Cartagena is a port city on the northern coast of Colombia. It was established in the 1500s and was once the best-protected city in the Spanish Empire. It has a tropical climate year-round, which makes it a great destination to visit no matter what the season. Many people come to hit the beach and explore the Old Town. It is the most touristy city in Colombia and is considered a UNESCO site. I recommend spending 3 days in Cartagena on any Colombia trip.
Want a guided tour to start out your trip and get acclimated to the city? Then check out Guru Walks for a free guided tour. You can book online to reserve your spot and pay what you wish when you get there. Check out the tours in Cartagena here.
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History of Cartagena
Humans first settled in the Cartagena area around 4000 BC. Throughout the years, the cultures continued to develop and grow. The Monsu people lived the closest to the Cartagena area.
The 1500s brought about the arrival of Europeans, and by the mid-1500s, they took over. Throughout the years, the Cartagena area was ruled by the Spanish and continued to grow over that time and become the city it is today.
Best Time to Visit Cartagena
Cartagena is a gorgeous city to visit any time of the year. It tends to stay in the mid-80s all year, but it does get a little rainier in the wintertime and a bit humid in the summertime.
How to Get to Cartagena
Cartagena has one main airport, the Rafael Nunez International Airport. There are a ton of direct flights from the United States, and they tend to be pretty affordable.
Upon arrival, grab an authorized taxi from the stand to get to your hotel. You can even pay upfront at the authorized stand. Make sure to know the price prior to entering the taxi. It should cost about $4.
Where to Stay for 3 Days in Cartagena
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Cartagena hotels here!
The most centrally located area in Cartagena is the Centro area. This area is the walled Old Town. There are many Airbnbs available in this area and a few boutique hotels. If you are more interested in spending time at the beaches or away from the tourist sites, Bocagrande is the place to stay. We stayed at the beachfront Hotel Cartagena Plaza. The Hotel Cartagena Plaza was a perfect choice. For our 3 days in Cartagena, it only cost us $82 a night for this luxurious beachfront resort.
Check out these hotels too!
- Nacar Hotel Cartagena
- Hilton Cartagena Hotel
- Ermita, Cartagena
- Hyatt Regency Cartagena
- Intercontinental Cartagena de Indias
- Holiday Inn Express Cartagena Bocagrande
- Holiday Inn Cartagena Morros
Transportation in Cartagena
The Old Town of Cartagena is very walkable! You will not need to worry about any form of public transportation while in the Old Town. If you opt to stay in the Bocagrande area, you will need to take taxis.
The Hotel Cartagena Plaza had reputable taxis out front that you could grab at any time. However, to get back to the area, you will need to grab one of your own. Make sure to ask for and agree upon the price before getting in the cab or make sure they run the meter to ensure the taxi driver does not try to rip you off. Taxis are also only available outside of the City Walls.
Day 1 in Cartagena
Arrival in Cartagena
Your flight will most likely arrive in the late morning from the United States. Once you check into the hotel and get settled, head out to the pool and relax for a while. The Hotel Cartagena Plaza offers food by the pool, so opt to grab lunch there.
Also, opt to explore Bocagrande. This area is often compared to Miami Beach and is where many beaches are located in Cartagena. There are some public beaches, or you can opt to stay at a hotel with beach access.
Old Town
Once you are feeling rested and relaxed, grab a taxi to the Old Town. There are many sites to see around the Old Town area. Start out by walking the City Walls. These walls provide many great views of the ocean and the city. The harbor was once guarded by 29 stone forts and a high wall of coral. The city walls are what remains of that. It is free to walk around the city walls and there are plenty of cute buildings and views along the way.
Stroll around the Iglesia San Pedro Claver, one of the main churches that still remains from the 1500s. Then, head past the Torre del Reloj, the Clock Tower. This is the main gate and original entrance to the Old Town area of Cartagena. It is a great spot to grab some pictures as well. If you want pictures without anyone in them, come early in the morning.
Museo de Oro
Cost: $2.50
Hours: Tues-Sat: 9am-5pm, Sun: 9am-2pm, Closed Mondays.
Next up, stop at the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum). This museum is a smaller version of the one in Bogota. It focuses on pre-Columbian gold, silver, and ceramic relics. It takes no longer than an hour to see everything it has to offer.
Bacco Trattoria
Cost: $$
Hours: Sun-Wed: 12:30pm-10pm, Thurs-Sat: 12:30pm-11pm
After all of the walking around town, carb-loading might be in order! Head to Bacco Trattoria for some delicious Italian food. They have a variety of pasta dishes as well as pizza and are located around the main area of the Old Town.
Drinks at the Movich
Cost: $
Hours: Open most of the day
After dinner, head over to the Movich Cartagena to grab a drink. The Movich is a hotel with a spectacular rooftop bar. They have super comfy chairs, loungers, and tables all around the rooftop.
Day 2 in Cartagena
Take a Day Trip to the Rosario Islands
Today, spend the day on the Rosario Islands. The Rosario Islands are a chain of islands that is also a National Park of Colombia and a must-visit during 3 days in Cartagena. There are many coral reefs to explore that surround the island. We opted to visit the island of Isabela. I booked our tour through Cartagena Connects. There are a ton of different island tours you can choose from, but we opted for one that included lunch and lounging on the beach all day.
