The plans we recommend, from those of us who live here: from sunset on the city walls to plankton that glows at night. With 2026 prices, a map, itineraries and tours ready to book.
By the Vyara Group local teamUpdated October 4, 202611 min read
Cartagena comes in layers: the walled city by day, sunset on the walls, Getsemaní at night and, the next morning, turquoise water an hour away by boat. This guide brings together what we recommend to our own guests, with verified facts and no filler.
Three questions and we build your list of plans. Share it with whoever is traveling with you.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. Cobbled streets, wooden balconies draped in bougainvillea and squares that change mood by the hour.
1The right way to see the Old Town is to wander with no route: colorful colonial houses, wooden balconies covered in bougainvillea and hidden squares around every corner.
Local tipBetween 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. the heat is intense. Walk early or after 4 p.m. and use midday for air-conditioned museums or lunch.
2The Clock Tower gate is the main entrance to the walled city and the classic meeting point. Walk through it and you are in Plaza de los Coches.
Local tipIt makes the best photo at night, when the tower is lit up.
3Climbing onto the walls at the end of the afternoon is the most Cartagena ritual there is: the sun sinks into the sea and the city lights up. The Santo Domingo bastion, home to Café del Mar, is the most famous spot; any stretch of wall facing the sea works.
Local tipArrive about 30 minutes before the sun sets to get a good spot.
4The liveliest square in the Old Town, ringed with terraces, with the sculpture “Gertrudis” by Fernando Botero. Local tradition says touching it brings good luck.
Local tipCome by day for a photo without crowds; come at night for dinner on a terrace.
5Today it is the Cartagena History Museum: the story of the city and the Inquisition tribunal room, behind one of the most beautiful colonial facades, facing Plaza Bolívar.
Local tipCombine it with the Gold Museum, which is on the same square.
6A church and cloister dedicated to Saint Peter Claver, the Jesuit who devoted his life to caring for the enslaved people arriving at the port. Its dome is one of the silhouettes of the Old Town.
Local tipFrom the cloister you can go up to a balcony overlooking the bay.
7Goldwork from the Zenú culture, free to enter and air-conditioned: the perfect refuge at the hottest time of day.
Local tipClosed on Mondays.
8The old vaults built into the wall in the late 18th century are now craft shops: woven bags, vueltiao hats, hammocks and souvenirs.
Local tipCompare prices between shops before you buy: they vary a lot.
9With their colorful dresses and bowls of fruit balanced on their heads, the palenqueras are a symbol of the city. Many come from San Basilio de Palenque.
Local tipIf you want a photo with them, ask first: it is part of their work and it is paid. Better still, buy fruit from them.
10Under the arches of Plaza de los Coches: cocadas (coconut sweets), alegrías, panelitas and tamarind sweets in glass jars.
Local tipTry the milk cocada and the panela one. They travel well as gifts.
11San Diego is the quietest, most bohemian part of the Old Town. At night its square fills with tables, music and street performers.
Local tipA good place for dinner without the bustle of Santo Domingo.
Right next to the Old Town, outside the main wall: murals, squares packed with locals at sunset and the best nightlife in the city.
12As evening falls, the square in front of the Santísima Trinidad church fills with neighbours, travelers, street-food stalls and dancers. This is Cartagena at its most authentic.
Local tipTry whatever the stalls on the square are selling and stay for the music.
13Getsemaní is an open-air gallery: murals on every corner, umbrellas and bunting strung over the streets. Great for photos.
Local tipExplore it by day and on foot; the streets are short and connect to each other.
Cartagena was the most heavily fortified port in the Spanish Caribbean. These are the places to understand why, and to see the city from above.
14The great Spanish fortress on San Lázaro hill, with tunnels, gun batteries and an open view over the city. Essential for understanding Cartagena’s history.
Local tipGo first thing: after 10 a.m. the sun is fierce and there is little shade. Colombians get in free with their ID on the last Sunday of each month (except January and December).
Book it with Vyara Group
City tour con entrada al Castillo4 h · from COP 75,000 per personBook
15The highest point in the city: a 17th-century convent with a flower-filled courtyard and the most complete panoramic view of Cartagena.
Local tipGo up by taxi or on a tour, not on foot.
Book it with Vyara Group
City Tour Panoramico4 h · from COP 45,000 per personBook16If you are short on time, the guided tour on a traditional chiva bus covers the key sights in half a day, with pick-up in the Old Town or Bocagrande.
Local tipChoose the version with castle entry if you are not visiting it on your own.
