Colombia is a land full of surprises. Anyone who grew up in the 80s, will remember Cartagena as a scary place to visit, filled with crime, gangs and other unsavory activities. While the news perpetuated this idea, so did a little known movie called Romancing the Stone, staring Michael Douglas and Katherine Turner.
It is because of this movie that I have always wanted to go to Cartagena, particularly the Walled City of Cartagena.
Call me a romantic, but anywhere with giant emeralds, men saving stranded ladies from the jungle, and Danny Devito playing the cousin of a mobster sounds like a place I need to be.
Romanticizing aside, Colombia today is very different than it was 30 years ago.
There is a large police presence in the Old Town, making it safer for tourists to wander during the day. While many do not recommend you walk around by yourself at night, you can still get out to restaurants and nighttime venues with ease.
As always, you should spend more than just a day in a destination, but sometimes you only have a few days or even 24 hours to explore. This Cartagena itinerary will give you a quick highlight, while our weekend guide ( 3 Days in Cartagena) will show you how much more you can see with a little more time.
Quick Look at a 24-Hour Cartagena Itinerary
- Breakfast
- Museum wander
- Lunch
- Mural hop
- Gelato
- Sunset castle tour
- Dinner
Arriving in Cartagena
Chances are, you have already gone through customs, so you are on a domestic flight to Cartagena. If not, expect to go through customs.
Make sure you have your Check Mig form filled out online before you even depart the USA (or your home country). This will be checked as you check in for your flight.
24 Hours in Cartagena Itinerary
This itinerary focuses on the Old Town and Barrio Getsemani (neighborhood), which are filled with great food, art, shops, and museums. So, let’s dive in.
Breakfast in Cartagena
Enjoy breakfast at Café San Alberto, supposedly one of the best coffee roasters in Cartagena. Enjoy a coffee to go and a pastry as you start your wander of the historic old town.
Go on a Cartagena Museum Hop
If you really want to get to know Cartagena and its history, you will want to pop into one of the many museums, art galleries and historical sites that are open to the public to explore.
Note: double check for opening ours, temporary closures and permanent closures before you visit. They were filming a movie outside of the Historical Museum of Cartagena when I was last there, so I couldn’t go inside. Funny enough- the movie was supposed to be based in Havana (a biopic about Fidel Castro).
- Museum of Modern Art (Museo de Arte Moderno Cartagena)
- Zenú Gold Museum (Museo del Oro Zenú)
- Rafael Nuñez House and Museum (Casa Museo Rafael Núñez)
- Historical Museum of Cartagena (MUHCA)
- Caribbean Naval Museum (Museo Naval del Caribe)
- Museum of Cartagena de Indias (AKA Palacio de la Inquisición and Historical Museum)
- Caribe Jewelry and Emerald Museum (it’s also a jewelry shop, and I bought a certified Colombian emerald ring here)
- San Pedro Claver Church: Religious and Art Museum (Museo De San Pedro Claver)
Lunch in Cartagena
Enjoy lunch at Cuzco Cartagena, one of the top restaurants in town featuring Peruvian cuisine.
Order a cocktail, a bottle of water and the cilantro risotto (comes with steak filets, but really doesn’t need anything it is THAT good).
Explore Street Art in Getsemani and Old Town
Walk the streets of Getsemani and Old Town (AKA the Walled City), exploring the street art along the way.
A great place to start is on the square near Di Silvio Trattoria. If you look at the church in the adjacent square, you will see a house to your left covered in a bright mural.
Go down the street to your right and you will find several large art pieces on the walls, flags hanging across the street, plus small streets and alley’s filled with art installations, bright colors and artwork.
You will also find several shops and vendors selling goods.
If you need a bit of a break from the heat, head into the clothing shops. The fancier it looks, the colder the A/C is, so do some browsing and then head back out to wander. If you happen to find something you love, all the better!
Get a Gelato at Gelato Paradiso
You can never go wrong with ice cream, especially when that cold treat is gelato.
