Follow This 3-day Itinerary Of What To Do In Cartagena

On the shores of the Colombian Caribbean coast, full of history and colonial buildings, is the colorful Cartagena. It is one of the best places to visit in Colombia and one of Colombia’s main tourist destinations. Are you wondering what to do in Cartagena? Enjoy its best attractions with this 3-day itinerary:

1. What to do in Cartagena: Day 1

For your first day we suggest two main activities. Both are best done early in the morning – as the sun after 10 am becomes really strong ­– or at dusk.

1. San Felipe de Barajas Castle

This impressive Spanish castle is outside the walled city and is a place full of history. Also, it has excellent views of the city and the sea. Bring an umbrella and plenty of water, at least one liter per person.

It is also recommended to get an audio guide, since the castle has no markers or signage. Any visit to this place can be twice as interesting if you know what you’re seeing and the history behind it.

Cost of admission: USD $9. Free the last Sunday of every month.

Estimated duration: 1-2 hours

2. Tour of the Walled City

The walled city itself is an attraction. If you’re wondering what to do in Cartagena, regardless of the time of day or day of the week, you should take a stroll through the famous Ciudad Amurallada.

Allow yourself to get lost within its colorful walls and narrow streets. There’s something new to be found on every corner. No matter where you walk – both within the walls and outside – it is a lively, colorful, and interesting town. Do not forget your camera!

However, there are always other ways to make your way around the city.

If you like the literary work of Colombian Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Marquez, you can learn about this city through his eyes. Buy or download the audio guide “La Cartagena de Gabo” to find a list of places that are related to the author. Not only will you meet the characters of his Cartagena-based novels, but you will also see the entire city – and not only what it is today, but what it was like for Gabo.

Another option if you’re with older members of the family, is the Hop on Hop Of bus, which you can use to tour the city and travel to the Castle of San Felipe and back. This option includes an audio guide.

You could also take a private tour of the city. This is the best way to discover the city in a short time frame as you will get all necessary information from a professional bilingual guide. Transport to the further places such as the San Felipe Castle and the La Popa Monastery is also included.

2. What to do in Cartagena: Day 2

What better way to enjoy Cartagena than to learn a little bit of history, walking around the Bohemian neighborhood and finally getting ready for some Colombian dancing and partying.

1. Visit the Naval Museum of the Caribbean. In this museum you will find the history of Cartagena de Indias from its first inhabitants, as well as the history of navigation and the Colombian Navy.

2. Visit the Historical Museum of Cartagena de Indias. Located in front of the Plaza de Bolivar. In this museum there is an exhibition about the city of Cartagena, including the history of slavery and the inquisition.

Cost of admission: USD $ 6

Estimated duration: 1-2 hours

3. Take a stroll through Getsemani. This area, known for its graffiti, has a lot of charm. They call it the “cool” neighborhood of Cartagena. With a varied and interesting gastronomic selection, this tour can take a couple of hours.

4. What to do in Cartagena at night is an easy question to answer. Enjoy a party at the typical Chiva Rumbera! You’ll tour around the city with live musicians playing Vallenato.

Usually they pick you up at your hotel, or at some agreed point, at around 7 pm. It includes unlimited drinks and you can usually taste some typical dishes of the area. The last stop is at a bar with music where you can stay or return to the point where they picked you up. It is ideal for weekends, but you can do it on any day.

3. What to do in Cartagena: Day 3

Another idea as to what to do in Cartagena is to spend a day on a white sand island, holding a cocktail and relaxing in the sun. For your last day in Cartagena, we recommend going outside the city to one of its many famous and popular beach paradises. A good option is the Rosario Islands, located around 60 minutes from the city by boat. Click here to find out more information about this tour

Conclusion

As you can see, there are more than enough activities to do in Cartagena to keep you busy ad intrigued for a couple of days.

We hope we managed to convince you to visit this wonderful Caribbean pearl.

If you need help or guidance with the planning process of your trip to Colombia, don´t hesitate to contact us. We have a team of travel experts looking forward to help you have the best holiday of your life.