Turquoise water an hour away by boat. The Rosario Islands, Barú, Tierra Bomba and the city beaches, with what you should know before you go.
17An archipelago of turquoise water and reefs inside the Corales del Rosario y San Bernardo National Natural Park, about an hour away by boat. The classic plan: a tour of several islands, lunch and snorkeling.
Local tipAsk whether the dock fee and insurance are included; on many tours they are paid separately. Use reef-safe sunscreen: the corals will thank you.
18At night, in some lagoons around Barú, the water lights up with every movement thanks to bioluminescent plankton. One of those experiences you do not forget.
Local tipIt is included at the end of the islands + plankton tours. It works best on nights without a full moon.
19Cartagena’s postcard beach: white sand and crystal-clear water. You get there by road in about an hour, or by boat.
Local tipIt gets crowded in high season: arrive early and agree the price of chairs, food or massages before you accept them.
20Next door to Playa Blanca and, as its name says, much calmer. It can be combined with snorkeling and the trip to see raccoons.
Local tipTours leave early, with hotel pick-up and transfer by air-conditioned bus.
21For a proper rest: speedboat, welcome cocktail, lunch and a beach bed at the island beach clubs, such as Bora Bora and Pao Pao.
Local tipThe VIP version includes an à la carte menu and a beach bed.
22The island facing Bocagrande, a few minutes away by boat: beach clubs with a view of the city skyline, without spending the whole day at sea.
Local tipThe option with the least time on a boat: good if you are traveling with children or get seasick.
23The city’s urban beach, in front of the high-rises: perfect for an afternoon by the sea without taking a boat.
Local tipAgree the price of tents and chairs before you sit down.
24A fishing village north of the city: a wide beach, fried fish by the sea and canoe rides through the mangrove tunnels of the lagoon.
Local tipThe canoe ride is best in the morning, when it is cooler.
Sunset is the highlight of the day in Cartagena. Watching it from the water is something else.
25A cruise around the bay on a catamaran to watch the sunset with the walled city and Bocagrande as a backdrop.
Local tipThe romantic plan par excellence.
Book it with Vyara Group
Atardecer Catamaran Flamante2 h · from COP 170,000 per personBook
26Music on board, drinks included and the bay as the sun goes down. One to do with friends.
Local tipIt includes complimentary drinks; check the details when you book.
Book it with Vyara Group
Atardecer Barco Phanton2 h · from COP 70,000 per personBook
27Speed across the bay, with a sunset departure or a party version at night.
Local tipThere are departures every day.
Book it with Vyara Group
Tour en Lancha Deportiva2 h · from COP 80,000 per personBook
From an egg arepa on the street to tables that appear on lists of the best restaurants in Latin America.
28Fried corn dough stuffed with egg and sometimes meat: the most coastal snack there is. You will find it at street carts and fried-food stalls all over the city.
Local tipEat it straight out of the oil.
29The classic coastal lunch: a whole fried fish, coconut rice, fried plantain (patacones) and salad. Have it with a coconut lemonade.
Local tipIt tastes best by the sea, in La Boquilla or on the islands.
Small and famous since Anthony Bourdain visited it on his show No Reservations: ceviche and seafood on the corner of Plaza San Diego.
Local tipThere is usually a line: go early or late.
Chef Jaime Rodríguez reinterprets the cooking of the Colombian Caribbean with local ingredients. It has featured on the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Local tipBook ahead.
Colombian Caribbean cooking with a contemporary twist, in one of the most elegant boutique hotels in the Old Town.
Local tipIdeal for a special dinner.
Fine dining that celebrates Colombia’s biodiversity, in a house with a courtyard, lots of greenery and soft lighting.
Local tipAsk about the tasting menu.
Corozo, níspero, zapote, green mango with salt and lime: on the street, order whatever you do not recognise.
Local tipStreet juice stalls are a cheap way to cool down.
The city’s great popular market: chaotic, loud and authentic. Fish, fruit, fried food and the Cartagena that does not appear on postcards.
Local tipGo early and, if it is your first time, with a local guide.
Award-winning cocktails, live salsa and the chiva party bus: Cartagena wakes up when the sun goes down.
A cocktail bar in a three-story mansion on Calle del Colegio, working with Colombian ingredients. It features on The World’s 50 Best Bars list; the rooftop is for dancing.
Local tipArrive early on weekends.
Live salsa in Getsemaní: the bar where, sooner or later, everyone ends up dancing.
Local tipThings get going late.
38A colorful traditional bus with music, lights and a night-time tour of the city, with door-to-door pick-up.
Local tipThere are two departures every night.
