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72 Hours in Cartagena, Colombia

by Well Traveled
2 years ago

If you’re looking for a colorful, coastal, and oh-so-charismatic city that you can completely explore for a quick weekend away, look no further than Cartegena, Colombia. Boasting a perfect balance of beaches, history, and city life, it’ll be hard to convince you not to stay longer than 72 hours.

Day 1

You’ve landed in Cartegena, let the adventure begin! The best way to get around Cartegena and the surrounding area is by foot or taxi – neither we nor the U.S. Department of State recommended renting a car yourself here, and we’ve heard the city’s public transit can be quite confusing for tourists to navigate. That being said, your best bet is to hop in a $10 taxi at the airport and head toward your hotel in the city.

Pro Tip: Make sure to verify the cost of a taxi before getting in. You'll notice a meter reader is rare and cause some unexpected prices at the end of your ride.

Speaking of hotels, here are our recommendations on where to sleep in Cartegena – and yes, they come with Well Traveled member perks.

Sleep

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena

San Diego

$$$$

Rooftop Pool Time

Details

Sleep

Casa San Agustín

Centro

$$$$

Historic Hotel Luxury Travel

Details

Sleep

Bastión Luxury Hotel

San Diego

$$$$

Rooftop Pool Time

Details

Sleep

Hyatt Regency Cartagena

Bocagrande

$$$$

Rooftop Pool Time

Details

Once you’ve checked into your hotel and dropped off your luggage in the room, you’ll throw on your walking shoes and hit the streets of the Walled City. Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984, the Old City Walls is an area filled with centuries-old colonial history and is one of Cartegena’s most famous tourist attractions.

From amazing architecture to even more amazing street food, there is just a ton to unpack here. We’d recommend a free guided walking tour to make sure you see all of the top sites, but also totally fine if you’re the type to explore on your own. If you find yourself the latter, be wary of aggressive street vendors in this area – try not to make eye contact, and don’t be afraid to politely decline them with a quick “no gracias!”. However, if you’re getting hungry, this would be the perfect time to grab a quick snack from a less aggressive street vendor – we’d opt for a fresh fruit salad cup.

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

After exploring the shops, sights, and stories of the Walled City, it’s time to head back to your hotel and freshen up for the evening. Between traveling earlier in the day and your walking tour of the Old City Walls, we won’t judge if you want to sneak in a quick nap before going to dinner.

Dinner is served at ALMA Restaurante-Bar, an upscale spot where traditional Colombian cooking and fine dining meet. Located in the Casa San Augustin Hotel, the interior decor here is to die for – much like the food you’re about to eat. You can even catch some live local music in the courtyard if you find yourself here Wednesday – Sunday.

Photo Credit: Casa San Augustin Hotel Official Instagram

From here you have two options: get some rest after a long travel day, or enjoy a night out in Cartegena’s city center. If you decide to keep the night going, we’d recommend sipping on a cocktail or two at El Baron Cafe & Cocktail Bar – the perfect place to unwind after a day of walking the Walled City.

Eat

ALMA Restaurante - Bar

Centro

$$$$

Date Night Vegetarian Friendly

Details

Play

El Barón

Centro

$$$$

Rooftop Sceney

Details

Play

Walls of Cartagena

San Diego

Learn Something New Good for Groups

Details

Day 2

Depending on how many cocktails you had at El Baron, you’re either ready to seize the day or spend a little extra time in bed this morning. No worries either way, because Day 2 is a good ol’ relaxing beach day in the Rosario Islands.

Grab a quick breakfast, along with some sunscreen, your favorite swimsuit, and anything else you may need before heading out for your day trip to the islands.

There’s a few ways you can go about navigating your day:

Grab a cab from Cartegena to Isla Baru and explore on your own
Make some friends and take a group tour of the islands via a Catamaran day trip, which includes snorkeling and lunch
Pay for a private boat tour of the islands with your own captain (fancyyy!)

Whichever you choose, you’re sure to have an amazing day soaking up some sunshine and taking in the sights of bright turquoise waters. If guided day trips aren’t your thing and option 1 sounds more up your alley, we’d recommend spending your beach day at Playa Blanca, a free (and gorgeous) public beach just 15-20 minutes off the coast of Cartegena by boat.

Play

Rosario Islands

$$$$

Beachfront Sceney

Details

Play

Playa Blanca

Isla Barú

Beachfront Ocean Views

Details

Day 3

You’ve hit the island beaches and you’ve heard all about Colombian history, now it’s time to hang out in Cartegena’s hipster neighborhood: Getsemani.

Located right outside the Walled City, Getsemani is trendy and vibrant with loads of restaurants, live music, art, and bars. It’s even a bit more budget-friendly than the Walled City, making it popular among backpackers and younger travelers.

Your day here will be pretty casual and can consist of snacking on cheap eats at La Laguna Azul, snapping pictures of street art, and wandering through Plaza de la Trinidad. As you head into the late afternoon/evening, make your way over to Castillo San Felipe: an old fortress and the perfect location to catch a striking sunset on your last full day.

And when the sun goes down, the party starts in Getsemani. With so much nightlife, it’s hard to pick a place to start your night at. Our choice would be a rum tasting and some craft cocktails at El Arsenal: The Rum Box, followed by live salsa music and dancing at the famous Cafe Havana.