Gelato Paradiso is a small tea-shop looking gelato shop, that offered a variety of flavors in a cone or a cup. You can also get an espresso beverage.
I always get Guanabana/Soursop ice cream when I’m in a tropical destination. It’s a refreshing fruit flavor that is like a cross between a peach and a strawberry. It’s hard to explain, but you should try it!
Castle San Felipe de Barajas
The Castle San Felipe de Barajas was built on the Hill of San Lázaro in 1536, and originally known as the Castillo de San Lázaro. It was a strategic fort location that could see enemies coming from land or sea as Cartagena grew.
At the time, it was the only access point into the city from the mainland, which was essential for the Spanish to defend against the British.
Sunset is one of the best times to visit the old Fort of Cartagena, as the light is beautiful against the building and you get gorgeous views of the city.
Head back to your hotel to cool off in the hotel pool, or simply take a rest before you shower and dress for dinner.
Dinner Restaurants in Cartagena
El Burlador Gastrobar
Tapas, paella, craft cocktails and live music fill this small restaurant, making it one of my favorite spots to eat in the city. It was one of the most expensive meals we enjoyed while in town too, but “expensive” is a relative term.
For our table of four, we each paid less than US$40 for appetizers, two cocktails each, entrees and we split two desserts. In the United States, this same meal would have cost us each closer to $100 (in fact, it did when I was in Santa Monica a few weeks ago).
Di Silvio Tratorria
If you need a break from Caribbean and South American food, you can head over to Di Silvio Trattoria. You will regularly see a line up at the door, but the line moves quickly (no reservations accepted at time of publication).
Indulge in pizza and pastas along with wine, beer, and cocktails. Most of the tables are open-air seating, but when the rain comes, there are spots to escape to inside.
After dinner, spend the evening at your leisure.
More Cartagena restaurant recommendations
- La Mulata
- Cuzco Cocina Peruana
- Cuba 1940
- Buena Vida Marisqueria y Rooftop
- La Taperia
- Gran Inka Gastrobar
- La Garza Cafe
- Mar Y Zielo
What about the beach?
You are welcome to go to the beach whenever you like in Cartagena, or even take a soak in your hotel pool. The weather is hot and humid, so your body will crave this relief by midday.
The newer part of the city has loads of beachfront bars and beach clubs that will rent you chairs.
Old Town, which is surrounded by the old fortress wall, has beaches, but there aren’t any amenities, like chairs, food or lifeguards. You will be on your own.
Cartagena Colombia Trip Planning Guide
Recommended Hotels in Cartagena
The best thing about Cartagena hotels is that breakfast is almost always included, many are 8-15 minutes from the airport, and thanks to a favorable exchange rate- 4-5 star hotels are actually affordable, even when you travel to Cartagena with kids.
- Sophia Hotel: Stunning 4* hotel that includes breakfast, pool, family rooms and is walkable to everything.
- Movich Hotel Cartagena de Indias: onsite spa plus free breakfast, Wi-Fi and A/C in every room
- Casa Claver Loft Boutique Hotel: Great for families as it offers 2-bedroom suites, a pool and laundry services.
- If they are sold out, another multi-bedroom suite hotel to check out would be Townhouse Boutique Hotel.
- Hotel Boutique Casa del Coliseo: Cozy rooms and zen-like decor in all of their rooms and suites.
- Ananda Hotel Boutique: roundtrip airport shuttle, and a free grocery shopping service, spa, hot tub, pool and so much more in these gorgeously furnished rooms with exposed brick.
- Leones de Alba Hotel Boutique: more of a splurge, but when you see the pool grotto you will know why we love this Cartagena hotel.
Flights to Cartagena Colombia
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Rental Car in Cartagena
While you do not need a rental car to get around Cartagena, if you do need one, we recommend using DiscoverCars.com.
We found Ubers very economical, safe and easy to use via the Uber app we already use in the United States.
