Whether you’re a foodie seeking the freshest ingredients or an adventurer looking for reef dives and horseback riding, there’s something for you in Cartagena.
Cartagena is known to most Americans asa great party finish . You rent a boat , stumble the bar , or maybe plan an intact bachelor or bachelorette trip around booze and beaches . Pinterest board photo often showcasethe Colombian city ’s bright painted colonial building and palenqueras , which certainly define this coastal Caribbean destination , but these images only kowtow the surface of what Cartagena has to offer .
Beyond the cabaret and jet skiing , the natural , cultural , and culinary excellence of Cartagena makes it a rightfully can’t - young woman destination . In the last X , the metropolis has exploded with world - renowned Colombian eating place and streak , boutique hotel , and a bevy of adventures . In a metropolis that is no longer considered “ off the beaten path , ” it is burst with hidden gems . Plus , you ’d be hard fight to discover another place that is more welcoming to international visitors seem to touch base with locals .
“ I really call up that what progress to Cartagena special are the hoi polloi . There is definitely an mental attitude of resilience . There is a very well-disposed , affectionate deportment of all of the topical anaesthetic , ” say Carmen Angel , the owner of two powerhouse restaurants , CarmenandDon Diablo , in Cartagena . “ There ’s just a very hard desire to entrust a mark on your experience in the city . ”
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As a Colombian who uprise up a bit disconnected from my Fatherhood ’s home country , Cartagena was my own entry point to forge a deeper connexion to my heritage . My Spanish was n’t great , and I did n’t know much about Colombia beyond what I record in ledger and saw on boob tube . It was a peachy first topographic point to learn to speak the linguistic process and the story , as noesis is share generously and graciously .
Speaking with locals , local business owners , repeat visitors , and building on my own experiences this is the scout for people looking to have a deep and really unforgettable experience in Cartagena . drive horse cavalry on Caribbean island , dive pristine reef , tour truly local market place , and taste some of the just food in the world — whether you ’re search to have a “ bang for your buck ” budget adventure or want to seek out a newfangled , heedful kind of luxury .
If you don’t do anything else: Go to a Tierra Bomba beach club
The most unmissable part of a trip to Cartagena requires getting out of Old City and taking a 20 - minute boat drive . Whether you ’re seeking a health - oriented trip filled with yoga and health club treatments , desire to spend every minute doing adventurous outdoor bodily process , or are take care to foregather new masses while you ’re spend all day footle on the beach , the beach clubs of Tierra Bomba have you underwrite .
“ Tierra Bomba is this incredible island , ” say Portia Hart , who ownsBlue Appleand several other businesses in Cartagena . “ And no one has heard of it . If you want to be a smart traveler run to Cartagena and doing something off the beaten caterpillar track and not the obvious , then Tierra Bomba is your place . ”
While Hart have Blue Apple Beach , she also recommend the beach clubsAmare , Eteka , andNamastefor daytime passes . All are maneuver by locals and prioritise sustainable and equitable business practices—95 % of the money render by Blue Apple has stay in Cartagena and the hem in area .
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But it wo n’t just be money well spent supporting the local community . It will also be a blast . Blue Appleoffers scuba diving , horseback riding , island moto - tours , mountain biking tours , live music , terpsichore classes , and day passes for their Ibiza - inspire beach gild , minus the untz - untz - untz rave . Amareis where you’re able to recover more of a full - on party experience , with 24-hour interval passes for the beach and pool , and a delicious food for thought and drink bill of fare .
Etekaoffers the most raised experience , with mellow - remnant dining , a deeply solace artistic , and one of the most beautiful , tropical pools you could imagine . Namasteis where you’re able to find on-key relaxation , with day-after-day yoga , speculation , Ellen Price Wood fire circles , and other holistic action — and you’re able to hold a day pass where all of this ( plus your typical beach club amenities ) are include .
The best thing ? These Clarence Day - farsighted experience start at around $ 35 and most include transportation by boat to and from the island . For $ 50 to $ 75 , you may also anticipate crapulence credits , meal , and add up activeness .
Courtesy of Blue Apple
Where to go all out in Cartagena
Tour San Basilio de Palenque
Located southeast of Cartagena , San Basilio de Palenque was founded by formerly enslaved people in the 16th century to form the first free African town in the Americas . you’re able to not visit Cartagena without learning the account of Afro - Colombians , who are built-in in shaping the cultural , culinary , and political realism of the region today . Experience Real Cartagenais owned and operated by Alex Rocha , who was born and raised in the barrios of Cartagena and focuses on showcasing Afro - Colombian polish through all of his troupe ’s go .
Dive the turquoise waters
Cartagena and the surrounding islands are home to beautiful , diverse Witwatersrand systems which are filled with all sorts of marine aliveness . you could scuba or snorkel the Coral National Park off the coast of Cartagena withParaiso Dive . The organization not only has efforts to economise the Rand , but also provides training , PADI certification , and employment to local Colombians .
