4 Day Cartagena Itinerary: Attractions + Activities For A First Visit

In this guide, we designed an amazing 4-day Cartagena itinerary. Combine old-town charm, the artsy district of Getsemani, island living, and rum tasting!

If this is your first trip, you’ll likely also have a few basic questions about the city of Cartagena. Like, Is it safe? How Many days in Cartagena? Beaches of Cartagena? Where to stay?

Read on for our recommendations and what we’ll do differently next time.

Our articles reflect our personal experiences in featured destinations. When you book using a link on our site, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Read our Privacy Policy and Disclaimer for more information.

Things to Do in Cartagena

Short on Time? Here’s what we have enjoyed the most and recommend:

Some are targeted more to a couple or group of friends (eg. rum tasting) but many, like island boat day trips also suit multi-generational groups.

We have organized our suggested activities Day By Day. This makes it easier for you to use this article as a basis for your own Cartagena Itinerary.

Also, if you want a quick check on flights and activities mentioned above, here’s a helfpul quick set of links:

Day 1 – Discover Old Town Cartagena

Morning: Explore The UNESCO Walled City

Spend your first morning exploring the central UNESCO-protected heart of Cartagena. This area of town is one marvelous maze if, like us, you are a wandering soul.

The main entrance to the Old Town is Puerto del Reloj (Clock Tower) if you are staying outside the centre. However, we recommend you stay in the Old Town as it’s so atmospheric.

First, don’t worry about following your downloaded city Google Map.  Enjoy getting lost meandering through the central streets, each spilling over with life.

Central Cartagena is quite small so it’s pretty easy to get orientated. There are 2 main districts: El Centro and San Diego. If you arrive at the wall, you’re at the city limit. Just turn around and explore the next street!

Cartagena Guided Walking Tour. If you prefer a guided tour, we recommend this one. We splashed out on the private option because we always learn so much more. Also, the guide can tailor the time to suit your interests!

🔍 Click Here to Book Your Cartagena Walking Tour

Plazas. Make sure to check out both historic & contemporary sights, some dating back to the 16th Century, as you explore the many squares or plazas. Each has its own personality and community activity.

• Plaza Santo Domingo, Plaza Bolivar, and Plaza de la Aduana are all easy to find and likely part of any walking tour.

Each Plaza has its own story, activities & personality.

Ornate Doorways. As you walk, check out numerous beautiful and unique doors! You will discover each decorated with centuries-old symbols depicting the previous life lived behind the door and the original purpose of the building.

Look out for clues as to who lived here in bygone days. Lions, sea creatures, and lizards are popular door knockers.

After all this exploring you may want to give your feet a few moments to rest.  So climb up onto the sea wall and pause, taking a breath as the ocean waves lap the city beaches. Then find a shady spot for lunch in the old town.

Afternoon: Shops, Museums & Street Foods

We suggest a light lunch as there’s a lot of great street food to sample later in the day as you explore.

Lunch Spots In Old Town. We enjoyed the food at Inkanto Cartagena Restaurant and also at Epoca Cafe. Known for coffee, Epoca also serves excellent food and cocktails.

Now you have got your bearings and learned about the history of Cartagena, spend the afternoon having a bit of fun. If it’s getting hot, head indoors for a break.

Gold & Emeralds

Gold & Emeralds. If you love jewelry, why not visit the Gold Museum or perhaps Emerald Factory Caribe. Here you can learn about the precious stones and minerals of Colombia.

Top Up On Coffee. If you love coffee, why not stop off at one of the many city cafes mid-afternoon to keep your energy levels up. Some cafes are state of the art with an almost chemistry lab approach to distilling your coffee beans.

Either way, you will get a delicious drink and a first-hand education on  Colombian coffee. We tried at least 2 a day and loved Epoca and Cafe San Alberto.

Sample Cartagena’s Flavourful Street Food. Dig in! Fresh fruit prepared right in front of you; refreshing, good value, and available across the city. Friendly vendors set up mobile shops from a quiet corner to the main bustling streets.

Sweet papaya and juicy pineapple melt in your mouth. Another favourite is Arepas con Queso – a freshly cooked cheese and potato cake. Delicious and something best eaten hot off the grill!

After a day of walking, we suggest a leisurely dinner in the old town. Ask your hotel for nearby recommendations as there are many great options from local to international cuisine.

Day 2 – Discover Getsemani 

Morning: Explore The Arty District of Cartagena

One of the top Cartagena places to visit Getsemani is one of the most fun areas to spend time. There is a real buzz in this gorgeous district of town which is home to some stunning graffiti art, restaurants, cafes, and bars.

It’s easy to spend time lingering in the streets as you take in the culture and of course, just relaxing over a drink or meal along the way.

