If you have just one day in Cartagena, Colombia, you will have plenty to see and do. Cartagena is a gorgeous city filled with history, architecture, good food and coffee. Colonial homes line the narrow streets, and bright flowers spill over wood balconies. You can see castles, forts, colonial houses and churches, mansions and convents. You can pop into beautiful boutique stores, dine at award-winning restaurants, and visit many historical treasures around town and just outside the city walls.
Cartagena is a great city to explore on foot. If you’ve arrived on a cruise ship or by plane, you would need to take a taxi service to the walled city, but once there you can forget about vehicles. In fact, my favorite way to experience Cartagena is to walk and admire the beautiful homes and boutique hotels, the immense wood doors with elaborate door knockers, and the second-floor balconies with flowers dripping off them. soaking up the relaxed vibe of this gorgeous place.
Seeing all of Cartagena’s charms in one day would be a challenge. But if you’re getting off a cruise ship and have just one day, here is a list of our favorite things to see and do.
What are my favorite things to do in Cartagena?
- Discover history and architecture
- View fascinating pre-Columbian hand-worked gold pieces
- Delight in local cuisine
- Learn about coffee in Colombia at a coffee tasting
- Discover a priest’s fight against slavery at the San Pedro Claver church
- Learn more about the independence of Cartagena at the San Felipe de Barajas Castle
- Stand on the walls of Cartagena and watch the sun set into the ocean
Dive into the history of Cartagena
The history of Cartagena, Colombia, is one of pirates and battles, fortunes won and lost. One of the first cities in the region established by the Spanish crown (that was way back in 1533), it was used as a hub to transport riches like gold and jewels back to Europe. Numerous pirate attacks forced the city to protect itself with thick walls that are still standing today.
Cartagena later earned the nickname The Heroic City (La Ciudad Heroica) for its role during the struggle for independence from Spain. Even today, Cartagena has the most extensive fortifications in South America, making it a real treat for the eyes. But Cartagena is also a modern, lively city, home to over one million friendly cartageneros.
Where should you start exploring the walled city of Cartagena? You could start at the archway and famous Clock Tower (Torre del Reloj), the symbol of the city. Then you can continue through the Plaza de la Aduana, a place where hundreds of years ago slaves were traded in an open market. Then continue to the Plaza de San Pedro. There you can peek into the Cathedral of Cartagena and the San Pedro Claver Museum to learn the history of a brave priest who fought for the rights of slaves.
At the nearby Zenú Gold Museum, fascinating hand-worked gold pieces tell the story of the ingenuity of indigenous groups that inhabited the region, while the modern treasures at the Museum of Modern Art speak of the creativity of Colombians today. The Inquisition Museum tells a more gruesome tale with glimpses into a dark time of Colombia. At the Santo Domingo plaza visit the oldest church in Cartagena. If you feel like making the taxi trip over to the San Felipe de Barajas Castle, you can learn more about the battle for the independence of Cartagena.
Discover amazing chefs and revel in tropical fruits
Cartagena has it all, from traditional Colombian cuisine to nearly any cuisine you might be craving. The streets are lined with restaurants led by creative chefs and small family eateries with enthusiastic local cooks. In this seaside town it’s not surprising to find a focus on seafood, often prepared according to Colombian traditions.
One of the biggest treats in Colombia is the variety of spectacular fruits. Exotic fruits like lulo, corozo, pitaaya, guava, sapote, stand alongside tropical favorites like passion fruit (maracuyá), pineapple, mango and coconut. Palenqueras, colorfully dressed women of African descent, offer fresh tropical fruits on the plazas. Or you can visit an ice cream store and have fruit salad the way Colombians do – topped with ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, or even shredded white cheese! Another way to enjoy fruit is to have a corozo martini, made from a tart crimson-colored fruit.
Another peek into Cartagena’s past are the colorful palenqueras. These descendants of Africans in colorful dresses sell fruit on the streets, and they are a living testimony to the contribution Africans have made to the culture along the Colombian coast.
