I’m amazed at how popular Cartagena has become. People flock from all over the world to visit this colonial Caribbean city in Colombia. If it’s your first time and you are looking for things to do in Cartagena, fear not, their are so many things on offer for tourists. So much so, you might actually get a little FOMO.
However, I find that many of those plans are not really worth it. Cartagena is meant to be savored luxuriously, not devoured cheaply. Many plans are NOT worth it.
Many plans that you’ll find recommended on big websites seem suggesting things to do in Cartagena seem to be written by writers that never actually lived the Cartagena experience correctly.
According to many articles online, Playa Blanca, Free Walking Tours, Party on a Chiva and Museo de Oro are all things you should do while in Cartagena.
Playa Blanca is totally OVER CROWDED, dirty and filled with vendors harassing you with their bracelets, sunglasses and massages every 30 seconds.
Free Walking Tours are DISASTROUS Guide permits are limited, hard to get and usually granted to locals which are not very engaging. So if you’re like me and history is not your strong suit, a guide that’s remembered a history book and hashes it out like a cow is TEDIOUS!
Partying on a Chiva is simply TACKY. The only people that party of a Chiva are tourists and 14-year-old Colombians. If drinking standing up on a moving bus sounds fun to you, than we are on different wave lengths my friend.
Museo del Oro. Well you’ll probably make a stop in Bogota if you’re traveling to Cartagena. This means you’ll get to visit the Museo de Oro. The one in Cartagena is much smaller and not worth it if you plan on doing a little bit of tourism in Bogota.
So instead of reading recommendations from sites that don’t care about your experience and just want you to click on their article, I invite you to check out my list of things to do in Cartagena that are really worth it.
After visiting over 4 times, I feel I’ve got the magic recipe of having a good time in Cartagena down.
1. Rent a boat amongst friends and go to Islas del Cholon
Unfortunately, the beach of Cartagena is not very nice. If you’re looking to take a dip in the Caribbean, and you’re with a group of 5+ friends, do yourself a favor an rent a private boat to enjoy the sea and the islands.
A cool party plan is to pack a cooler full of liquor and soda, a few snacks and a good sound system and head out to Isla de Cholon, where all the boats meet to party in the middle of a sea on a little island.
Spend the afternoon dancing, drinking and getting a little crazy on your private boat.
2. Get a fancy colonial hotel and hang out by the pool
If you want the real Cartagena experience, don’t rent a hostel room, but don’t rent a room at the Marriott either. DO splurge and get a nice room in a colonial hotel with an interior courtyard with a pool.
Cartagena can get very hot in the afternoon and there’s nothing better than hanging out by the poolside of a traditional colonial hotel sipping on tropical cocktails.
Do yourself the favor as it won’t just be the place you go to sleep.
Cartagena is about hanging out, not active tourism all day. Especially not in the heat of the Caribbean coast.
TIP: Get a really nice hotel in the neighorhood of Getsemaní, a 10 minute walk from the Old City. As its an up and coming neighborhood, you can find a really nice colonial hotel at a much better price.
3. Stroll the streets and explore La Ciudad Amurallada
This is one of the top things to do in Cartagena. Walking the streets of the Ciudad Amurallada is breathtaking. The colorful and traditional buildings filled with flowers flowing from its terraces are absolutely stunning. Be sure to grab your camera to capture the romance of the Old City of Cartagena. You can only fall in love.
4. Take a picture with the Palenquera
Palenqueras are those black woman dressed up in long colorful dresses selling fruit bowls inside the Walled City. I know it feels a bit like a tourist trap because if you’ve traveled in other parts of Colombia, you know a fruit salad is not worth much. Last time I went to try to take a picture with the Palenqueras, a fruit salad cost $10,000 COP.
I thought it was a bit of overkill, so I didn’t get to take a picture with them.
Palenqueras are so iconic to the Cartagena landscape. $3.50 for a few pictures and a fruit salad is really not that much.
They always look so beautiful on camera and trust me, you will definitely regret it if you pass up on the opportunity.
5. Castillo de San Felipe
I don’t promote any of the history tours in Cartagena but if you want to learn a little bit about the history of the city and see a cool fort, I definitely recommend the Castle of San Felipe be top on your list of things to do in Cartagena.
Or you can also listen to the Song from Joe Arroyo: No le pegue a la negra to get the history download in under 4 minutes 😉
6. Go to Apple Beach Club for a more exclusive beach experience
If you’re looking to feel a bit more pampered and isolated, Apple Beach Club is a hotel on an island that’s a 20-minute boat ride away from Cartagena. You don’t have to be a guest to take advantage of their private beach and pool. You just have a to consume a minimum of $80.000 per person or about $27 in drink and food.
7. Get after hour drinks at Al Quimico
Located within the Walle City, Al Quimico takes you back 200 years. Like I should have been wearing a Victorian gown instead of shorts and sandals. This architecturally gorgeous 2-story restaurant and bar has infused rum cocktails of all sorts. Although I haven’t tried the food, the cocktails are out of this world. It’s great to hang out in the late afternoon or on the rooftop in the evening.
8. Have a delicious ceviche
Apart from the islands and the old city, the next best thing to do in Cartagena is enjoy it’s amazing gastronomic offer. Cartagena is know for its delicious food scene. Dig in and enjoy! If you like seafood, you are in for a royal treat!
Coconut seafood stews and ceviche and my ultimate favorite when visiting Cartagena. There are so many restaurants to try I invite you to checkout TICartagena for their recommendations.
A small and private bar/nightclub, this is a perfect place to end the evening after dinner. When I went La Movida, they played electro lounge on their outdoor patio and salsa and reggaeton inside. Of course, you would have found me outdoors drinking a Gin tonic. Because…Where else?
10. Experience a night in Cuba in Cafe Havana
If you got the moves and want to show them off, Cafe Havana is the spot for you. Located in the neighborhood of Getsemani, Cafe Havana transports you to Cuba. Live music, mojitos and Wood panels take you away.
Be aware as last time I went, it was full of old white men with local escorts/prostitutes.
I don’t know if it was that night in particular, but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. If not, head back to La Movida!
Cartagena is a wonderful and luxurious Caribbean escape full of fun and magic. Don’t get overwhelmed by things to do in Cartagena, take it slow and savor the experience. Hopefully using my legit pointers!