the-flow in an informed way.