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The clock tower gate of the walled city, Cartagena
south america

CartagenaTravel Guide

Colombia5 stories

Colombia's Caribbean jewel: a walled colonial city of bougainvillea balconies, fortress sunsets, street salsa, and island-dotted turquoise water.

Is Cartagena right for you?

When to come

December to April (dry season)

Around 32°C by day in June, 31°C in January — recorded at the local weather station.

What it costs

Mid-range. Comfortable without planning around money, expensive if you stop counting.

What we've planned, and who for

We have a weekend here planned hour by hour.

Cartagena is inWarm in JanuaryEnough for a long weekend
When to go
January: around 31 degrees by day, 24 at night, 1 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
February: around 31 degrees by day, 24 at night, 0 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
March: around 31 degrees by day, 25 at night, 3 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
April: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 19 millimetres of rain, dry and hot. We recommend this month.
May: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 117 millimetres of rain, wet.
June: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 93 millimetres of rain, wet.
July: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 121 millimetres of rain, wet.
August: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 128 millimetres of rain, wet.
September: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 133 millimetres of rain, wet.
October: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 237 millimetres of rain, very wet.
November: around 32 degrees by day, 26 at night, 178 millimetres of rain, very wet.
December: around 31 degrees by day, 25 at night, 45 millimetres of rain, some rain. We recommend this month.
Cold to hot, by dayDry to wetWhen we would go

December to April (dry season)

Average daily highs, recorded at Cartagena (Rafael Nunez International Airport).

Where this comes from

Wikipedia 'Cartagena, Colombia' weather box, 1991-2020 normals (IDEAM)

Budget level

Mid-range

Typical cost profile for visitors

Combine it with
  • Medellín460 km

    half a day's travel · both good in January, February, March · a different price level (budget)

Plan itWhere to stay in Cartagenaad · Booking.comTours and tickets
On the map

Finding Cartagena

Open in Google Maps Larger map
The stories

Reading Cartagena

A narrow street of brightly painted colonial houses with wooden balconies in Cartagena's old town
01
Hidden Gems

Green Cartagena: shady plazas, sloth-spotting and easy escapes

Cartagena is a city of stone and sun, which makes its shaded plazas, mangrove tunnels and island reefs feel like small miracles — here is where the city breathes, and how to plan around the heat.

Colombia · 13 min
The orange and yellow bell tower and dome of Cartagena's cathedral seen down a lane of wooden colonial balconies at golden hour
02
Stays

In Cartagena You Book a Courtyard, Not a Room

The walled city's hotels are colonial houses that face inward, so the patio and the roof terrace matter more than the bedroom does - here is how Centro, San Diego, Getsemani and Bocagrande compare across three budgets.

Colombia · 10 min
A cobbled corner in Cartagena's Getsemani neighbourhood strung overhead with rows of coloured paper pennants, their shadows falling across the street, beside a lilac-blue house painted with a large mural of a woman's face, a cyclist riding past in the sun.
03
Destinations

Cartagena essentials: getting in, getting around, getting it right

How to arrive, how many days to give it, which neighbourhood to sleep in, what order to see it in, and which heavily sold day trip to quietly skip in Colombia's walled Caribbean capital.

Colombia · 12 min
A row of brightly painted colonial houses with wooden balconies on a Cartagena street in warm evening light, modern towers rising in the background
04
Itineraries

48 Hours in Cartagena: The Perfect Itinerary

Two days in Colombia's walled Caribbean city, hour by hour — colonial plazas, fortress ramparts, island beaches, and dancing in Getsemaní.

Colombia · 2 min
A palenquera in a red and yellow ruffled dress balancing a bowl of pineapple, papaya and bananas on her head beside Cartagena's yellow taxis
05
Food

Coffee, cocadas and people-watching in Cartagena

A day built around Cartagena's heat rather than against it: street tinto at first light, single-origin in the shade, cocadas under the arcade and a plaza at golden hour.

Colombia · 10 min
In pictures

Cartagena, framed

Aerial view of Cartagena with the stone bastions of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas in the foreground and the Bocagrande high-rises on the sea behind
Photo: Marco Almanza / Unsplash
A street vendor's cart in Cartagena heaped with yellow and green coconuts, one split open with a straw standing in it and bags of shaved ice behind, on a lane of pale colonial houses with wooden balconies.
Photo: Jorge Gardner / Unsplash
Cartagena Colombia walled city, Cartagena
Photo: Ricky Beron / Unsplash
Cartagena Colombia walled city, Cartagena
Photo: Ricky Beron / Unsplash
Our picks

What we'd do in Cartagena

See and do

Eat and drink

Where to stay

Before you go

Practical essentials for Colombia

Money

Colombian peso (COP)

Language

Spanish; English is not widely spoken, so a few phrases of Spanish go a long way

Power

Type A/B, 110V 60Hz

Getting around

Bogota's TransMilenio runs on the cash-loaded Tullave card and Medellin's Metro on the Civica card; contactless bank cards are not accepted on either, so carry cash.

Tipping

A 10% propina is usually added to the bill at better restaurants - add it yourself if it is not - while taxi drivers are not tipped.

Tap water

Safe from the tap in the highland cities including Medellin, but drink bottled in Cartagena and along the Caribbean coast.

Driving

Right-hand side; your national licence is generally accepted, though hire companies commonly ask for an International Driving Permit.

Emergency

123 (single national emergency number, voice calls only)

Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.

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