Every time I look at my picture album from our trip to Columbia, I can’t help but feel the sunshine all around me. Just like I’ve never seen a bluer sky than when we were island-hopping in Greece, I’ve never seen such colours as I did in beautiful, warm, Cartagena de Indias. This is especially true for the Getsemani neighbourhood…known for its hostels and backpackers and a more bohemian vibe, it is the best place to get a feel of what Cartagena is all about. You will encounter delicious food and unique bars, cafes and restaurants. Imagine the heat of summer on your skin, the smell from the street vendors and their tantalizing empanadas, the friendly chatter of the locals, the horns tooting at all times…and the colours. Lots of colours, everywhere: from the flowers to the houses, to one of the most beautiful collection of graffiti I’ve witnessed so far.
Read on to find out about:
When to go to Cartagena
We travelled in mid-February, as this was when I could get time-off at work. The colonial city welcomed us with a perfect summer night and the next seven days were filled with blue skies and bright sunshine. Days were super hot, around 40°C, albeit not too humid. Nights brought some relief and I was comfortable with a light shawl around my bare shoulders. I strongly suggest you get a hotel with a plunge pool to cool off around apero time (don’t expect to find any big pools in the walled city, as most properties are quite small.) If you are staying near the beach, note that the winds in February are ferocious.
How we got there
From Montreal, we took a direct flight with Air Transat. The flight time is just above 5 h 30 minutes on the way there and a few minutes shorter on the way back. Sometimes, Harry (my boyfriend/maybe-one-day husband) and I, like to treat ourselves to upgrades when we go on holidays. On this trip, we decided to be sensible and stick with the economy cabin. We did, however, purchase our meal in advance, a gourmet menu created by renown chef Daniel Vezina, which also comes with a glass of wine.
As a Canadian citizen, flying directly into Cartagena’s Rafael Núñez airport, aka CTG (you will learn your airport codes with me) via a chartered flight allowed me to be exempted from paying a tax upon entering the country (more information in the Resources section of this website). For Harry, who is a UK citizen, it didn’t change anything…of course, this was all before Brexit!
Once you arrive at CTG, there are plenty of cabs waiting outside. Make your way to the dedicated taxis area – be sure to use the yellow taxis. Always confirm the price before getting into the cab, as there are no meters. This is valid anywhere you go in Cartagena (and it many places around the world). The ride into town (Getsemani and Centro), should cost you around 11,500 Colombian Pesos (COP).
Where to stay in Getsemani and Centro
Our first hotel, Casa Baluarte, is located in Getsemani. We stayed there for four nights. This property doesn’t have a plunge pool, but it does have a nice interior garden where you can sit and read under the shade between your daytime excursions and your night on the town. Located a few minutes’ walk from the Holy Trinity Square, it was really easy to explore the neighborhood. We made our hotel reservation on a booking engine site and picked the lowest available rate. The room was super clean, but it was quite small, dark, and noisy, being adjacent to the reception and interior garden area. It was to be expected with the type of rate that we picked, and with the fact that we did not book directly with the hotel. Unless you are on a super tight budget and you see a deal you cannot pass on, I recommend always booking directly with the hotel. If you need a favor from them, such as changing your dates or cancelling your reservation, there is a much better chance they will do their best to help you. Who knows, you might even be told at check-in that you were upgraded. Most hotels now guarantee the lowest price on their website, and tend to keep the best rooms (newly renovated, higher floor, better view, etc.) for the guests who book direct.
Casa Baluarte – view of reception and interior courtyard
For the second part of our stay, I admit we totally splurged in honor of our seventh year anniversary! There are quite a number of very small, luxurious hotels available in the Centro (or Historic Walled City) neighbourhood of Cartagena. After a lot of research and hesitations, we finally made our choice: the boutique Hotel LM it was. What a sumptuous haven. We made our way there in the morning around 11h00. We rang the doorbell and were immediately welcomed by a very friendly gentleman. The space was lit with bright sunshine, white marble and the gentle cooling of air conditioning. Despite our (very) feeble attempt to refuse a welcoming drink on the house, we made our way up the stairs and into our over-sized room with a glass of sauvignon blanc and a uber cold lager in hand. King bed, dark wood furniture, lots of storage, a beautiful bathroom complete with glass shower, his & hers sinks, bathrobes and slippers and a mignardise waited for us. We also had the cutest small balcony overlooking the main street of Centro and from which you could see the famous Torre del Reloj. Do not fear, it had curtains and nice, heavy wooden doors that kept the room in the dark and most noise out in the mornings. To top it off, a chic rooftop plunge pool with dining tables and massage area, and a restaurant where daily breakfast was simply de-li-cious. A mixture of typical Colombian fare with fresh fruit juices like mango or Maracuyá (passion fruit), as well as eggs, bread, bacon, and more. Our waiter even gave me a couple of local salsa recipes, which I have transcribed here…you should give them a try!
If you wish to stay by the beach, look for the Bocagrande and Laguito areas. Most properties there are chains and highrises. We did visit the area in the daytime and walked along the beach for a while, but for me, it didn’t hold a lot of charm.
