There’s a reason Cartagena is on most first-time traveler’s lists in Colombia. It’s a place where colorful colonial architecture meets towering modern high rises, all combined within the vibrant, rich culture of the Colombian Caribbean.
But Cartagena is also a city known for its deep and profound history. From pirate attacks to the emancipation of slaves, Cartagena’s role as a major port city put it at the center of a number of vital pieces of Colombian history, both past and present.
I could feel this energy almost the moment I stepped foot in Cartagena. Sure, it’s a tourist hotspot, perfect for lounging on a beach and sipping on a cocktail, but there’s also a story in every corner.
Now while there’s plenty to see in the city, 24 hours is the perfect amount of time to get a taste of Cartagena. So if you’ve got limited time to spend, this article is for you!
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Colombia Quick Links
✈️ Flights – Use Kiwi.com or WayAway to find the cheapest and fastest flights to Colombia
🛏️ Accommodation – Find the best places to stay throughout Colombia on Booking.com and Hostelworld.com
✅ Get Insured – I personally use Safety Wing Nomad Insurance for my travels all around the world! VisitorsCoverage is another great option.
🚗 Rent a Car – Find the best deals for a Colombia road trip on RentalCars.com
🗺️ Find Things to Do – Check out Get Your Guide, Viator, and Tripadvisor for exciting adventures all around Colombia
☎ Buy a Sim – Airalo offers eSIMS for over 200 countries and regions
👜Pack Your Bags – Check out my complete Colombia packing list to help plan your trip!
Have more time to spend in Colombia? Check out my ultimate 3-week itinerary!
Guided Tours of Cartagena
Don’t want to DIY your trip to Cartagena? Check out some of these highly rated city tours!
🚶♀️Walking Tour of Cartagena’s Historic Center – Join a group tour of the colonial center!
🥑Cartagena Street Food Tour – Dive into the unique flavors of the Colombian Caribbean!
🚌City Tour with Chiva Ride – Experience Cartagena from Colombia’s most colorful form of transport!
Where to Stay in Cartagena
The most popular neighborhoods for tourists in Cartagena are the colorful Getsemani neighborhood or the historic center, known as the “Walled City.” Both neighborhoods are walking distance from the majority of the tourist sites in Cartagena.
If you have limited time to spend in Cartagena, I highly recommend staying in one of these neighborhoods to make it easy to get around. Both neighborhoods are also safe for tourists, though if you want to dive a little deeper, I recommend checking out my in-depth article about safety in Colombia.
Here are a few of my top recommendations in Cartagena:
Budget: Viajero Hostel ($): This popular hostel chain is a staple throughout Colombia, and Cartagena hosts two locations, one in Getsemani and the other in the Centro Historico. Both locations offer on-site pools as well as colorfully decorated common spaces, perfect for meeting other travelers!
Mid-Range: Casa Lorenzo ($$): This colorful boutique hotel is located in a beautiful old home in Old Town Cartagena, just steps from the city’s major sites. Rooms include air conditioning, a TV, and a private bathroom, and a complementary American breakfast is served to guests daily.
Luxury: Hotel Boutique Casona del Colegio ($$$): This beautiful boutique hotel is a luxury escape from the city, all while located in a traditional home in Cartagena’s historic center. The hotel features a garden terrace, an infinity pool, and an on-site bar, perfect for relaxing after a day exploring the city.
Find even more places to stay in Cartagena on Booking.com and Hostelworld.com
Tips for Exploring Cartagena
Cartagena is a fairly walkable city, perfect for exploring with limited time. Here are some ticks and tricks to help make the most of your 24 hours in Cartagena.
Dress for the heat: Cartagena is located on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, meaning daily temperatures generally reach up to 80-90 degrees fahrenheit. I recommend wearing sturdy sandals and sweat-resistent clothing to keep cool while exploring the city.
Carry a durable bag: Cartagena’s colonial center unfortunately has a reputation of pick-pockets, so coming prepared with a durable anti-theft bag can keep you and your belongings safe.
Bring plenty of water: The heat dehydrates you quickly in Cartagena, so it’s important to carry plenty of water with you. I recommend a filtered water bottle so you can drink from any water source without worry (and save on single use plastic!)
Have more time to spend in Cartagena? Check out this all-inclusive day trip to the Rosario Islands, one of the best day trips from the city of Cartagena!
