Cartagena Colombia Travel Guide

Getting to Cartagena Without Losing Your Money

Flights land at Rafael Núñez International Airport (CTG). Most connections come through Bogotá or Panama City, but if you have direct options from the US or Europe, take them. The airport is roughly 20 kilometers from the Walled City, which translates to about a 40-minute drive depending on traffic. Official taxi stands line the arrivals area. Do not accept rides from people approaching you inside the terminal — those are unauthorized drivers who will charge you double or triple the standard rate. A ride to the old town should run between 35,000 and 50,000 COP in 2025, roughly $9 to $13 USD. The airport is small and efficient. Immigration typically takes 20 to 40 minutes. US citizens get a 90-day tourist visa on arrival stamped into the passport. You do not need to show proof of onward travel most of the time, but it is worth carrying a return ticket anyway since immigration officers occasionally ask. Currency exchange at the airport gives terrible rates. Grab just enough pesos for a taxi and a meal, then exchange money at places in the city or use ATMs from Bancolombia or Davivienda, which charge lower fees than the ones in the airport.

What You Actually Need in a Cartagena Colombia Travel Guide

Most guides online tell you to visit the Walled City, walk along the Malecón, see Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, and day-trip to the Rosario Islands. That is not wrong, but it is incomplete. The useful parts of planning a trip here are the things nobody bothers writing down. For example, the best time to visit is January through March. That is when rainfall drops significantly and humidity stays tolerable. April and May are the hot months — I stood outside the San Diego church at 2 PM in late April and ended up with a headache that lasted until evening. If you go then, schedule outdoor sightseeing for early morning only. Another thing most guides miss: the old town feels enormous and overwhelming when you arrive, but it is compact enough to walk everywhere once you understand the layout. The main drag inside the walls is Calle de la Torre, running from Plaza de Armas east toward the waterfront. Cross streets are short. You can walk from the northern wall to the southern Malecón in about 12 minutes. Getsemano sits just outside the western wall and is where most travelers actually end up spending their evenings. It is louder, cheaper, and has better street art. Stay in the Walled City if you want colonial architecture and quiet mornings. Stay in Getsemano if you want nightlife and easier wallet accommodation. I once followed a guidebook recommendation to take a speedboat to the Rosario Islands from the pier near the Castillo. The boat left two hours late, the water was rough enough that half the passengers got seasick, and the island they took us to was the most commercialized one with overpriced drink vendors everywhere. I ended up paying $80 USD for a full-day trip that felt rushed. The workaround is straightforward: skip the big speedboat tours and book a small catamaran departure from Bocagrande instead, or better yet, hire a local guide through a place like Marimonte or a trusted Getsemano shop. Small boat groups move slower but actually stop at the nicer cays like Isla Múcura, which requires a longer boat ride but is worth it for the lack of crowds.

Where to Stay and What It Actually Costs

Budget options in Getsemano run about $25 to $45 per night for a private room in a decent hostel or boutique hotel. Mid-range hotels inside the Walled City start around $80 and climb quickly. You can find solid 3-star equivalent places for $100 to $150 per night. Luxury properties like the Castello del Rosso or Taj Caracol charge $300 and up. The price inflation inside the walls is real and driven by tourism demand. Booking directly with the hotel rather than through a third-party site sometimes saves you 10 to 15 percent, especially during shoulder season in April or November. A few neighborhoods worth knowing about beyond the main two. El Centro, which is the administrative district just outside the Walled City to the east, has plenty of mid-range hotels at lower prices and is a 10-minute walk to everything. Clone is a quieter residential neighborhood west of Getsemano where you will find fewer tourists and cheaper dining. It is not central but reachable by taxi for $5,000 to $8,000 COP. Bocagrande is the long beachfront strip further south and is mostly business hotels and all-inclusive resorts. It feels disconnected from the actual culture of the city. I would avoid staying there unless you specifically want a beach resort experience.

