Walking Routes in Cartagena's Old Town

October 20, 2026

Travel advisory: Colombia sits at Level 3, “Reconsider Travel”, on the US State Department scale (issued 31 March 2026). The UK FCDO advises against travel to several border and rural regions, including southern Bolívar Department, which is not near Cartagena. On foot, the risks to plan for are phone and chain snatching, moped thieves and drink spiking. Carry only what you need, hold your phone away from the kerb and accept nothing from strangers. Check the US State Department and UK FCDO pages for current wording.

Cartagena’s centre is compact, and walking is the best way to see it. Below are three routes you can do alone or with a guide, plus advice on choosing one. Each takes one to three hours at an easy pace.

Route 1: the Walled City circuit

Start at the Torre del Reloj, which opens onto Plaza de los Coches and the Portal de los Dulces sweet arcade. Plaza de los Coches was a slave market, so give it a serious moment. Continue to Plaza Santo Domingo and its Botero sculpture, nicknamed “Gertrudis”, then to Plaza de Bolívar, where the Museo Histórico de Cartagena and the free Museo del Oro Zenú are located. Finish at Las Bóvedas, the arched vaults in the walls that now hold a craft and souvenir market, then climb to the walls and head toward the Baluarte de Santo Domingo. The whole route is free apart from museum tickets. Do it early in the morning or after 4pm.

Route 2: the Getsemaní street-art loop

Walk Calle de la Sierpe, then Calle San Juan, then Callejón Angosto, and end at Plaza de la Trinidad. Getsemaní was an artisan and Afro-descendant quarter, and it is where the independence movement of 11 November 1811 began. Daytime is calm, and the plaza turns busy in the evening with street food and music. Theft targeting visitors is a documented problem here after dark, so keep valuables hidden and take a taxi back. If you see child sexual exploitation, report it on Colombia’s national line, 141.

Route 3: the ramparts walk

Walking the top of the walls is free and officially open. Colombia’s tourism site gives about 11 km of walls in total, though you will walk only a part. Do not climb on the stonework (see the official walls page ). Public drinking of alcohol is illegal in Colombia, so leave the beer for a table inside a venue.

An independence-themed walk

You can link the Getsemaní route to the 1811 story of Pedro Romero and the Lancers of Getsemaní. The same streets hold the slave-trade history of the port, which is part of the story rather than background colour.

Choosing a guide

Pick a licensed guide from a reviewed company or the hotel desk, and avoid street “guides”, emerald sellers and anyone offering a “free” bracelet or sample. Palenqueras, the women who carry large basins (palanganas) of fruit on their heads, charge for posed photos, about 5,000 to 10,000 COP, so agree the price first. See GetYourGuide walking tours for reviewed options.

Heat and comfort

The official visitor advice is to wear sun protection and comfortable shoes, because the central hours of the day are very hot (see the visitor recommendations ). Carry bottled water, and do not photograph naval or military sites.