Other tasty bites are arepas de huevo, carimañolas, empanadas, pasteles de carne, pan de bono, almojábana, and chicharrón. Regional dishes include mojarra frita, mote de queso, and sancocho.
Under the arches next to the Plaza de los Coches, vendors line the Portal de Los Dulces to sell the best Colombian sweets. Taste the creamy South American caramel delight called arequipe, candied fruits, nut bars, and coconut in a rich brown sugar (panela) coating.
If you’re looking for restaurants, try Celele or La Cocina de Pepina. For an inexpensive cafeteria-style eatery, visit Espiritu Santo. For snacks, try La Esquina del Pan de Bono. One of my favorite places for ice cream is Gelateria Paradiso.
Do a Colombian coffee tasting
Colombian coffee is famous for its quality. And over the past few years Cartagena has transformed into a destination for coffee lovers. Take advantage of a morning within the walled city to visit specialty coffee shops and try coffees from around the country.
If you’d like to do coffee tastings and learn all about specialty coffee in Colombia from the history to present day, consider joining one of our Specialty Coffee Workshops. As we walk between coffee shops, we also show you the best sights and architecture of Cartagena, as well as share some history. You might even catch a glimpse of animals such as monkeys, sloths and even some bearded dragon lizards. If you really love coffee, ask us about our Coffee Lovers in Cartagena! Specialty Food and Coffee Experience, a 4-hour coffee and food journey.
Walk on the wall
Once the main gateway for the Spanish crown to transport gold and other treasures from the colonies in the New World, it’s not surprising that Cartagena was often attacked by pirates. This forced the Spanish military to build fortresses and thick walls to protect the city, and today the wall, wide enough to drive a car on, is still nearly intact, and the fortresses, such as the Castle of San Felipe, can still be visited.
Admire the Cartagena sunset
If you don’t have to return to the cruise ship too early, consider staying until the sun sets. The wide walls surrounding the city are ideal for a walk in the evening just before sunset. I love to stop at a restaurant along the way and watch the sun go down over the ocean while sipping on a cocktail. If you have time to head out to Cerro de la Popa, you can get excellent views of the sunset there.
Listen to local music
In Cartagena music is everywhere, from street performers impressing the crowds to wandering guitarists singing Spanish ballads. Open-air restaurants on colonial plazas have live guitarists, singers, and dancing. For a more formal experience, try La Vitrola for Cuban salsa.
Let Cartagena inspire you
If you’re a writer or artist, Cartagena has many stories to tell. It’s not just because Gabriel García Márquez, Nobel Prize-winning author of books such as 100 Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera, was inspired by the city. Whether it’s the warm sea breezes, the romantic hue the setting sun gives the historic city, or the laid-back tropical feel, creativity seems to flow easier in Cartagena.
Just walk the streets and you’ll feel it too. The walls seem to whisper to passersby, and the faces of the people tell the history of the Spaniards and Africans who came here under very diverse circumstances. So if you’re looking for a storyline or characters for your next book or colorful scenes for a painting, Cartagena might be the place to find it.
Shopping in one day in Cartagena Colombia
If you feel that vacation isn’t complete without some retail therapy, Cartagena is a good spot for you. Hot beach fashions fill the boutique stores, and unique souvenirs can be found in Las Bovedas, where the Spanish Armada once stored ammunition. Now the stores along the arched building are filled with souvenirs, bags and hammocks woven by indigenous tribes, and the famous sombrero vueltiao. For a luxury experience, visit the shops at the La Serrezuela mall, right within the walled city. Even if you have just one day in Cartagena Colombia, you might want to escape the heat and hit some air-conditioned shops.
Escape from the Cartagena heat
You can expect sunny skies all year round in Cartagena, and temperatures often soar to 90°F. To avoid the heat of the day, try getting to the Walled City earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon. Another option is to hide out during the hot hours in the shade of the Plaza de Bolivar, in an air-conditioned museum or at one of the numerous restaurants or coffee shops.
Get in touch
Do you have any questions about coffee in Cartagena? Get in touch – we love to answer coffee questions!