How to Spend 24 Hours in Cartagena
Wondering how to spend one day in Cartagena? Here’s my hour-by-hour breakdown of how to spend 24 hours in Colombia’s most colorful city!
9:00AM – Grab breakfast in Cartagena’s Old Town
Cartagena’s Walled City is loaded with breakfast options, from Instagrammable brunch spots to roadside empanada stands to artisanal cafe de origen. Whatever you’re craving, you’re sure to find it.
La Brioche is a Cartagena brunch favorite, located right off the main plaza of the city’s Old Town. You’ll find plenty of French/Colombian fusion dishes, including some of the best French-style pastries in the country.
If you’re willing to venture a little outside the centro, Ely Cafe is the original Cartagena brunch spot, located in the more residential neighborhood of Bocagrande. With a wide menu of breakfast options, from avocado toast to bottomless mimosas, they’re one of the go-to brunch spots in town.
Finally, if you’re looking for a Colombian staple, you can never go wrong with Crepes and Waffles – a local breakfast favorite!
10:00AM – Take a Walking Tour of the Walled City
Cartagena’s Old Town is known as the “Walled City” as it’s surrounded by a series of large stone walls. These structures took over 200 years to build, beginning in the late 1500s, and protected the city from everything from British invasions to pirate attacks!
Within the stone walls, Cartagena’s historic center is extremely well preserved. This is truly the best place to get a feel for the sights and stories of the city, as you explore amongst the colorful colonial buildings.
I highly recommend taking a walking tour of the center to learn more about the history of Cartagena. There are plenty of tours at different price points – from group walking tours to private city tours with local guides.
12:00PM – Grab a bandeja del pescado at Coroncoro
Coastal food is the star of Colombian cuisine, so you have to try some local Colombian flavors for lunch! One of my favorite places in town is Coroncoro, located in the eclectic neighborhood of Getsemani.
This restaurant is popular with locals and visitors alike for its coastal flavors, good vibes, and quite frankly, can’t-be-beat prices! Order a menu del dia – a set menu including a soup, protein, and salad. Or go all out with a bandeja del pescado, featuring some costeño favs (I’m looking at you, fried green plantain!)
1:00PM – Explore the Colorful Streets of Getsemaní
Getsemaní is Cartagena’s resident bohemian neighborhood, covered in murals and Instagrammable corners. It’s a great place to get lost for a few hours wandering the colorful streets or shopping for a few souvenirs.
One of the best sites to visit in Getsemani is La Plaza de la Trinidad, located at the center of the neighborhood. This site was home to a major demonstration in 1811, protesting continued Spanish rule and calling for the emancipation of slaves – many of whom called Getsemani home.
These days, the plaza is the center of life in the neighborhood. Grab a beer or juice from one of the nearby vendors and admire the unique cast of characters you’ll spot in the plaza, from street performers to working artists!
Love street art? Check out my guide to Medellin’s Comuna 13, a neighborhood transformed through the power of art.
3:00PM – Lounge on a Beach at Peninsula Bocagrande
It wouldn’t be a visit to the Caribbean without some beach time! With 24 hours to spend in Cartagena, your best bet is to visit one of the beaches close to the city.
The Bocagrande Peninsula is Cartagena’s best beach within walking distance from the Historic Center. This highrise-lined peninsula is home to a number of beaches to choose from, from the easily accessible Playa Bocagrande to the slightly further, more tranquil Playa Castillo Grande. Grab a cocktail in a coconut, blast your Vallenato music, and spend a few hours lazing the day away under the Caribbean sun.
If you’re looking for total island vibes, you generally need to go outside of Cartagena’s city center. If you have more time to spend, I highly recommend taking a day trip out to the Rosario Islands, located about an hour south of Cartagena. Or, if you’ve really got time, hop on a plane to San Andres, Colombia’s very own Caribbean archipelago!
5:30PM – Watch the Sun Set from El Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
Located just outside the Walled City, El Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas is the most impressive fortress in Cartagena. In fact, many consider it the most impressive fortress in any of the Spanish colonies.
The fortress is notable for its layered fortress system, basically a number of small chambers connected by underground tunnels. This made the fortress extremely difficult to attack, which came in handy on multiple occasions in Cartagena’s history.
These days, the intricate tunnel systems of the fortress can still be explored, plus the structure’s hilltop location makes it one of the best sunset spots in the city. Explore independently or join a guided tour to learn more about the extraordinary history of this Cartagena icon.