You will need to head to Muelle de la Bodeguita, the harbor/marina to catch your boat. This port will be chaotic in the morning. Spend time wandering the area and looking at the various boats before catching your boat. On the islands, there are lots of options on how to spend your day… massages, swimming, snorkeling, or just relaxing on the beach with a drink in hand.
Day 3 in Cartagena
Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
Cost: $6 General Admission
Hours: Daily from 8am-6pm
Start the morning of day 3 by heading out to Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. This fortress overlooks Cartagena and the surrounding oceans. It was built by the Spanish in the 1500s and located on the Hill of San Lazaro. Throughout the years, the castle has been used as a fortification and for military purposes. There are a ton of tunnels and passageways to wander through. Make sure to get there early to beat the crowds (and the heat).
Los Zapatos Viejos
After visiting the fortress, stop by Los Zapatos Viejos, which means old boots in Spanish, for a photo opportunity. These are located in a small park that offers gorgeous views of Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. These bronze boots honor a famous Cartagena poet, Don Luis Carlos Lopez.
Convento de la Popa
Cost: $1
Hours: 8:30am-5:30pm
If you feel up to it, head to the Convento de la Popa. This convent and chapel is located at the highest point of Cartagena and offers amazing views of the city below. This building dates back to 1607. Simon Bolivar once settled here with his regiment when they were liberating Cartagena.
Grab Lunch at Las Indias Boutique Gourmet
Cost: $$
Permanently Closed
Las Indias is located in the Getsemani area and has very inexpensive lunch sets, perfect for the traveling teacher! It varies each day, but it came with a drink, soup, and entree, and a dessert. When we went, we had chicken, coconut rice, a vegetable soup, a soda, and a dessert.
Getsemani
After lunch, walk around the Getsemani District. This area is full of colorful street art and lots of Instagrammable photo opportunities. Make sure to check out Calle 26 and 27 for some cool art displays and more Instagrammable Picture Spots.
Abacus Books and Coffee
Cost: $
Hours: Mon-Sat: 8am-9pm, Sun: 9am-9pm
When you feel like you need a rest, head to Abacus Books and Coffee. This quaint little bookstore contains a cute coffee shop in the middle of it. Make sure to try a cup of delicious Colombian Coffee.
Cafe del Mar
Cost: $$
Hours: Daily 7:30am-10pm
Grab dinner and drinks at Cafe del Mar. This is the perfect place to grab a drink and watch the sunset. Make sure to get there early to grab a seat. If you like ceviche, they apparently have a pretty good one! Enjoy your last night of 3 days in Cartagena with gorgeous views and a stroll around town.
Total Spent for 3 Days in Cartagena
Airfare: Free for me thanks to my JetBlue tickets I won but normally runs $300-400/person from LAX
Hotel: $246 total or $123/person
Transportation: $25/person (if that)
Day Trip/Entrance Fees: $65/person
Total: $615 total ($215 for me since I did not pay for airfare)
Final Tips for 3 Days in Cartagena
Your flight will most likely leave the next morning, or you could head to other places in Cartagena. We opted to head to Panama from Cartagena to make a week-long trip. Interested in exploring more of Colombia than just 3 days in Cartagena? Make sure to check out Bogota as well as it is a great place to take day trips from. Medellin and Cali are also supposed to be gorgeous cities.
10 thoughts on “Fun Things to Do During 3 Days in Cartagena”
I would so love to visit the Rosario Islands! Coming from a city way up in the mountains, I always think it’s so special when a destination has a great urban culture AND beautiful beaches right at its doorstep!
Such a great intro to Cartagena. I have been wanting to visit Colombia and am reading so many blog posts to get as much information as possible. I see you have another post on Colombia so I’m heading there right now to read it 🙂 Can’t wait to drink some Colombian coffee!
Ooh thanks for the amazing post, lovely! I’ve never been to Cartagena before, but it looks fantastic! I would especially love to go to the Rosario Islands!
What a quirky little place! I love those cute alley ways and cafes. Seems like a great place to get lost in 🙂
Bocagrande beach looks spectacular! I would definitely want to put up somewhere close to that beach 🙂
Would love to visit Colombia! Although I don’t know too much about it. But I’m a coffee addict and I would love to explore the coffee scene there! Cartagena sounds like a great city – and the food sounds amazing!
Cartagena looks like a lovely place to visit. I love the overlooking views from the fortress Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, also the colorful street art looks amazing. I would definitely love to check out all the places in Cartagena.
So many of your photos remind me of Nicaragua and Puerto Rico – so cool to see how the Spanish influence has a part in the design of all Hispanic areas and countries.
I just returned from Cartagena myself a few weeks ago. I absolutely loved it. I also visited the Movich Hotel, the view from their rooftop is incredible during the day. I am sad I didn’t get to try the Italian place though. It’s my favorite food group and I always seek it out when I travel. I like to compare what I find in various parts of the world. Looks like you had as much fun as I did!
Visiting Cartagena is high on my list. We actually have friends living there and they keep inviting us to visit. It’s wonderful to see the beauty through your pictures. I love the ocean scenes and the old boots:) What a colorful and charming city. Can’t wait to visit soon!!