What to see & do
We spent most of our time simply walking through the city, both in Getsemani and in the historic town. Although we had planned on a day-trip to one of the islands in order to get some beach time, we decided against it. Most of the excursions appeared too touristy for us, as well as too pricey for the time spent there. As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of wind in CTG at that time of the year, and boats often have to come back to the port mid-afternoon. I think we just weren’t in that mood and with only seven days, we wanted to make the best of Cartagena itself. If this is, however, something you would like to do, there are many options to choose from and I would recommend researching prior you leave (look up Coralina Island or Gente del Mar in the Rosario Islands Natural Park, or perhaps more affordable Playa Blanca, to name a few).
We visited Castillo San Felipe, a fortification which took slaves 220 years to build. We purchased the self-guided tour with the audioguide. Verdict: meh. Unfortunately, the many points of interest are not indicated on the map they give you and as a result, in many cases, we did not know what we were meant to be looking at or where we should be standing. If you do go, bring water (don’t buy it from the hassling vendors at the bottom of the fortress, you will be overcharged and you never know where the water comes from) and wear a hat – the sun is scorching and there are few spots in the shade. There is however a little shop with refreshments and a few souvenirs.
We also took a cab to visit the Monasterio de La Popa. This is one area that is not recommended to walk to (and it would be on the long side), so do get a cab. The ride is only about 7-10 minutes and it will wait for you at the entrance until you are ready to head back if you ask them. Again, agree on the fare before getting in the vehicle, and confirm that it includes the waiting time there and the ride back. The drive allows you to see beyond the tourist enclave and you get a nice view of the entire town once you are up there, as well as an amazing, lush interior courtyard and garden. If you are interested in religious history, you will most probably enjoy. As for us, let’s say we made it a very quick visit!
Food & drinks from Cartagena
We’ve had delicious empanadas from street vendors, as well as cheesy arepas. For a healthy snack on a hot afternoon, try the unusual mango biche, a snack of green (unripe) mango, sprinkled with lime juice, salt, and pepper. You will find many street stalls selling ceviche, but this is not something I will risk when only visiting for a short trip. There are other types of street food available to you, but these are the ones we personally tried. If you’re looking for a pick-me-up, spot the vendor selling cigarettes and coffee from a thermos: it’s piping hot and usually pre-sweetened. For our part, we didn’t like it, but then, we are coffee snobs!
My top addresses in Cartagena
Café del Mural (Getsemani): this place is a gem. What did it for me was their lovely spot to sit outside, and the quality of their coffee. (Although Colombia is one of the biggest coffee producers, the best quality beans are mostly exported, leaving the locals with a subpar product.) We sat at a wooden bar in the quiet, colourful street, just enjoying a perfect, languid hot summer afternoon. We ordered an affogato and, wait for it, a nitro coffee made with ginger and other crazy ingredients. Cafe del Mural is a coffee roaster and they offer cupping (tasting) session and roasting classes. The only negative comment I have about the place is that it only opens at 15:00. Insert video
El Arsenal: The Rum Box (Getsemani): another fantastic place. The little food we had was made of fresh and flavorful ingredients, it features beautifully crafted cocktails, and the service was friendly. You can also play board games. Even though we never play, that night we picked up Cards Against Humanity and had a blast. We finished the evening with a local sipping rum and dark chocolate. We liked it so much that we wanted to come back for a proper rum tasting as well as dinner but unfortunately ran out of time.
El Burlador de Sevilla (Centro): this restaurant features Spanish dishes and a daily flamenco show. The food was pricey, but I thought it was pretty good. Although I prefer to sample local fare when I travel to a country, I love Spanish food and really fancied some gazpacho and Iberico ham!
Basilica Pizzeria Café (Getsemani): a quiet square where it feels like time has stopped; try any of their lemonades (natural, coconut, cherry or basil), amongst the best I’ve tasted (almost par with Rula’s lemonade from Jordan!).
KGB Bar (San Diego): you won’t find great cocktails or wine here, but you must go to this bar just for its crazy decor! Have a beer, have a shot, and take lots of photos in this super cool bar. (Whatever you do, don’t order coffee there, it’s appalling!)
Caffé Lunatico (Getsemani): this is the first restaurant we tried in Cartagena. After we checked-in to our hotel and changed, I looked at TripAdvisor for restaurants in the area and their ratings. I don’t place all my trust on TripAdvisor, but it’s a pretty helpful tool to get you started when you have no idea where to go. Caffé Lunatico got great reviews, and as it was already quite late and the place was only a few steps away from our hotel, its location was perfect for us. The service was not super friendly, but the food was really good and they had decent white wines.
Cafe del Mar (Centro): although very touristy, I don’t think you should skip Cafe del Mar. The sunset view IS really beautiful. We got lost in our thoughts and spent a blissful hour watching one of nature’s wonder, to the gentle beat of electro-lounge music. Make sure you arrive for opening time (16h30) or you won’t get a seat, and be ready for some fierce winds.
Other addresses worth mentioning:
- Café Beiyu (Getsemani): for breakfast and decent coffee. You may have to wait, as the place is popular and not many seats.
- El Muelle (Laguito): for al fresco lunch looking at the sea. Very busy in the day.
- Café de la Trinidad (Getsemani): we stopped there twice after walking all afternoon and before heading back to our hotel, for a very cold beer, good music, and people watching (right in front of the square where locals meet)
- Maria Bonita Taqueria Cantina (Getsemani): we went there for a nightcap; great cocktail list and although we didn’t eat, the food looked good.