Cartagena Colombia 3 Day Itinerary

At the taxi kiosk outside Rafael Nunez airport, a digital screen prints you a ticket with the official fixed fare to your neighborhood before you ever get in a cab, which is the single best anti-scam tool the city has built for tourists. To the walled city that fare runs around 20,000 to 25,000 Colombian pesos, while Uber into the same area is often cheaper still, starting around 32,000 pesos depending on time of day. Skip any driver who approaches you before you reach that kiosk.

Day 1: The Walled City and a Sunset Beach Run

Check into a hotel inside the walls, Hotel Casa San Agustin and Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa are the well-known names, though a room in San Diego rather than the more touristy Getsemani side of the old town buys you quieter mornings. Have breakfast at Cafe San Alberto for the coffee, then spend the morning working through San Felipe de Barajas Castle, Plaza Santo Domingo, and the Palace of the Inquisition before the midday heat gets serious. The walled city is a UNESCO site and genuinely rewards walking it slowly rather than doing a horse-drawn carriage loop, since carriage routes stick to main streets and skip the narrower lanes where the city actually feels lived in.

Lunch at La Cevicheria has become a bit of a tourist checkbox, but the ceviche justifies the wait. In the afternoon, climb to the Convent of La Popa for the best panoramic view in the city, then decide on Playa Blanca. It requires a boat from Bocagrande or a longer land route, and vendors on the beach will not leave you alone about massages, jewelry, or fruit, so bring small bills and expect to say no repeatedly. Book any boat tour through your hotel or a listed operator rather than a guy with a laminated folder on the dock, since unlicensed operators there are a well-documented way to end up on an overcrowded public ferry instead of the boat you paid for. Dinner at Alquimia rounds out day one with a solid Colombian-international menu.

Day 2: Rosario Islands

A full-day Rosario Islands tour from Bocagrande or El Laguito typically runs 150,000 to 250,000 pesos per person including transport, a guide, and lunch, and it is worth paying for a mid-range operator rather than the cheapest option shouted at you dockside. Snorkeling and kayaking around the coral reefs fill the day; bring biodegradable sunscreen since the reef here is already stressed and standard sunscreen makes it worse. Back in Cartagena that evening, Getsemani’s bar strip, including La Movida, is the better nightlife bet over a quiet hotel bar. For dinner, Carmen is worth the reservation, it sits on Calle del Santisimo in the San Diego neighborhood rather than inside the castle walls as some guides claim, and the tasting menu is one of the better splurges in the city.

Day 3: Totumo and a Slow Afternoon

The Museo del Oro Zenu is a quick, worthwhile stop on the pre-Columbian Zenu culture before you head out to El Totumo mud volcano. Go in with realistic expectations: there is no scientifically proven healing property to the mud, whatever your driver tells you, and every step of the experience, from the man who holds your camera to the woman who scrubs the mud off in the lagoon afterward, comes with an expected small tip. Keep valuables and cards at the hotel and bring only cash you are willing to hand out in small denominations. Lunch at La Cangrejera near the volcano is straightforward, solid Colombian cooking.

Back in Cartagena, spend the afternoon in the markets or on a quiet beach before a farewell dinner. Try bandeja paisa, a hearty plate of beans, rice, chicharron, and egg, alongside arepas and ceviche, rather than chasing a dish called bandajiques, which does not actually exist under that name on Colombian menus.

Transportation and Phrases

Taxis and mototaxis cover the city easily, but always confirm price before getting in if there is no meter or kiosk ticket. A rented bike works well inside the walls where car traffic is restricted. For the road: hola for hello, gracias for thank you, por favor for please, disculpa to get someone’s attention, and cuanto cuesta esto when you need the price before you commit to anything.