Colombia is a star of the Latin American region. This country is brimming with so much energy it shares with the rest of the world. You’ve got the likes of renowned pop singer Shakira, award-winning actress Sofía Vergara, and popular author Gabriel García Márquez, to name a few. They all hail from Colombia. For tourists, Colombia is a destination they keep falling in love with over and over again. One of the best cities to explore here is the port city of Cartagena. There are various things to do in Cartagena. 

While Colombia is the region’s star, its city, Cartagena is the queen of the Caribbean. Cartagena is a historic city that’s full of marvelously preserved beauty found within its centuries-old stone walls. From strolling around the Old Town to sipping the world-famous Colombian coffee, things to do in Cartagena will never fail to amaze.

Here Are 11 Best Things To Do In Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena never fails to impress. If you are yearning to visit this beautiful port city in Colombia, you must first know what the best things to do in Cartagena are. 

1. Stroll Around The Historic Old Town

The first on the list of things to do in Cartagena is your visit to the Old Town. Cartagena’s most famous attraction, the Old Town is the city’s historic walls, famous for its exquisitely preserved colonial structures enclosed by ancient fortified walls, just like other old towns in countries colonized by Spain. 

If you’ve watched the Disney animated movie “Encanto,” the Old Town will remind you of this film. Here, you can partake in a fairy tale-like ambience by taking a leisurely stroll through its cobbled streets, as you pass by centuries-old churches, leafy plazas, and colorful homes adorned with some beautiful bougainvillea, a popular plant in Colombia. You can even join a walking tour for free, but donations are encouraged. 

2. Hit The Beach, Snorkel, And Swim

Being a city running along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, Cartagena is where you can’t help but to unite with its beaches, whether you like it or not, just like the Bahamas or Cancún in Mexico. There are more than 20 small coral islands located off Cartagena’s coast, at close distance with each other. One of the best beaches, Islas del Rosario, has also been declared as a national park to protect its delicate coral reefs. Here, you can take boat tours from Cartagena’s city proper, which will stop at various locations for swimming and snorkeling. 

Here, you’ll be treated to white sands and crystal clear waters perfect for sunbathing and swimming. However, the waters around the islands can get rough on a windy day, so if you are prone to seasickness, choose to visit on days that are not windy. Or, you can choose to head over to Playa Blanca, also a white-sand beach located on Cartagena’s mainland south.  

If you are not able to visit Islas del Rosario or Playa Blanca, you can try one of the city beaches in the Bocagrande or Castillogrande neighborhoods on the peninsula stretching south from the Old Town. However, the sands are darker, and the waters are not really turquoise. Great place to relax, nonetheless. Hitting the beach is one of the must-try things to do in Cartagena. 

Welcome to our “things to do in Cartagena” guide. Cartagena is a beautiful city in Colombia. If you wish to learn more about the country, we also have the best photography spots in Colombia. 

3. Jive With Traditional Colombian Dances At The Clock Tower

If you are still looking for free things to do in Cartagena, you might want to visit Torre del Reloj, which translates in English as the Clock Tower. Here, you can watch talented street artists performing traditional Colombian music and dances. 

Once served as the main gateway to Old Town’s inner enclaves, the Clock Tower is one of the most famous landmarks in Cartagena, and a popular meeting place for Cartageneros or the residents of the city. 

The performances here usually happen during the late afternoon. One of the dances they perform is mapalé, an exuberant dancing style that has roots from Africa, accompanied by fast-rhythm drumming. There’s no way you can escape jiving with the music.

4. Trek Uphill To Castillo De San Felipe De Barajas, Spain’s Greatest Colonial Fortress

Finished construction in 1657, Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, or the Castle of Saint Philip of Barajas, is considered as the greatest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies. The castle, despite the various developments in Cartagena, still imposes amidst the city’s skyline. This is definitely one of the first things to do in Cartagena as you visit. 

Though construction ended in 1657, it was in 1762 when an extensive enlargement was undertaken, resulting in the entire hill being covered with this impactful bastion. To reach this fortress, travelers will need to take a short walk and an uphill trek (not that difficult) from Getsemaní, which you will learn about up next.

5. Pose For Instagrammable Pics At Getsemaní, A Former Red-Light District That Turned Into A Vibrant Hipster Neighborhood

Situated just outside Cartagena’s Old Town is Getsemaní, interestingly a former red-light district that eventually transformed into a burgeoning hipster neighborhood. The things to do in Cartagena here are endless. 

You can visit the city’s trendiest restaurants and bars here, keep marveling at colorful houses, and see some urban street art that can also provide a background for your Instagram fashion posts. 

Start your journey here at Getsemaní by strolling the snaking Calle de la Sierpe where coruscating murals that depict traditional life in and history of the Caribbean breath new life into the crumbling stucco walls of old colonial structures here. You can stroll on your own or participate in Getsemaní’s art tour.

We had fun crafting this “things to do in Cartagena” guide, and we hope you are having fun reading them too. Did you know we also listed Colombia’s Cocora Valley as one of the most famous landscape photography locations?  

6. Party Aboard A Chiva

A what? Chiva. Chivas are popular buses in Colombia, brightly colored open air buses usually parked outside the country’s landmarks, and used as a public transportation in rural areas. But for tourists enjoying the things to do in Cartagena, chivas transform into lively party buses. 

You can ask your hotel about the chiva tours. In these tours, you’ll hop aboard the bus with a local vallenato (a popular Colombian folk music genre) band, as well as a bar serving drink-all-you-can alcohol. Yes, it’s free to dance on the chiva.

