Cartagena is on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. It’s a very tourist orientated city, which was our first stop in Colombia and actually our first stop on our entire South America trip. Although this eased us in to the Colombia and South American culture we quickly realised as we travelled on that Cartagena didn’t really reflect what true Colombia is. We found Cartagena to be more of a holiday destination than a backpacker one, which will attract a much larger number of holidaymakers over the next few years.
If you are flying in to the city be careful of rogue taxi drivers at the airport. They aren’t actually allowed in to the terminal but as you step outside you’ll be bombarded with ‘taxi, miss?’ from the wall of drivers outside the door. The real taxi stand is outside arrivals, just make sure you get in a yellow one and that they switch the meter on (the usual stuff!).
Cartagena exists inside a walled city, which is colourful and pretty and sells a lot of souvenirs. It’s great for a holiday or a stopover on your travels, but there isn’t too much to do other than relax. Being so close to the Caribbean the heat is… HOT. Sweat-inducing and very, very ‘close’.
DO: There isn’t too much to see and do in Cartagena, it’s more about being in the city and observing.
Stroll around the city centre and take in Cartagena’s laid back lifestyle, and then walk the city walls and see the more real, crazy Colombia life happening just outside it!
Take a trip to Playa Blanca, a beautiful Caribbean style beach about an hour from the town. However, if you are making your way to Palomino afterwards you may wish to skip it.
We saw many companies offering tours to El Totumo volcano just outside the city. We opted not to do this as it seemed like a very big tourist fest but heard good reviews on it.
At night, head to the main square to watch the traditional dancers.
EAT: Street sellers offer the traditional empanadas (delicious filled pastry triangles which are then deep fried) and arepas (a flat bread, usually toasted and stuffed – try rice and cheese!). Either of these cost around 2,000 COP. Restaurants offer a ‘menu del dia’, which is slightly different to that of other areas in Colombia in that it is usually just one dish; usually fish, rice and plantain. This will cost 15,000 COP and up in the touristy places, but 8,000ish COP from the markets.
STAY: We chose an airbnb to stay in because hostels in the historic centre seemed surprisingly expensive. We stayed in a 2-bed room at Katrina’s place, which she rents out alongside another room in the apartment. We had shared bathroom and kitchen, basic amenities and no hot water but that really doesn’t matter in the heat! Great value at £25 a night for her double room. Katrina was our first experience of how lovely and hospitable Colombians are.
FROM HERE: We headed to Santa Marta (gateway to Minca, Tayrona National Park, Palomino…) via Marsol. This is a mini-bus service which takes you directly in to the city for 50,000 COP in around 4 hours. It was a good, direct service and is available via any of the many tour operator shops in the city centre.
