5 Days in Cartagena, Colombia Itinerary

I’d visited Cartagena in particular cause I wanted to explore the rich history in the Walled City and get a taste of other neighborhoods such as Getsemani and Palenque.

I’d traveled solo to Cartagena and it resulted in an educational and inspiring traveling experience.

Here is my 5 days itinerary on how I spent my time in Cartagena that perhaps could be helpful with planning your visit as well!

Day 1: June 20, 2022

🔶Flew into Rafael Nunez International Airport in Cartagena, Colombia at 10:00 AM.

🔷Cleared immigration which was a smooth process for me coming from the USA. Highly recommend checking what are the requirements when traveling as the rules changes constantly.

🔶Stayed 5 nights at Hotel Don Pedro de Heredia located about 15 minutes by cab from the airport. Loved this hotel. It’s in the heart of the Old City in Cartagena. It’s walking distance to literally all the museums, cathedrals, stores, cafes, bookstores and it’s surrounded by restaurants. Not to mentioned tons of street vendors are all over in the street.

🔷Booked a walking day tour through viator and toured San Felipe de Barajas Castle and La Popa.

🔶San Felipe de Barajas Castle is a must seen when visiting Cartagena. It was built to protect the city from the Pirates.

The history here is ridiculously inspiring and makes me so flipping excited. Like seriously the pirates 🏴‍☠️/Europeans man put a whole lot of efforts into invading and taking over this city.

That British commander by the name of Edward Vernon and his crew failed big time from taking over the city. Just like how I failed that Advanced Placement history exam in high school in 1999…so I couldn’t remember Edward’s partner/commander buddy’s name who happened to be Lawrence Washington from Mount Vernon, Virginia…(he was the brother of USA’s President George Washington). Darn! This stuff still bothers me…!!!

Anyhow while you are visiting San Felipe de Barajas Castle; I’d recommend touring with a local Colombian tour guide.

Oh hey definitely explore the tunnels! 😂

🔷La Popa located on the highest hill in Cartagena (Outside of the walled city/pirate territory).

Well well! If you want to have the best view of Cartagena, I’d highly recommend visiting La Popa. Don’t hike up to the hill….please take a 🚕 or go with a tour guide in a vehicle to the top. Safety matters always! 🤓

And when I was there I could hear the monks chatting inside the cloister/cathedral on the 2nd floor. I was not dressed appropriately so I avoided meeting/greeting them. Perception matters! Just something to scope out if this interest you.

🔶Explored the street food scenery and chatting with the street vendors and new travelers in a new city is so like 🔥.

🔷Definitely have their Arepas when in Colombia. I’d tried their chicken 🍗, eggs 🥚 and cheese 🧀 combinations. Arepas are like cornmeal cakes stuffed with meat or cheese in it that’s deep fried in oil. Yummy!

🔶Mango Juice in Cartagena is very fresh, these street vendors make/squeeze the juice in front of you. Loved the fresh orange juice and bottle Coca Cola as well.

🔷And I ❤️ the coffee popsicles. The coffee in Colombia has to be the best in the world, well except for Melbourne, Australia.

Oh yeah, street food is so inexpensive. I had a $10 USD daily budget for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 2: June 21, 2022

🔶 Took a day trip to Palenque , Colombia (in other words 45 communities).

🔷So Palenque is a community outside of Cartagena that’s about 90 minutes out driving. Here is where the slaves from Kenya and Congo escaped to from them European pirates back in the days!!!!! 👏🏻👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾👏🏿!

🔶I’ve been waiting to experience this moment for sometime now. I’ve been totally fascinated by the history of Kenya and Congo.

🔷And I had the opportunity to spend 1/2 day with a farmer who’s ancestors were from Kenya and Congo. And of course he’s Afro Colombian.

There was a language barrier, but there was an English translator (he’s a teenager from the Palenque community) helping us.

Oh how I love this experience; I’m totally obsess with history. And I walked side by side with this cool farmer kinda like we were doing a scavenger hunt! Bahaha! I’m such a dork!

I personally think doing these type of tours also help create an income stream for the locals in the villages.