The bus occasionally stops in the city’s nightclubs for more dancing, and usually ends at a salsa club for a party like no other. 

7. Explore Cartagena On ATV

Sure, you can explore Cartagena’s wonders aboard its chiva bus, but if you want more thrilling things to do in Cartagena, you’ll go explore the city on an action-packed ATV. 

This ATV tour won’t only take you to the city’s nightclubs, but also around various beaches, trails, dirt roads, and rock formations that offer a distinctive glimpse from the Old Town. 

You can also enjoy panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea, lounge on the beach while munching on some seafood snacks, and take a refreshing dip in the sea. A tour guide is present to ensure a safe and fun ride.

8. Dip Yourself In Volcanic Mud At Volcan De Totumo 

You’ve heard about the ice beaches in Iceland, and nearby in Cartagena, you can dip yourself in volcanic mud. 

Colombia’s geography is dotted with various volcanoes, so it is quite normal to find some volcanic mud here. The locals went quite innovative to turn the volcanic mud into a tourist attraction. 

You’ll experience this at Volcan de Totumo. This odd volcano-shaped pile of earth contains a pool of mud 100 meters deep. The mud is super thick you body will literally float at the top. While enjoying dipping yourself in the mud, Volcan de Totumo’s staff will help you with some massage, cleansing, and taking your photos, too. Prepare for some uncanny adventure.

Can’t get enough of this “things to do in Cartagena” guide? Well, you love Latin America, don’t you? Here are more stories about the region.

9. Revisit Cartagena’s Gruesome Past At Palacio De La Inquisición

The Palace of the Inquisition may be a popular attraction in Cartagena among tourists nowadays, but in the past, this is where Inquisition took place, or the Punishment Tribunal meant to eradicate heresy in colonial Cartagena. Today, you can see the space where this punishment happened.

Now, Palacio de la Inquisición is now a museum, showcasing the instruments inquisitors used for torture. On a brighter note, the museum also displays pre-Columbian pottery that tells the history of Cartagena through armaments, paintings, furniture, and even church bells. This is one of the things to do in Cartagena that deserves your attention. 

10. Visit Plaza Santo Domingo, Once A Place For Execution

If you can still stomach learning the stories of Cartagena’s gruesome past, you can continue your journey to Plaza Santo Domingo, today known as the home of the bronze statue, “La Gorda Gertrudis,” created by renowned Colombian artist, Fernando Botero, but in the past, this square located within the Old City was a place for execution. Nowadays, you can even shop here for souvenirs to bring home to your country after your trip. 

11. Sip Some Colombian Coffee, Renowned Across The Globe

You’ve been waiting for this. What’s Colombia without the world-famous Colombian coffee? You’ve seen these coffee beans being sold in your local Starbucks, and now that you’re here in Cartagena, you can experience them first-hand. 

Colombian coffee is generally a bit weaker than most coffees. This is because Colombian coffee uses Arabica beans, which are of a higher-quality. Arabica beans are a bit lighter than the Robusta counterpart, so yes, Colombian coffee is a bit weaker than those made from Robusta.  

But what makes Colombian coffee famous, you ask? We got you, we got you. Well, Colombian coffee beans are grown under the shade of banana trees in a tropical climate, right at the Colombian coffee region blessed with a well-balanced weather. Plus, they go through a hand-picked harvesting process perfected over generations, producing some of the world’s finest beans that, when blended, are stimulating to the senses. 

Some of the best places for authentic Colombian coffee in Cartagena are Ábaco Cafe y Libros, San Alberto, Epoca Espresso Bar, and Cafe del Mural.

We hope you learned a lot from this “things to do in Cartagena” article. Think you have the guts for one more? Check out the best things to do in Cancun, Mexico.

Gastronomic Things To Do In Cartagena: A List Of The Best Restaurants  

Colombia’s culinary scene may not be as loud and famous as, say, Mexican cuisine or Korean cuisine, but Colombian food has a personality that will leave memories you will cherish. 

The country’s cuisine is an irresistible harmony of indigenous traditions, Spanish influence, and Afro-Colombian flair. Its culinary scene reflects Colombia’s diverse landscapes and vibrant culture. You’ve got the likes of Colombian coffee, ajiaco or chicken and potato soup, bandeja paisa, seafood from the Caribbean Sea, maracuyá, and a whole lot more. 

Nothing compares to trying all these delights than in the city of Cartagena. Want some gastronomic things to do in Cartagena? Get to know the best restaurants the city has to offer. 

• Restaurante 1621
• El Arsenal: The Rum Box
• Restaurante Kokau
• El Burlador Gastrobar
• DKP Restaurante Bar
• Buena Vida Marisqueria y Rooftop
• Pezetarian
• Amacagua Lounge & Grill

Say Hola To Cartagena!

Your visit to Cartagena will mostly be like traveling back in time. The city’s cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, and bougainvillea-draped balconies are simply stunning and unforgettable. But there are so many more things to do in Cartagena than just touring the past. For those who love the beach, you can head over Rosario Islands or Playa Blanca. For those who love food, the culinary scene here is diverse. Don’t forget to try Colombian coffee!

The country where Cartagena lies, Colombia, is famous not just for its coffee, but for the kindness of its people. Moreover, the place is also known for its diverse landscapes, and rich culture and heritage where various art forms converge. That’s the Colombian spirit! Visit Cartagena and relive the past.