What to do in Cartagena de Indias

8 places you should visit in the walled city.

Cartagena de Indias is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Colombia, a walled city with colonial history and a paradisiacal air that captivates foreigners. By continuing within the post, you will find different luxury activities and experiences that will allow you to enjoy the Caribbean jewel.

This destination has different experiences and activities that can complement your trip to make it fun and dynamic. You will have the possibility to choose different activities that complement and make your day unforgettable:

1. Visit the Heredia theater.

Although most people know it as Teatro Heredia, its official name changed in 1911 when they named it after Adolfo Mejia, one of the most famous composers in Colombian history. This building has an Italian design built with Caribbean details and European decorations made of marble

One can visit the theater on a self-guided tour or decide to purchase a ticket to experience an opera, play, or dance show.

2. Get to know the Zenú Gold Museum

It is popular and attended by foreigners due to the different and numerous archaeological objects designed in gold, metal and ceramics, as representative symbols of the pre-Columbian cultural legacy.

Also, you can schedule visits to the cinema or attend reading spaces or workshops offered for children.

3. Explore San Felipe de Barajas Castle

A beautiful castle with views of the bay and city, this imposing structure was built in the 16th century. It is a beautiful emblematic fortress and was used by the local guard who used it to defend the city and protect themselves during wars, in particular the famous Battle of Cartagena de Indias.

You can explore this fortress and visit its tunnels, where you can hear the stories and exploits of the soldiers who prevented Cartagena from becoming a British colony.

4. Visit San Pedro Claver Museum

Founded in 1605, it was named after Saint Peter who was a Jesuit missionary. Currently, it houses an archaeological museum with different rooms each showcasing specific historical themes.

One of the rooms focuses on pre-columbian civilizations, another on colonial religious art and a third in which you can appreciate Afro-Caribbean art. Additionally, during your visit you can enjoy colonial and African-American art, and even visualize images and symbols of the Jesuit religion and the church of the 17th century.

5. Tour the Getsemani neighborhood

An artistic neighborhood that represents street art, due to its mixtures of graffiti and drawings of representative murals of Cartagena.

If you are curious to know it, you can take a tour of the colorful streets of the umbrellas or Callejón Angosto and Magdalena.

6. Walk through fun streets of the San Diego neighborhood

Located in the Walled City, it is a colorful area with chic yet bohemian streets. During the tour you can stop by the colonial church of Santo Toribio and the lush Plaza Fernández Madrid.

Take the opportunity to visit Las Bóvedas, a corridor made up of 23 arches with shops in which we find crafts, souvenirs and special local items to give as a gift.

7. Take a night walk along the Pegasus Pier

Located in front of the Bay of Souls, the Pegasus dock is a popular site at sunset and at night. This famous pier allows you to enjoy the 2 statues of winged horses as a representative symbol of the city, and appreciate the walled city from its outskirts.

You can even take the opportunity to go on a sunset cruise from this dock, to discover the bay at sunset and by night, a memorable experience everyone must do while in Cartagena.

8. Get to know the Guillermo Piñeres Botanical Garden

An incredibly lush area, located just 30 minutes southwest of the Old city, with a variety of 300 species of medicinal plants, and stunning plants such as the orchids, a plant representative of Colombia.

During the tour, you can see the beautiful vegetation in the tropical forest and enjoy the aromatic smell of flowers from the garden. Also, you can take advantage of discovering endemic species of frogs, birds and other animals.

Frequent questions

Your trip to Colombia may be approaching and you are undecided or have some questions about your trip? We can assist you, starting with some frequent questions:

How to get to Cartagena?

ou can arrive by direct flight to the Rafael Nuñez International Airport, or through the many connected flights that reach our beautiful city. From there you can get to the Old City via private transportation or by public transport. Private transportation is recommended to ensure a smooth arrival experience and avoid any unexpected issues.

Where to stay or stay?

There are many options both in the Old City and the other popular areas of Cartagena. In the Old City, we can offer you access to our 4 boutique hotels at Hotel Alba Group, which are characterized by their elegance, colonial architecture and first class service. In addition, you can rent our villas if you are with a group, to enjoy a private experience in a colonial villa equipped with luxurious amenities.