Moving Around the City

Cartagena does not have a public bus system that a foreign traveler can reasonably use. The Transcaribe buses exist but the routes are confusing and the buses are unreliable. Taxis are the default option and they are cheap if you negotiate the fare before getting in. There is no meter. Every driver will quote you a price. You quote a lower price back and meet somewhere in the middle. A ride within the Walled City or to Getsemano should cost 8,000 to 15,000 COP. A ride to Bocagrande from the old town runs 20,000 to 30,000 COP. During peak hours or rain, prices go up by 20 to 30 percent. Walk as much as possible inside the Walled City. The colonial streets are the main attraction and walking is free. For anything outside the center, use app-based rides if available. Cabify operates in Cartagena and provides fixed pricing, which removes the haggling problem entirely. DiDi also runs there. Both charge slightly more than street taxis but the price transparency is worth the premium, especially if you are uncomfortable negotiating in Spanish. A word on scams: a common one involves a taxi driver claiming your destination is closed or unsafe and suggesting an alternative. Ignore it. Another one is the overcharging at tourist-focused restaurants. Check the menu before sitting down. Some places near Plaza Santo Domingo list prices in pesos but add a automatic 15 to 20 percent tip that you did not agree to.

Eating and Drinking

Cartagena's food scene is genuinely good and much less expensive than similar Caribbean tourist destinations. A proper breakfast at a local spot — usually arepa with egg, coffee, and fruit — runs 8,000 to 15,000 COP. A full lunch at a typical cella económica, which is the local term for these no-frills eateries, costs 12,000 to 20,000 COP and includes rice, beans, protein, and salad. The Mojan scheme, where vendors sell cooked plantains dipped in salt water, is a $1,000 to $2,000 COP snack that locals eat constantly. It is worth trying and completely safe. Seafood is the default protein here. Corvina frita, fried sea bass, is everywhere and runs about 25,000 to 40,000 COP at mid-range restaurants. Ceviche is excellent in the wetter months when the catch is fresher. For drinks, aguardiente is the local anise liquor and is very strong. Local beers are Club Colombia and Poker, both around 4,000 to 6,000 COP in a bar. Jugo de chira, a fermented corn drink, tastes strange to first-timers but is culturally significant and refreshing in the heat. The national cocktail is the cevilimonada, a mix of ceviche juice and lemonade that sounds unhinged but is surprisingly good. I have seen travelers get sick from drinking tap water. Do not drink tap water. Ice in sealed bottles at reputable restaurants is generally fine, but if a place looks sketchy, ask for water without ice. Bottled water costs about 2,500 COP per liter at any store. A bottle of wine at a supermarket is 15,000 to 30,000 COP, significantly cheaper than in US or European restaurants. Alcohol taxes in Colombia are high, which is why restaurant drinks feel expensive relative to local wages.

Safety and Practical Considerations

Cartagena is a mid-crime city by Colombian standards. Petty theft is the primary concern. Phone snatching happens on busy streets, particularly near the Castillo and along the Malecón at dusk. Keep your phone in a front pocket or a cross-body bag. Do not walk around with jewelry or flashing expensive cameras. The Walled City is well-patrolled and relatively safe during the day. Getsemano stays lively until late but has darker side streets that feel risky after 11 PM. Avoid displaying large amounts of cash. Carry smaller bills whenever possible. ATMs inside malls or bank lobbies are safer than standalone machines on the street. Health precautions are minimal but not zero. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended but not mandatory for the city itself. If you plan to visit nearby jungle areas like Tayrona National Park, the vaccine matters more. Mosquitoes carry dengue and Zika. Wear repellent with 25 percent or higher DEET. Sun protection is critical. The Caribbean sun hits hard even when it is cloudy. I spent one afternoon at the Castillo without sunscreen and burned badly enough to peel for a week. Bring SPF 50 at minimum. Payment in Colombia is moving toward cashless but cash remains king for small transactions. Cards are accepted at hotels, mid-range to upscale restaurants, and most tour operators. Street vendors, taxis, and smaller cafes operate on cash only. Withdraw from ATMs during daylight hours and inside secure locations. Inform your bank before traveling. Colombian banks sometimes flag foreign card activity and block transactions temporarily. Having a backup card from a different bank solves this if the primary one gets frozen.