Take a cooking class
This class comes highly commend . If you ’re attend to get some nifty horizon of Cartagena and to determine the intricacies of Colombian gastronomy , take a cookingclass at Lunáticois a can’t - miss chance . You ’ll not only take the air away know how to make a definitive Cartagena knockout like ceviche or “ Pasta Cartagena , ” but you ’ll have also find out a great deal about the history of the food .
Explore Cartagena’s beating heart, Mercado Bazurto
If Anthony Bourdain ca n’t leave Cartagena without visiting the Bazurto Market , neither can you . The market is the beating heart of Cartagena , and is arterial for all Cartagenans . You ’ll want to take a term of enlistment of the market , as it is massive and easy to get lose in — plus , a guidebook will be able to facilitate conversations and give the history of the securities industry . Both Hart and Angel recommend claim the hitch throughCartagena Connections , which also offer a can’t - miss street food go .
Take in the incredible murals and street art
Cartagena is a walk city , ultimately . Even outside the fortified wall of the Old City , it is incredibly light to take the air to Getsemani and even to Bocagrande , where eminent rise condominium and local beaches are . In Old City and Getsemani , you ’ll get sizable wall painting and street art . There aretoursto take to learn more about the artistic production and the artists — but you’re able to also just take the art in as you manoeuver to local store and go to dinner .
Go shopping in Old City
If you ’re into manner , or simply want some better souvenirs than the distinctive variety of magnets and shot glasses , chip at out an good afternoon to go shopping in the Old City . There are a few splendid Colombian brands that are popular internationally with shop class in Cartagena — and you’re able to witness item for a third of the price they sell for in the US . suppose hand-crafted beaded dresses , bikinis , fine jewellery , as well as artisan workplace . The ca n’t overleap stores areArtesanias de Colombia , Silvia Tcherassi , Ábaco Libros y Café , Agua by Agua Bendita , andSt . Dom .
Visit Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s house
Maybe you ’ve read100 Years of Solitude , maybe you ’ve heard about the Netflix adaption . However you ’re intimate with Colombia ’s most illustrious generator , Gabriel Garcia Marquez , you wo n’t want to neglect an chance to see his home in Cartagena . It is not currently undefendable to the public , but you could take atour of the cityrelated to his work , or just take the air past its embellish outside into one of your morning paseo , as it is located within the walls of the Old City .
Get drinks at El Barón
Get one of the sound cocktail in the world atEl Barón . “ The understanding that I decide to stay in this city and do what I do is El Barón , ” Hart read . The bar has landed on theWorld ’s 50 Bestlist , and is home to inventive cocktails using eminent - end local ingredients . It is a tiny space , and also offers Cuban and Colombian cigar . Not only will you have one of the best beverage of your living , but you ’ll be paying a honest price for it and drinking it out of sustainably made glasswork .
Take a mud bath in a volcano
This is a trulytourist - atomic number 39 bodily process , but something I am so happy I did . Booka tourand head to El Totumo , a mud volcano you may climb in . fetch hard currency , as you will be tipping everyone at the site of this experience , which includes take a wooden stairway up the volcano , climb a ladder into a slopping mud stone pit , climbing back down , and then rinse off in the river that menstruate past it . It ’s unearthly and fun , and also admit a bus drive that will let you see the natural landscape painting of the surrounding domain of Colombia . Some tour of duty options admit a lunch of deep-fried fish on the beach afterwards — which is a must when visiting Cartagena whether you get in the mud vent or not .
Where to eat and drink in Cartagena
Breakfast : Breakfast is just as great of a culinary experience in Cartagena as lunch or dinner party . First , there’sNia , a bakehouse with an all - daytime breakfast menu and a commitment to local fixings , centering Colombia ’s broad variety of fruits in their menu . Cafe San Antonio , in the antechamber of Casa Jaguar , has eggs benedict and arepas , and is right in Getsemani . For traditional Colombian breakfast , header toNarcobollo . And for a truly excellent cup of Colombian deep brown , foreland toEpoca Cafe , a Colombian coffee roaster that ’s also serving up brunch and traditional plate .
dejeuner : Lunch in Cartagena is no less of an crucial repast than dinner , and Hart says it is the perfect time to get into the most renowned restaurant in Cartagena , Celele . Led by chef Jaime Rodriguez , it is one of the upright restaurants in Latin America , and it is deserving bring down Colombia just to wipe out here — which means getting a dinner party reservation can be pretty hard . reservation for tiffin increases your odds . Another essential lunch spot in Cartagena isLa Cocina Pepina , which offers up traditional Colombian dishes that are vastly popular with topical anaesthetic — since it does n’t offer booking , going here for lunch is a great hack to ensure you get a table . Kiosko El Bonyis where to go for bare , delicious traditional Caribbean plates , like tostones , fried fish , and Sancocho .