🔶Please connect with @sr_torres2020 Erick on Instagram if you’d like to explore his community – Palenque.

🔷He is very passionate about his community and keeping the memories/history of his ancestors from Congo and Kenya alive in Colombia so I/and other inquisitive travelers/visitors can become educated. And he’s also a hip traveler.

🔶I’d totally enjoyed the traditional dancing executed by the younger crew in the Palenque community and the yummy fish with coconut sauce for lunch.

🔷I’d loved hanging with the crew from Chicago, USA. They got some serious swags I can never live up to. Lol!

🔶🐎 🐴 Had such a wonderful time doing a causal horseback riding on the soil and in the trenches in Palenque.

🔷It’s was a charming way to spend time with the locals and also appreciate the view of the village from the top of a horse.

🔶My 🐎 did not have a name so I’d named him New York!

Day 3: June 22, 2022

🔶Took a day trip to Playa Blanca Beach, Colombia. So this glamorous public Caribbean beach is located about 66 minutes outside of Cartagena if you’d leave the walled city before 8 AM ish on a weekday.

🔷All you need is $150,000 Colombia Pesos that’s equivalent to approximately $33 USD. (The exchange rate obviously may be subject to change).

🔶This superb budget can get you a round trip transportation, an authentic Colombian lunch, a few exotic extra stiff super duper yummy tasty drinks 🍹🍸🍺 and a cabana to rest it up.

🔷Be sure to go into the Caribbean’s Sea blue salt water 💦 heard it can help keep your skin naturally tight and slowly prevent joint pain. If all this is true I’m swinging by the beach more frequently now. 👻

Day 4: June 23, 2022

🔶Explored the Getsemani neighborhood which is an artsy neighborhood filled with:

⁃ Colorful Street Murals

⁃ Infinity representation of art work for purchase

⁃ Too many cafes (this will impressed coffee and book lovers)

⁃ Street umbrellas (kinda like a replica of a spot in Quebec City – Montreal)

⁃ One Street filled with flags from all the countries around the world (so happy Guyana 🇬🇾 and Canada 🇨🇦 were next to each other) and loads of other things to explore….

🔷I’d think the best way to explore this neighborhood is by doing a free tour. Definitely get more information on their schedules at the airport.

You can’t miss them they stand under a bright red umbrella. Take around $50,000 Colombian pesos (equivalent to about $6 USD) to tip. These peeps make their living off of the tips.

I’d toured with Kayliah and the tour group I was in was dominated by Europeans from Amsterdam, Germany, and Ireland. ❤️ all these countries, but Germany has to be my favorite European country.

🔶And I’d explored the Museum of Navy located in the Walled City in Cartagena. Going to this museum is an excellent way to learn about Cartagena. Oh bummer, everything in this museum screams Spanish…so I’d highly recommend touring with an English tour guide to be educated about the history.

🔷Ended my evening at a restaurant near the clock tower just right outside of Cartagena. Enjoyed the most delicious chicken fingers with fries and a refreshing club Colombian beer.

Day 5: June 24, 2022

🔶 On my final day in Cartagena I’d explored the Walled City. And I had the opportunity to read my 6th book in 2022 in Cartagena, Colombia.

So I’m a big fan of Author Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s work. He was born in Colombia and was the winner of the Noble Prize.

🔷Highly recommend reading “Love in the time of Cholera.” Ghosh its about patience, love, faith and gaining wisdom when you are too old for it. Haha! It’s truly a masterpiece of story telling about love well more of a mature kinda love. This book will leave you examining this thing called love.

🔶And if you find yourself in Cartagena, Colombia & happen to be a book lover I’d recommend spending some quality time reading at Abaco Libros y Café while drinking Colombian coffee!

🔷I’d recommend exploring with the locals especially with the women wearing the colorful dresses with the fruit baskets. They are from the Palenque village. Chat with them and take loads of picture; be sure to tip them that’s how they make their living.

🔶Inside the Walled City is filled with so many different restaurants. The food is very delicious and they usually have LIVE performances. I’d personally explored the restaurant scenery during the day as opposed to the nights.

Hopeful this blog gives you a taste of how beautiful part of this country – Colombia is all about.