The Ultimate Guide To Cartagena

Where to Stay 

There are numerous hotels with varying price ranges, as well as hostels and Airbnbs so you should be able to find something that suits your budget. Most people feel four days should be enough to take in the sights of the city, but be warned: wherever you stay, this city is expensive so check out your accommodation options carefully.

The picturesque Getsemaní and Walled City are the most popular places to stay, but it’s essential to book before you travel, especially in the main tourist season. Getsemaní is known for its night life and color with street art featuring prominently. 

Bocagrande, and  El Laguito,  are good areas for families on beach vacations and Castillo Grande are also good options but further from the historic part of the city. These areas offer a more modern vibe.

While you can get great food anywhere in Cartagena, San Diego district is known for its popularity with foodies. If you want to get the local flavor, visit the Mercado Bazurto where you will be overwhelmed by the choice of fresh produce and the kinds of exotic fruit juices one associates with the Caribbean.

On the other hand, if you are looking for something more upscale, try a restaurant on the Santa Marta beachfront where you can dine on a coconut milk-based stew filled with a variety of fish, shrimp, lobster, prawns, oysters, and calamari. This superb dish is known as cazuela de mariscos, team it with a limonada de coco – a frothy blend of coconut cream and lime juice and can be enjoyed at any time.

Some other options to try if this is your first visit to Colombia are looking to eat like a local!

• Bandeja Paisa is considered the national dish of Colombia, it’s a potent mix of red beans, white rice, chicharrón, carne en polvo (chicken), chorizo, fried egg, ripe plantain, avocado and arepa. 
• Empanadas -these deep-fried stuffed pastries, Latin American classics, can be filled with just about anything.
• Arepas are also a common traditional dish in Colombia. They’re like empanadas and made with either white or yellow corn tortillas, but arepas don’t have any fillings. They’re also bigger and toasted, and are often served as an side with Bandeja Paisa or as a meal in itself.
• Sancocho – is a traditional Colombian stew often includes chicken, pork or beef.
• Fritanga – a mix of fried offal, so give it a try if you can. It’s not to everyone’s taste.
• Arroz con Pollo – rice and chicken – is stewed together with chicken stock. The dish is hugely popular and simply delicious.
• Pan de Bono this is a small, round bread-like bite that’s flavored with a sweet cheese. Popular all over the country, pan de bono is eaten as a snack throughout the day and is often served alongside a delicious hot chocolate early in the morning.

There are numerous historic churches and leafy plazas in this city known for its attractiveness, so ask your accommodation provider for some insider hints on where else to visit.

Most Popular Things to do in Cartagena

The city’s best tourist office is located in La Plaza de La Aduana, Casa del Marqués del Premio Real, and some of the top attractions to visit in Cartagena are:

• Walled City The inner walled town includes the two historical districts, San Diego and El Centro, and the beautiful colonial buildings are believed to be some of the best examples of this architecture in South America. Spend some time wandering through these areas to take in the beauty of the variety of buildings and the general atmosphere of the Walled City.
• Getsemaní is the outer walled town and its amazing street-art has made it a great destination for instagrammers. The plaza mayor in front of Iglesia de la Santisima Trinidad is a particularly popular spot. Locals and visitors gather here from sundown, enjoying the party-like atmosphere with plenty of food stalls. 
• Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. Situated on the San Lazaro hill and a short walk from Getsemaní, this fortress was the largest ever built by the Spanish outside of Spain. Building began in 1657, only for the original fort to be enlarged in 1762 to cover the entire hill. It has a fascinating complex of tunnels beneath it, and it is well worth a visit.
• Museo de Oro, this gold museum is an ideal visit if you didn’t get to see the one in Bogota. It houses a collection of pottery and gold objects produced by the First people in the area. 
• Caribe Jewelry Museum & Factory You will find this museum and jewelry store in Bocagrande, and it includes the history of emerald mining in Colombia as well as giving you the option to purchase. 
• Palacio de la Inquisición  This was home to the notorious Inquisition where heretics were denounced and tortured. Many were burnt at the stake for witchery, blasphemy and magic. Today, it is a museum that houses the torturers’ instruments, among other things, and while somewhat macabre, it is worth visiting to see the architecture alone. 

Other Notable Sights of Cartagena:

The best day trips from Cartagena are: 

• Corales del Rosario National Park. Just an hour’s ride by speed boat from Cartagena, this idyllic group of islands Isla Grande, Cholon and Barú offer you the opportunity to snorkel and view the stunning coral reefs beneath the blue waters before relaxing on the iconic white sand beaches. As with everything in Cartegena, be sure to research tours and book ahead. Visiting this National Park is a popular day trip from the city.
• Totumo Volcano and Galerazamba Village. This area is famous for its pink sea water and its apparently healing mud baths. This treatment/activity is called lodotherapy and it is claimed to help with a variety of ailments. If you’re not in need of any healing (last night’s cocktails notwithstanding), it’s simply fun to get covered in mud for a while. The pink sea, visible from the Village, is caused by the salt flats in this area. This natural phenomenon appears between December to April.
• La Bocquilla fishing village. If fishing is your thing, then take a 20-minute taxi ride north-west to this village where you can learn about the traditional fishing methods used by locals. You can also head out with a fisherman and see the methods in action as well as (hopefully!) catching fish yourself. Afterwards, relax at one of the quaint eateries situated on the beach. A good outing for all and a taste of local life!
• Isla Tierrabomba This natural island barrier sits between Cartagena and the open sea, and it’s where the Spanish built Fuerte San Fernando, one of the most impressive forts built at the start of the 18th century. Situated at the southern end of the island, Fuerte San Fernando, together with the smaller Fuerte San José across the channel on Isla Barú, was an important deterrent to invaders. Take the opportunity to visit Isla Tierrabomba and imagine yourself as a defender of the realm as you a stroll through this incredible old fort.