10 Tips for a Great Time in Cartagena, Colombia
After an incredible time in Medellín while on a two week trip to Colombia, I headed to Cartagena for sun, vibrant colors, and some time on the water. Here are my 10 top tips for visiting this gorgeous city.
First, Some of the Basics
Currency
The Colombian Peso
At the time of writing (Sept 2022), $1 USD = roughly 4,100 pesos. Not a super easy conversion, but fortunately prices tend to be pretty cheap so when in doubt hand over a slightly bigger bill and hope for the best!
Language
¡Español!
Fortunately for me, I spent a year living and studying in Costa Rica and a few months doing the same in Spain, so although my skills are a bit rusty, I can speak Spanish. This is very handy in Colombia because while a lot of people who work in tourism speak at least some English, this is not a given.
When traveling to any country, it’s best to know at least the basics.
Hello – Hola
How are you? – Cómo estás?
Good morning – Buenos días
Good afternoon – Buenas tardes
Good night – Buenas noches
Thank you – gracias / muchas gracias
Weather
Where Bogotá is chilly, Cartagena is hot! The temperature is typically between 76 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit and, when I visited in September 2022, super humid. The mornings and early afternoons tend to be super clear and hot, but be prepared for rain in the afternoons and evenings, especially during the rainy season from May to November.
One word of caution about the rain – the streets of the Old Town flood remarkably fast. One night I was out at dinner and it started pouring rain at the end of my meal. Within minutes there was water up to my knees and I raced back to my hostel through the floodwaters with someone I met on a walking tour. DO NOT WALK THROUGH FLOODWATERS. It is extremely dangerous to walk through floodwaters because they can become fast moving and can contain lots of dangerous materials. Just find somewhere to wait out the rain and wait for the waters to recede.
Getting There
I decided to go to Colombia thanks to an amazing flight deal from Scott’s Cheap Flights. SCF is a subscription service that sends you frequent emails with flight deals to destinations around the world. I booked an astounding $300 roundtrip deal from Charlotte to Tokyo back in 2020, but wasn’t able to go due to the pandemic. However, when the $318 roundtrip flight deal from Charlotte to Bogotá showed up in my inbox, I quickly leapt on the deal. If you’re interested in receiving flight deals, you can sign up for Scott’s Cheap Flights’ free subscription to try it out and then upgrade to their $49/year once you get addicted ;-).
To get to Cartagena, I took an easy one hour and ten minute flight from Medellín. The flight cost about $66 USD on LATAM Airlines. It is also possible to take a bus from Medellín to Cartagena, but it takes upwards of 15 hours, so I would not recommend it. Many people break up the bus ride by visiting other parts of the country between the two cities, but I had limited time so decided to take the flight.
Getting to the City from the Airport (and vice versa)
It is cheap and easy to take a taxi from the airport to the Old Town. Expect to pay around 20,000 COP ($4.80).
Where to Stay
There are two main areas of the city that I recommend staying in – the Old Town and the Getsemaní neighborhood. Both areas are close to the main sights in Cartagena and are safe and cater to tourists. There are a wide range of accommodation options to fit every budget.
I stayed in the Casa Movida Hostel in an 18 bed dorm for $17 a night. An 18 bed dorm may sound like a bit much, but the room is in a capsule style that gives each guest their own compartment with a bed, fan, outlets, light, and shelf. It wasn’t the most social hostel, especially compared to Los Patios in Medellín, but it was in a great location and had free breakfast.
Getting Around
All of the main sights in Cartagena are easily reached on foot. I spent a lot of time simply walking around the beautiful Old Town and Getsemaní neighborhood.
12 Tips for Visiting Cartagena
1. Eat at Restaurante Epriritú Santo
There are several locations in the old part of the city and in the Getsemaní neighborhood. They have cheap, huge, and traditional meals that come with so many sides, and its filled with locals and tourists alike.
2. Take a Free Walking Tour or Two
I love taking free walking tours when I arrive in a new city, and the two walking tours I did in Cartagena did not disappoint. I did a walking tour of the Old Town with Free Tour Cartagena and had one of the best, most engaging guides I’ve ever had. I learned a ton about the history and culture of the city while seeing the key parts of the Old Town. I also took a free walking tour of Cartagena’s iconic Getsemaní neighborhood with Beyond Colombia. My guide for this tour was also fantastic, and we got to see the amazing local flair of this cool neighborhood that is facing a lot of gentrification.
