{"id":43544,"date":"2020-11-30T09:00:57","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T17:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/?p=43544"},"modified":"2025-08-24T12:45:38","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T19:45:38","slug":"cartagena-colombia-city-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/cartagena-colombia-city-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA CITY GUIDE"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cartagena is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Colombia, thanks to its easy transportation links to the rest of the world. The city is located on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, which gives it great weather year-round and beautiful islands and beaches. <\/p>\n

Throughout time Cartagena has preserved its culture and heritage with traditional Spanish style architecture, painted in bright colours. The old city still has a wall almost completely surrounding it which was once used to protect the city. Now the wall provides a great walk around the city, as well as a great location for bars and restaurants. <\/p>\n

In this article, I share why I love Cartagena, my favourite things to do in the city, the best places to stay, and tips for a visit to Colombia\u2019s most popular Caribbean city. <\/p>\n

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Why Visit Cartagena<\/h2>\n

Cartagena is a unique and picturesque city located on the Caribbean coast. The city’s Old Town or Walled City is filled with beautiful multi-coloured houses which have been restored and are well preserved.<\/p>\n

The Walled City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site<\/a>, thanks to its Spanish style architecture. <\/p>\n

A unique thing about Cartagena is that it has a bit of everything, a beautiful city, history, boutique shops, and a collection of Caribbean islands. <\/p>\n

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When To Visit Cartagena<\/h2>\n

Cartagena has the same climate year-round, with dry and wet seasons. The typical climate is warm, the temperatures you would typically find in the Caribbean. The temperature typically stays around a high of 31c (87f) year-round.<\/p>\n

Dry season tends to be from December to March which is also the high season, where things are typically more expensive. Between April and November is the low and wet season, where there are typically fewer tourists, and the rain often brings cooler temperatures. <\/p>\n

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Things To Do In Cartagena<\/h2>\n

There are plenty of things to do in Cartagena. I have visited the city many times and each time I visited I found something new to do. I do have my favourite activities and must-see recommendations which I have listed below:<\/p>\n

1) Visit Castillo De San Felipe De Barajas<\/h3>\n

Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas<\/a>, a castle in the middle of the city which you can walk around as well as seeing great views of the city.<\/p>\n

The castle is a step back in time with videos, guided tours, and tunnels you can walk around and discover the history of the castle and the city of Cartagena. <\/p>\n

2) Take A Boat Trip To The Rosario Islands<\/h3>\n

The Rosario Islands are a collection of 26 islands located just off the coast of Cartagena. These islands are typical Caribbean islands with white sandy beaches and clear water.<\/p>\n

These islands make a great day trip from the city when you can catch a boat in the morning between 1.5 hours and arrive at an island. Packages typically include a fried fish and rice lunch on the island, with snorkelling and kayaking or water sports activities to enjoy before making your way back to the city in the afternoon. <\/p>\n

Alternatively, many of the islands have small hotels which you can stay at for the night or for a few nights. <\/p>\n

3) Watch The Sunset At Cafe Del Mar<\/h3>\n

Cafe del Mar<\/a> is a bar and restaurant located on a section of the wall. They have live music and cocktails, It is one of the best places in the city to watch the sunset. <\/p>\n

4) Eat Ceviche At La Cevicheria<\/h3>\n

La Cevicheria<\/a> is a great restaurant located close to Plaza de San Diego. This restaurant is small with inside and outside dining. The menu is comprised of many different dishes from ceviche to other fish dishes. <\/p>\n

5) Walk Around The Walled City<\/h3>\n

A great thing to do in Cartagena is to just take a walk around the walled city. Every street has something different, with beautiful colourful buildings with unique door hangings, and brightly coloured doors. <\/p>\n

There are many plazas in the city which you can walk around, many of them have street vendors, dancing, music, and street artists. There is always something happening in the city with different festivals and events happening year-round. <\/p>\n

6) Visit Santo Domingo Square<\/h3>\n

Visit the Santo Domingo Square<\/a>, a lively square with street vendors, restaurants, bars, live music, and dancing. <\/p>\n

7) Visit The Naval Museum<\/h3>\n

The Naval Museum is my favourite museum in the city because it has such unique pieces on display and highlights major parts of Colombian history. This museum tells the history of the city with different pieces of history and displays.<\/p>\n

Other Things To See in Cartagena:<\/h3>\n