Cartagena
Colombia, South America
A walled colonial city that sweats colour and cumbia in equal measure.
The heat hits you the moment you step out of the airport, thick and salt-edged from the Caribbean. Inside the walled city, the walls themselves are the colour of ochre and rust, and every balcony has something spilling over it: bougainvillea, laundry, a cat. Street vendors carry baskets of fruit on their heads and call out prices you'll negotiate badly the first time.
Our honest take
Cartagena is genuinely beautiful but the walled city has become expensive and touristy enough that it sometimes feels like a theme park version of Colombia. Getsemani is where the real city breathes. Three days is enough before the heat and hustle fatigue sets in.
Why go
- Walking the old city walls at dusk when the light turns the colonial buildings amber and the sea breeze finally arrives after a day of 34-degree heat
- Getsemani at night: street murals, cheap arepas de huevo, cumbia spilling out of corner bars, neighbourhood life that hasn't been entirely sanded down for tourists
- Boat day to Islas del Rosario, where the Caribbean is genuinely clear and shallow and you can swim over coral for hours
Skip if you can
- Overpriced restaurants on Plaza Santo Domingo: you're paying for the square view, not the food. Walk two blocks and spend a third of the price.
- Chiva party buses: loud, tourist-only, overpriced rum punch, nothing to do with how locals actually celebrate.
- Bocagrande beach: the water is murky, the sand is crowded, and the whole strip is just a concrete hotel corridor. Go to the islands instead.
Things to do
Where locals eat
Caribbean-coast ceviche (often with a touch of ketchup-tinged 'salsa rosada', unlike the Peruvian style) and fried whole snapper, bright and fresh.
La Cevichería in San Diego (the Bourdain-featured seafood spot), or Celele in Getsemaní for a modern Caribbean take
A cornmeal arepa deep-fried with a whole egg cooked inside, a coastal Colombian street breakfast, best hot from a morning cart.
A street cart in the morning
Cartagena's signature: beef braised until dark and sweet in panela and spices, served with coconut rice. A genuine local dish, not pan-Colombian.
A traditional Cartagena restaurant
The women in bright dresses balancing fruit bowls are an icon, but agree a price first, as photos and fruit are sold to tourists. The fruit itself (mango, guanabana) is the real local snack.
A local fruit vendor or market (agree the price up front)
Costs
Per person, per day on the ground, lodging, food, local transport and activities. Excludes international flights (see Getting there).
Arepa de huevo: 3,000-5,000 COP ($0.70-1.20). Castillo San Felipe entry: 40,000 COP ($10). Taxi across walled city: 8,000-12,000 COP ($2-3).
Getting there
Where to stay
Colonial buildings converted to boutique hotels, very walkable, pricier than the rest of the city
Artsy, local, murals everywhere, guesthouses and small hotels, close to nightlife
Modern high-rise hotels on the beach strip, cheaper rates, removed from the historic centre
Good to know
- Getsemani is safe in the evening around the plaza but avoid walking alone on poorly lit streets after midnight.
- Express kidnapping and phone theft are real. Keep phones out of sight and use Uber over street taxis at night.
- Sun and heat are serious. Cartagena sits near the equator at sea level. Drink water constantly and carry sunscreen.
- Scammers at Castillo San Felipe will offer to be your guide before you enter. Agree on a price upfront or decline politely.
Prices, visa rules, and transport details may change. Always verify with official sources before booking. Last updated: July 2026.
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