Don’t forget that ‘free’ walking tours are not really free – be sure to tip your guide what you think the tour is worth at the end.
3. Beware the Flooding
I put this in the weather section above, but it’s important, so I wanted to include it here. Cartagena gets a lot of rain, especially during the rainy season. The rain won’t derail your entire day if you travel during this season, but I do recommend being aware if there is heavy rain. The streets of the Old Town flood very quickly, and if you aren’t careful you’ll find yourself walking through knee deep flood water.
Even as little as six inches of flood water can sweep you off your feet and the water can be full of dangerous materials. A guy I was walking through the city with during flooding thinks he was electrocuted by something, so I highly recommend avoiding the flood waters. Simply find somewhere to wait for the rain to stop and the waters to recede.
4. Try Fresh Ceviche
La Cevicheria consistently comes up as one of the top places for ceviche in Cartagena, and for good reason. They have several types of ceviche to try and their biggest claim to fame is that Anthony Bourdain ate there. However, I found it a bit pricey and touristy.
For more local and affordable ceviche, I recommend Jugos y Ceviches. It’s a row of 5 or so stands selling ceviches and fresh juices. I went several nights for a different smoothie that I enjoyed at one of the plastic tables in front of the stands. I was always surrounded by locals enjoying ceviche. If you type Jugos y Ceviches into Google Maps then it should pop right up.
5. Hang Out with the Monkeys and Sloths in Parque El Centenario
Parque El Centenario is located between the old town and the Getsemaní neighborhood and is home to adorable little monkeys and sloths. Every time I cut through the park to explore Getsemaní, I looked for local guides pointing the monkeys and sloths out to their tour groups. I saw super cute animals every time I walked through, and it was one of the highlights of my time in Cartagena.
6. Get a Great Free View from the Crepes and Waffles
The San Pedro Claver location of Crepes and Waffles has a rooftop area with great views of the city, and you can sneak up there for free. Although, if you do get tired of Colombian fare, the crepes here are pretty good. Shout out to Joe and Tim for the tip and for hanging out with me in Cartagena! 🙂
7. Get Comfortable with the Phrase “No, Gracias”
The old town of Cartagena is full of men advertising restaurants and selling things in the streets. Walking around was a constant barrage of people coming up to me with menus, bracelets, and more. A simple “no, gracias” usually worked pretty well to get them to back off.
8. Experience the City at Night
In the evenings, the city comes alive with people hanging out in the squares, enjoying food and performances by dance groups. I enjoyed the lively atmosphere after sunset in the old town and Getsemaní, and never felt unsafe.
9. Don’t Waste Your Time in Bocagrande
Bocagrande is the area of gleaming skyscrapers that you can see from the old town. I went over there to visit a dentist because my front tooth bridge came out in Medellín. I am super grateful that Dr.Julio Oliver of Dental Tourism Colombia was able to put my bridge back in and that it gave me the opportunity to see a different part of the city. Bocagrande is pretty, but there isn’t a ton to do over there. If you’re only in Cartagena for a few days, I wouldn’t recommend spending time there.
For a bonus tip – get travel insurance! I use World Nomads travel insurance, and my policy covered my bridge repair in Cartagena.
10. Take a Trip to the San Rosario Islands
The San Rosario Islands are a set of 28 islands near Cartagena with white sand beaches, clear water, and beautiful coral reefs. You can easily spend several days exploring these islands and enjoying better beaches than Cartagena offers. I didn’t have days to explore the islands, so I opted for a fantastic day tour around the islands on the Bona Vida catamaran. The tour included a delicious watermelon welcome drink, non-alcoholic drinks throughout the day, a mid-morning snack, a delicious lunch, snorkeling equipment, and national park fees.
I spent nearly 8 hours lounging on the gorgeous boat, enjoying the food and drinks, swimming in the beautiful blue water, and taking in the views of the islands. The tour cost $70 when I went in September 2022, and looks to be a bit more expensive now, but I do think it’s worth the cost for a great introduction to the islands. You can book the tour through Get Your Guide.
Cartagena is an absolute must on any Colombia itinerary, and made for the perfect end to my trip. I hope that these tips for Cartagena inspire you to visit and help make your trip a great one.