Day Trips That Are Worth the Time

Tayrona National Park is the biggest draw outside the city, roughly a three-hour drive one way. The park has beaches accessible by hike or ferry, but the roads are long and the park can get extremely crowded on weekends. Go on a weekday. Bring cash for the park entrance fee, which is around 90,000 COP for foreigners as of 2025. Bananas and other park supplies are expensive inside the park boundaries. Eat before you go. The Rosario Islands are another option but manage expectations. They are beautiful but commercially developed. The best islands in the archipelago — islands like Barú or San Felipe — are less commercialized but require a longer boat trip and more money. A half-day trip to a single decent cay runs about $60 to $100 USD all-in. Full-day catamaran tours with multiple stops go for $120 to $180. Both prices include transport from the old town. Book through a physical shop in Getsemano rather than online, since last-minute bookings sometimes yield better rates than advance purchases. Mompox is a smaller colonial town on the Magdalena River, about four hours away by road plus a boat segment. It is peaceful, historically significant, and completely off the typical tourist route. The journey is long but the town itself is worth it if you have an extra day or two. Budget roughly $60 to $90 USD round-trip for the combined bus and boat transport from Cartagena.

Money and Budgeting

Colombia uses the peso. As of mid-2025, the exchange rate hovers around 4,000 to 4,200 COP per US dollar. Daily budgets vary enormously. A budget traveler spending hostel accommodation, street food, and free activities can manage on $40 to $60 USD per day. A mid-range traveler staying in a $100 hotel, eating at decent restaurants, and taking taxis and one tour per day should plan for $120 to $180 per day. Luxury travel scales up without clear bounds. Carrying dollars in cash is acceptable for emergencies but not ideal for daily spending. Exchange at a casa de cambio, which are widespread in the tourist zones and offer better rates than banks or hotels. Avoid exchanging money on the street, which is illegal and risky. Many hotels and hostels offer exchange services but the rates are usually 10 to 20 percent worse than what you get at a casa de cambio. Withdraw pesos from ATMs using a debit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees. This is almost always the best rate available.

What to Pack

Light cotton or linen clothing. The humidity is relentless from May through November. Quick-dry fabrics help. A light rain jacket is essential if traveling in the wet season, which runs from May to June and September to November. The dry season from December to March is pleasant but not guaranteed. I have experienced rain in February before. Light sneakers or sandals that drain well. The streets in the old town are cobblestone and uneven. Flip-flops work for the beach but not for walking around the city all day. A reusable water bottle. Fill it with bottled water and carry it around. A power bank. You will be using your phone for maps and translation more than usual because cell service can be spotty in parts of the Walled City. No heavy electronics needed. The climate makes them uncomfortable to use anyway. A small first-aid kit with antiseptic and bandages is useful. Mosquito repellent. Sunscreen. These two items alone are worth packing extra of, since prices in Cartagena are inflated for tourists. A daypack for excursions. Locks for hostel lockers. Most hostels provide them but not all.

Language and Communication

Spanish is the language. English is spoken in hotels, tour companies, and upscale restaurants, but nowhere else reliably. Learning basic phrases goes a long way. People appreciate the effort. Google Translate with offline Spanish downloaded works adequately for restaurant menus and signs. Downloading the offline map for Cartagena before arrival is smart, since data roaming can be expensive and some areas have weak signal. Cell phone coverage from Claro or Movistar is adequate in the city. An international plan from your home carrier is simpler than buying a local SIM unless you are staying longer than a week. Cartagena is not ideal for travelers who want quiet beaches or a relaxed coastal vibe. The beach in Bocagrande is narrow, polluted in parts, and heavily developed with high-rises. The sand is not white and the water is not Caribbean-blue like you see in photos from the Rosario Islands or Tayrona. If your expectation is a beach destination, Cartagena will disappoint. It is a cultural and historical city with a coastal climate. The beaches require a separate trip. Also, if you are sensitive to humidity, the heat and moisture can be oppressive. There is no AC in most budget and mid-range accommodations inside the old town. The stone and adobe construction retains heat all day. Higher-end hotels have air conditioning but at a significant cost premium. Cartagena is also not a city for long-term digital nomads unless you are willing to deal with inconsistent internet in older buildings. Co-working spaces exist but are limited. The nightlife is vibrant but ends early by Latin American standards. Most bars close by 2 AM. Restaurants close around 10 or 11 PM, though Getsemano has a few spots open later. If you want late-night options, look in the right neighborhood. Otherwise, plan accordingly.

The main takeaway is practical: Cartagena is a real city with real problems and real rewards, not a theme park version of Colombia. It has genuine history, good food, warm people, and some tourist traps. Budget accordingly, stay in Getsemano or the Walled City, walk everywhere you can, negotiate taxi fares, and avoid the biggest commercial tour operators unless you verify reviews locally. The city reveals itself slowly to people who move at its pace rather than rushing through the checklist.