7:00PM – Grab ceviche for dinner
It wouldn’t be a visit to Cartagena without some ceviche. You’ll find cevicherias, or ceviche shops, all over the city, and in all different forms! From beach-side shacks to Michelin-starred restaurants, there’s plenty of ceviche variety to be found.
While this seafood dish originates from Peru, the Caribbean has given it its own unique spin. Ceviche in Cartagena is usually made with cooked seafood – generally shrimp or prawns, though you’ll also find it done with lobster, octopus, and oysters. Next, the mix is doused in a tomato-based sauce mixed with onions and cilantro, and finally topped with saltine crackers.
There are plenty of places to try ceviche in Cartagena, however the most notable is probably La Cevicheria, visited by Anthony Bourdain himself. Cancha Cevicheria is another local favorite, as well as a bit friendlier on your pocketbook.
However, if you’re looking for the real budget option, you’ll find plenty of streetside cevicherias throughout the city, where you can build your own cup of delicious Caribbean ceviche!
Want to learn more about the flavors of Cartagena? Check out this guided street food tour!
9:00 Party the night away
Cartagena is one of the best cities in Colombia for nightlife lovers. The Colombian coast is known for a variety of rhythms, so you’ll find everything from old-school cantinas to trendy nightclubs throughout the city.
Calle 30 is known as the nightlife strip of the city, home to a variety of bars and clubs for every type of traveler. One local favorite is Bazurto Social Club, known for its booming champeta music and mini-salsa lessons throughout the evening. It’s a great place to meet travelers and locals alike, not to mention put your dance skills to the test!
Seven 7 Times is arguably the trendiest nightclub in Cartagena. With different rooms dedicated to different rhythms (salsa, bachata, and even a burlesque show) there’s a little something for everyone. Give them a follow on Instagram to find their upcoming events – they often have live DJs and themed nights.
Looking for a unique Cartagena nightlife experience? Check out the party chiva – the most colorful transportation in Colombia!
The Best Time to Visit Cartagena
Cartagena is warm year-round, with daily temperatures ranging from the mid-20s to low-30s (70s-80s Fahrenheit) year-round. You’ll find year-round beachgoing temperatures no matter the season.
However, Colombia’s peak tourist months are December, when everyone is off for the holidays, and late March/early April, when the country celebrates Holy Week (Semana Santa). If you choose to travel during this time, prepare for larger crowds at major tourist attractions.
On November 11th, Cartagena celebrates its Independence Day, one of the biggest celebrations in Colombia. If you have the chance to be in town for this event it’s truly a can’t-miss!
How to Get Around Cartagena
Most of the tourist sites in Cartagena are located within walking distance of one another, between the Old Town and the neighborhood of Getsemani. If you only have 24 hours in Cartagena, I highly recommend staying in this area to make the most of your time.
If you do choose to travel outside of the Old Town, Uber operates in Cartagena. I highly recommend using Uber over yellow taxis – meter scams are common and Uber has a set price.
Why Visit Cartagena in 24 Hours?
Cartagena is one of the most vibrant, rich, and beautiful cities in the world, and definitely a can’t-miss on any Colombia itinerary. With its colorful colonial architecture, bustling Caribbean culture, and centuries worth of history, there’s truly something to discover in every corner.
With 24 hours in Cartagena, you’ll have just enough time to scratch the surface on this Caribbean gem. From its quintessential flavors to its inhabitants who came from around the world, there are so many stories to uncover as you explore the city.
If you have more time to spend on the Caribbean coast, I highly recommend checking out some of my other guides to the Colombian Caribbean, everything from Carnival in Barranquilla to hiking to the Lost City in Santa Marta. I’ve also written 24-hour guides to most of Colombia’s major cities, from the capital of Bogotá to the sunny city of Medellin.
But why should you trust me? Well, I’m currently on a mission to explore all 32 departments of Colombia, which has taken me everywhere from the deserts of La Guajira to the depths of the Amazon jungle. I’ve written all about my adventures on my blog, so I hope you’ll keep following along!
What’s your favorite thing to do in Cartagena? Let me know in the comments below!
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Virginia Taylor (Ginna) is a travel writer and photographer exploring the world until her boots wear through. She’s currently on a mission to explore all 32 departments of Colombia, though she formerly called the Middle East home. Want to know more? Visit the About Page.