Cartagena rewards slowness and punishes midday. Five days gives you both the city and the sea without doing either in the heat.
Before you go#
Book the island boats for morning departures, and the hotel if you travel between December and mid-January or in Holy Week. Where to stay in Cartagena. Read is Cartagena safe? once for the hustler rules.
Day 1: the walled city#
Walk it before nine: Plaza de los Coches, Plaza de la Aduana, the cathedral, Santo Domingo, the Palacio de la Inquisición, the walls on the sea side. Lunch where locals eat, then disappear until five. Back out for the Café del Mar hour on the walls, then Getsemaní for dinner and the Plaza de la Trinidad after.
Day 2: the fort and the market#
Castillo San Felipe at opening, before the sun and the coaches. La Popa for the view if you have a driver. Then the Mercado Bazurto, the city's real market, best with someone who knows it; alone, it is overwhelming. Afternoon off. Sunset on the walls again; nightlife if you have the legs.
Day 3: the Rosario Islands#
Morning boat, forty minutes to an hour, snorkelling, a beach club or a quiet island, back by four. Day trips from Cartagena compares the boats and the islands.
Day 4: Barú, or something else#
Playa Blanca on Barú by road or boat, best early, before the day-trippers. Or San Basilio de Palenque, the first free African town in the Americas, an hour inland. Or nothing: a pool and a long lunch. With kids, Cartagena with kids has the right version of this day.
Day 5: La Boquilla and out#
A canoe through the mangroves at La Boquilla with a fisherman, a fried fish lunch on the beach, back for a last walk, fly.
The heat routine#
Out by seven, in by eleven, out again at five. Every day. Things to do in Cartagena for the fuller list; 3 days if you are shorter on time. Moving on? Medellín to Cartagena and Cartagena vs Santa Marta.
Plan it with someone who lives here#
Bazurto, La Boquilla and the good fried-fish shack need a local. Post your dates on Roavi Community; Roavi has very few Local Friends in Cartagena yet, so browse who is on Roavi and post early. How to meet locals in Cartagena.
5 days in Cartagena? Give one of them to someone who lives there.
Post on CommunityFrequently Asked Questions
Is 5 days enough for Cartagena?
Five days is the right length: two for the city, two for the sea, one for something real. Three days means dropping one beach day; a week adds Santa Marta or Tayrona.What do I need to book in advance in Cartagena?
Boat trips to the Rosario Islands and Barú, especially in December and January, and a good hotel in the walled city in high season. The Castillo, the museums and the walls are walk-in.Where should I stay in Cartagena for 5 days?
Getsemaní for atmosphere, nightlife and value, the walled city for the postcard at your door, Bocagrande if you want a modern tower and a city beach. Avoid Bocagrande if you came for the old town.How do I avoid the hustlers in Cartagena?
A polite 'no, gracias' and keep walking works for the vendors and the rappers in the plazas. Agree any price before the service, whether a boat, a fruit photo or a taxi. Our safety guide has the specifics.