Dinner : It would be inconceivable to contract in on just one place for dinner — Angel’sCarmenwas one of the best meal I ’ve ever had , but it is far from the only fantabulous selection in Cartagena for Colombian food for thought . Let ’s take off with the reservation - required blistering position . Rabo de Pez , helm by chef Alejandro Ramirez Gomez , is one of the newest restaurants in the metropolis and it ’s already generating buzz . The contemporary Colombian restaurant has a circumscribed menu focused on highly raised seafood lulu . Don Diablo Colombian Steakhouseserves up 100 % grass - fed dry - senior Colombian beef , and absolutely no imported meat . For more casual options , El Besoin Getsemani is the spot for not bad street intellectual nourishment and drinks . La Mulatais another can’t - miss seafood place , with unforgettable ceviche option and a sodding relaxed environment filled with locals and tourist .
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Dessert : Sweet , cold goody can be an all - day affair in the steamy warmth of Cartagena . There ’s always time for a fresh smoothy or succus , and you may observe great alternative for these on just about every niche . But if you ’re looking for some really howling dessert option , some of the dear billet start withLa Paletteria , a Colombian paleta chain offering what can only be described as gourmet popsicles . smack options include everything from sweet mango to caramel . For sweetness as beautiful as the space , head toMila , helm by chef Mila Vargas . The bakery closes at 8 , but if you make it in by then , you ’ll find out an teemingness of Colombian and globally inspire pastries .
Where to stay
Hotel Casona del Colegio($$$$)With a beautiful rooftop pool , marble and gold saloon , and an exterior bursting with verdure , this award - winning hotel is where you may go for a luxuriant solemnization of Colombian artistic production and excogitation . There are heap of luxury hotel in Old City , but Casona Del Colegio offers the double-dyed combining of genuineness , service , and pattern .
Townhouse Cartagena($$$)Townhouse has one of the adept rooftop bars in Cartagena and a expectant jazz barroom that ’s pop with locals in the lobby . Between the two spaces , there ’s an copiousness of well - appoint hotel room featuring pattern from local creative person . You could just visit Townhouse and still have have a smashing gash of Cartagena . The rooms are broad , melodic line condition , and resplendent with solid wood furniture and balcony views of Old City .
Casa Jaguar Cartagena($$)A beautiful property in the popular Getsemani neighbourhood , outside of the Old City , Casa Jaguar is the epitome of low-priced sumptuousness . With a minimalist take on classic Cartagena design , the small property is instantly soothing . There is an abundance of innovative amenities , and the pop on - land site cafe , Cafe San Antonio , has plenty of impertinent option for breakfast .
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Casa Zahri Boutique Hostel($)Hostels are abundant in Cartagena . Choosing where to stay in truth depends on the vibration you ’re assay out — there are budget hostels that put up everything from raging party center to holistic , quiet spaces . Casa Zahri is a great option that offers a little fleck of both , with opportunities to socialize while still being a place where you may get a proficient night ’s eternal sleep . The hostel features a bright pink outside , grand mural , and a center courtyard with its own pocket-size pool . Plus , the rooms are air travel discipline , a all important even on a budget .
What to know before you go
The currency
Cartagena uses the Colombian Peso . The exchange rate fluctuates , but on average is about $ 4,300 pesos to one US dollar mark . While plenty of places live with cards , immediate payment is king . project to withdraw from reputable Colombian bank asynchronous transfer mode .
International adapters you’ll need
Colombia also uses the same power socket as the US , but you should bring a power transcriber just in case , as the received voltage in Colombia is 110 V liken to 120 volts in the US .
When to plan your visit
Most people go to Cartagena during the dry season , which is between December and April . These will also be the meddlesome times to visit — particularly from mid - December to mid - Janaury , when holidays and breaks bring tourists from all over the Americas . If you do n’t mind the crowds and mellow prices , Cartagena has one of the most spectacular New Year ’s celebrations in the worldly concern .
The besotted months in Cartagena are September and October , so if you be after on plenty of beach twenty-four hours and outside activities , this would not be the time to go .
Do’s and don’ts when visiting Cartagena
Don’tplan to be on your worst behaviour . Colombia has an superannuated and frankly diss reputation , especially in the US , of being a land of vice . Despite how annihilative cocaine has been to the societal , political , and cultural fabric of Colombia , tourists continue to assay it out . Sex employment is also effectual in Colombia , and some have interpreted that to intend that the country is perfect for “ sexcations . ” This prevalent attitude means that some tourists get in in Cartagena feel completely apathetic to how their misbehavior will bear upon the real people who live there .
Dobe inclined to encounter lots of street vendors . The local economy is heavily reliant on touristry , which means you will encounter deal of people look to betray tourer their goods and services . Be respectful , get well-situated enounce no gracias , and concord to prices before accept any goods .
Don’tforget the sun blocker , bug spray , and water bottle . Cartagena is basically sitting on the equator . It is a spicy , humid , tropic clime year - orotund , and a trip can easily be jump by dehydration , sunburn , and bug bit .
Courtesy of El Barón
Your Cartagena dinner party fact
In 2015 , a sunken Spanish galleon was discovered off the coast of Cartagena . The ship contained real hoarded wealth like gold and gem , match to roughly $ 20 billion USD . As of 2024 , the ownership of the warship is still in conflict , and exploration honkytonk are still ongoing .
Victoria Holguin for Thrillist
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