Cartagena 2 Day Itinerary (No Tourist Traps)
Two days is not enough for both the Old City and the coast, so this version picks the coast. Day one is arrival and a brief walled-city orientation, nothing more. Day two is the Rosario Islands or Playa Blanca, the actual reason to build a trip around Cartagena’s water rather than its walls. Want the Old City version instead? See the Cartagena, Colombia guide . Need more time for Totumo, La Boquilla or Palenque? See the 3 day or 7 day versions of this same route.
Book these before you go
- Book a Rosario Islands tour , 159,000 COP adult / 139,000 COP child, plus a 25,000 to 29,000 COP dock tax not always included.
- Check rates on Booking.com for Getsemani, closer to the boat dock than Bocagrande for an early departure.
Day 1: Arrival and walled-city orientation
Land at Rafael Nunez International Airport (CTG), take a fixed-rate kiosk taxi (roughly 20,000 to 30,000 COP) into Getsemani or the Walled City, and settle in during the cooler part of the afternoon. Walk the Old City’s plazas while the heat is tolerable, cathedral, Plaza Bolivar, Las Bovedas’ artisan market, all part of the UNESCO-listed fortified core, and save the ramparts for sunset. Walk the walls near Baluarte Santo Domingo as the light drops, Cafe del Mar if you want a table, a street beer along the same wall if you do not. This is orientation, not the trip’s focus; the water takes over tomorrow.
Day 2: Rosario Islands or Playa Blanca
Start early, boats typically leave Muelle de la Bodeguita around 8am, and a late departure eats into the beach time you are paying for. The standard day trip runs about 159,000 COP for an adult and 139,000 COP for a child, boat, lunch, and standard dock fees included, but bring an extra 25,000 to 29,000 COP in cash for the separate national park and dock tax that is not always folded into the advertised price. Book through an operator with visible reviews rather than a tout at the pier; the overselling reputation on this route is real and well documented. Head back into Cartagena by early evening for a seafood dinner before your onward flight.
| Day | Focus | Getting there | Rough daily cost (COP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival + walled-city orientation | CTG airport taxi, then walkable | 80,000 to 150,000 |
| 2 | Rosario Islands / Playa Blanca boat day | Boat from Muelle de la Bodeguita | 185,000 to 230,000 |
Is two days enough for Cartagena’s islands and coast?
Enough for one good beach day and a taste of the walls, not both properly. You get the Rosario Islands or Playa Blanca and a sunset walk, but nothing left for Totumo, La Boquilla, or a real look at Getsemani after dark. If any of those matter, this itinerary is too short; the 3 day version adds Totumo back in.
Is the Rosario Islands dock tax really not included in the price?
Often not, and it is the single most common complaint about this excursion. The advertised 159,000 COP tour price usually covers the boat, lunch, and standard dock fees, but the separate 25,000 to 29,000 COP national park and dock tax is paid in cash at the pier and is easy for an operator to leave off the listing. Ask directly before you book, bring the cash regardless, and check the current UK FCDO Colombia advisory for the same boat-safety notes before you fly.
Pack small denominations for the dock tax specifically; card machines do not reach the pier.