Book it with Vyara Group
Chiva Rumbera1.5 h · from COP 40,000 per personBook
About an hour from the city: a mud volcano and the first free town in the Americas.
39A small mud volcano where you climb in and float in warm mud; afterwards you wash off in the lagoon. Odd, fun and unforgettable.
Local tipWear a swimsuit you do not mind staining.
40The first free town in the Americas, founded by enslaved people who escaped. UNESCO declared it a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity: it has its own language, music and living traditions.
Local tipGo with a guide who was born in Palenque: it changes the visit completely.
Tap a number to see the plan. Colors group the plans by section.
The yellow numbers take you to the plan in this guide.
Prices per person in Colombian pesos (COP). Operator rates can change with the season.
| Plan | Price | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| San Felipe Castle | COP 38,000 (foreign visitors) · COP 33,000 (Colombians) | Official 2026 |
| Palace of the Inquisition | About COP 24,000 (adults) | History Museum |
| Zenú Gold Museum | Free | |
| Rosario Islands tour (full day) | From COP 230,000 | Vyara Group |
| Island beach club | From COP 440,000 | Vyara Group |
| Day pass on Tierra Bomba | From COP 60,000 | Vyara Group |
| Playa Tranquila (Barú) | From COP 120,000 | Vyara Group |
| Sunset boat trip | From COP 70,000 | Vyara Group |
| City tour by chiva bus | From COP 45,000 | Vyara Group |
| Chiva party bus | COP 40,000 | Vyara Group |
| Totumo Volcano (tour) | COP 95,000 – 190,000 | Varies by operator |
| San Basilio de Palenque (tour) | COP 280,000 – 400,000 | Varies by operator |
It is hot all year round (roughly 25 to 32 °C / 77 to 90 °F). December to April is the dry season; October and November bring more rain, almost always in short downpours. It is busier and more expensive in December–January, Easter week and the mid-year holidays.
Choosing the right area changes the trip. These are the apartments we manage, by area, with online booking; we also have hotels.
With 3 or 4 days you can cover the Old Town and Getsemaní, go to the islands and have a free beach afternoon. With 5 days, add a day trip to the Totumo Volcano or San Basilio de Palenque.
December to April is the driest season. October and November are the rainiest months, although rain usually comes in short downpours. It is hot all year round. Prices go up in December and January, Easter week and the mid-year holidays.
Walk the Walled City, watch the sunset from the city walls, visit the Zenú Gold Museum, spend an evening in Plaza de la Trinidad in Getsemaní, see the street art and go to Bocagrande beach.
Full-day tours with Vyara Group start at COP 230,000 per person, with lunch. Ask whether the dock fee and insurance are included: on many tours they are paid separately.
Bocagrande if you want a beach and seafront high-rises; the Old Town or Getsemaní to go out on foot at night; Crespo if you are flying in or out; the North Zone to relax in complexes with pools.
Egg arepa, fried fish with coconut rice and fried plantain, ceviche, coconut sweets from the Portal de los Dulces, coconut lemonade and tropical fruit such as corozo and níspero.
Send it to whoever is traveling with you, or message us: we help you book tours and accommodation in one place.
Prices and opening hours checked against: Castillo San Felipe: precios y horarios 2026; Entrada gratis al Castillo en 2026 (El Universal); Museo Histórico de Cartagena (Palacio de la Inquisición); Alquímico en The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026 (La República); Volcán del Totumo: precios de tours; San Basilio de Palenque.
Photos: Bernard Gagnon (CC BY-SA 4.0); Xemenendura (CC BY-SA 4.0); David Shankbone (CC BY-SA 3.0); Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) (CC BY-SA 4.0); Edgar Jiménez from Porto, Portugal (CC BY-SA 2.0); © Dr. Thomas Liptak (CC BY-SA 4.0); Kamilokardona (CC BY-SA 3.0); Joe Ross from Lansing, Michigan (CC BY-SA 2.0); Dave Gonzalez Formerly Mr G Photoimaging (CC BY 3.0); M M from Switzerland (CC BY-SA 2.0); REPÚBLICA DE COLOMBIA (Public domain); Felipeortegag (CC BY-SA 4.0); Richardaemix (CC BY-SA 4.0); Bob Burch (CC0); GameOfLight (CC BY-SA 3.0); PapiPijuan (CC BY-SA 4.0); Jdvillalobos (CC BY 3.0); Cinematicguy (CC BY-SA 4.0); Dasha Shishkova (CC BY-SA 4.0); kosmel bonfante (CC BY 3.0); Dr. Thomas Liptak (CC BY-SA 4.0).