It’s no more than a 5-minute walk from the central walled city to the district of Getsemani. This area used to be a high crime spot but has transformed into a gritty, authentic neighbourhood well worth discovering during your visit.

➡️ Click Here For A Walled City and Getsemani Walking Tour.

Oozing with street life, vibrant colours greet you from alleyways to main streets.  Many are sheltered from the sun a little with umbrellas or fluttering bunting. Rather than ‘must see’ sights, this is a part of town just to explore and pass the time as best suits you.

You might well come across street musicians and other artists. We also spotted a sloth descending from a tree in the plaza area as we headed to Getsemani. Knowing how little they move, it was a treat to see one so close up.

If sloths are your thing, don’t miss our comprehensive Costa Rica Road Trip Itinerary that includes details of the best spots for seeing these laidback creatures.

A favourite lunch spot of ours in Getsemani is Restaurante Mar De Las Antillas. Come here for great seafood, excellent cocktails, and in our experience, friendly attentive service.

Afternoon: Relax & Get Your Sunset Spot Sorted

After lunch, take time to wander around. We found the area a photographer’s paradise with street after street of unique street life to absorb.

Then maybe head back to your hotel pool or garden area for a couple of hours of well-earned siesta.

As the sun starts to set, find that perfect spot to toast the beauty of this city.

Sunset Spots in Cartagena. There are many cafe bars around the wall and if you see one you love as you’re walking around, why not return there?

Cafe Del Mar is widely advertised as a top spot. However, in our experience, it is packed with tourists, and overpriced. We walked by during the day but we avoided it for sunsets.

Our favourite Cartagena sunset spot was the Movich Hotel rooftop bar and we headed here twice during our 4 days in Cartagena.

We also loved sunset views from the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas (The Fortress -see Day 4 of our Itinerary).

Soak in the magical sunset vistas over the walled city, and to hip Bocagrande’s modern skyscrapers.

The starkly different views are framed by the ocean: this is a view to linger over. Even a few clouds didn’t matter.

Day 3 – Cartagena Beaches and Boat Trips

We suggest Day 3 is the perfect point in your Cartagena itinerary for a day to relax on the beach, at your resort, or perhaps take a boat trip to local islands.

There are beaches for everyone to enjoy in and around Cartagena without stepping onto a boat. Bocagrande and El Laguito are top spots. However, if you plan to stay around town be aware that it is especially busy on city beaches during weekends and peak holiday months.

If you do head to a city beach beware of vendors. They will be everywhere and they are incredibly persistent. Don’t believe a word of their ‘free’ offers; they charge a ridiculously high price for everything.

If your resort has a private beach area, you will be spared the hassle factor and it’s an option to consider when booking your accommodation.

Outside town, there are several beaches and resorts to pick from which include sailing to a local island, snorkeling or just having a party on the boat.

We chose to take a boat ride over to the Rosario Islands to relax and have a massage. The resort we visited was Hotel Isla del Sol.

How to Pick The Right Island For You

This chain of around 40 islands was officially named a National Park in 1977. As well as a rich marine life with over 1200 species found here, you can relax on small beachfronts. There is typically a pool, bar, spa/massage option as well as other water sports.

Do take time to research what you want from a beach before agreeing to a hotel suggestion. Some of the smaller Rosario islands have limited facilities and maybe just a hotel.

The water here is spectacular but don’t expect long sweeping beaches like say in the Maldives. If you want relaxation vs. a party vibe, be sure to pick the right boat tour for you.

Also if you are on a tight budget, you can find great beach activities by booking yourself on a short 10-minute hop by boat to historic Tierra Bomba.

🔍 Check The Price of Rosario Islands Day Trip

Islas del Rosario Day Trip – What to Know Before You Go

Booking. Once you know what kind of trip you want, it is easy to book online. We suggest doing this if you are here during peak travel as the island day trips are popular.

• Get to the departure dock at least 15 minutes before departure. The Muelle de la Bodeguita harbour is just outside the walled city – we walked from our hotel within 10 minutes.
• Don’t worry if there is a slightly disorganized period at the dock, as passengers are matched to manifests. Eventually, everyone gets on board.
• Wear the lifejacket; it’s the law. Expect to feel a little packed together!
• It may be a little choppy or bouncy when the coastal winds get up.  But these boats are built for travelling these waters so don’t worry.
• Journey time is around an hour ride before landing on a small sandy island resort.

What to Expect On One Of Rosario Islands

Activities On The Island. You can snorkel just a few hundred meters from the dock, have a massage outdoors, hike, play in the pool, lounge and forget about anything but the moment.

Time on The Island. Our trip gave us around 4 hours on the island before we headed back to Cartagena.

Sightseeing From The Boat. This boat ride is also a brilliant way to see the contrasts between the walled city and the newer city. Ships sit just offshore waiting to load and unload and the coast that you hug along the way is full of inviting beaches.

Oh, and the singer Shakira owns a house on one of the Rosario islands – seems like this is her perfect getaway too!

Day 4 – Castillo San Felipe and Rum Tasting

After a couple of days of great sightseeing and island hopping, we headed back to the city’s history on our last morning. On top of San Lazaro Hill, you will find the original guardian of the city, surviving countless attacks.

Morning: Visit Cartagena’s San Felipe Fortress

With construction dating back to the 17th century, the Fortress dominates the skyline in a large part of Cartagena. Since 1984, it has been part of the UNESCO city heritage site.

Walk here from Getsemani over the Puente de Heredia (bridge) from town. Google Maps Link To Castillo San Felipe Entrance. It’s around a 25 minute stroll from the old town.

We suggest getting here early in the morning to avoid crowds/big tour groups. After 9 am, you will see buses dropping tourists off en mass.

The scale of this structure is surprising and it takes a couple of hours to explore it all. You can select a private tour or book as a group tour.

Again, we decided having a private tour with a local guide was well worth it. If you enjoy history, definately do this! Overall the guided experience was not much more than our entrance ticket price.

We enjoyed over 2 hours of breath-taking stories of the city’s history as we explored this military landmark. The views over the water are awesome and this is, as we mentioned earlier, a great sunset spot.

If you have energy and want a little final day souvenir shopping time, why not head to the iconic Las Bovedas Vaults after time at the fortress.

Built as part of the city’s military protection, the 47 arches and 23 domes were also used for sheltering soldiers under attack and it was a prison. Back in those days, we learned it was often flooded up to a foot or more!

Today, you will find a glut of souvenir stores, selling typical tourist Knick-knacks, from t-shirts to coffee mugs.  Most stores all very colorful and enticing to browse through.  Not sure the quality is great, but it’s a fun walk through them.

On your way back into the old town, near the Torre del Reloj (Clock Tower) there are more local vendors, some selling handmade backpacks (mochilas) which are gorgeous.

If you are looking for a different kind of souvenir, we highly recommend visiting the Artesanias de Colombia in Calle del Arzobispado. We bought a couple of woven poufs (easy to pack) and the quality of everything here is top-notch!

Afternoon: Rum Tasting Event at Rum Box

Ever since a trip to Guatemala years back, where we discovered Ron Zapaca, we’ve loved exploring the different Caribbean rums as we travel.

Cartagena is a brilliant spot to enjoy a rum tasting experience, and what better than to do this on your last night?

You will likely want a break after the fortress tour and any last minute shopping.

So maybe head back for a couple of hours of downtime at your city base. For us, after a dip in the pool back at our Hotel Alfiz – perfectly located for walking around the city – we headed back into Getsemani.

We chose El Arsenal The Rum Box for dinner as it continues to receive rave reviews and they also offer the rum and chocolate tasting experience, just across the street.

The food and service are exceptional, but it is busy, so you need to pre-book a table.

They are also recognized for their cocktails so perhaps make time for a one before dinner.

After dinner, we headed over to a bar close by for our tasting. You may also do tastings at the main restaurant, but this was already booked up when we visited.

What a fun couple of hours! The host from Venezuela was informative and fun moving us through eight different rums, our favorite being La Hechicera. (translates in English to The Enchantress!)

I have to say the chocolate changed the taste of the rum in a good way.  And yes, happy to report as a bit of a chocoholic, they are happy for you to taste the chocolate on its own too.

Where to Stay In Cartagena

If you are coming for a long weekend or around 4 days, we suggest you stay either in the Old Town area or Getsemani. Our recommendations are:

Best Places to Eat In Cartagena

Eating out is a highlight of things to do in Cartagena. There are numerous restaurants to choose from and as a vegetarian, we had plenty of choice.

During our 4 days in Cartagena, we loved the Gran Inka with its casual bar linked to a light and airy restaurant. They offer fresh fusion food and delicious vegetarian options. El Arsenal The Rum Box is another fabulous spot for dinner before rum and chocolate tasting!

FAQs

Some of the most common questions about visiting Cartagena together with our responses are listed below to help you as you plan your trip.

Enjoy South America

Whatever your interests you won’t get bored with so many unique things to do in Cartagena. I could happily spend more than four days here again and again and it’s a wonderful introduction to visiting Colombia.

We hope this guide is helpful as you plan your first trip to this unique South American city – a true coastal gem. If you love exploring this part of the world, check out our Panama City Guide for another exciting itinerary.