Itinerary · Cartagena · Colombia
One day in Cartagena
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Cartagena, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Sgonzalezb, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 5. Day 1: The walled city and City walls and bastions. Base yourself in El Centro.
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 5
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- El Centro
- Book ahead
- Nothing essential
Day by day
Day 1: The walled city and City walls and bastions
The walled city, City walls and bastions, Plaza Santo Domingo and Palace of the Inquisition, then Getsemaní streets and Plaza de la Trinidad in the evening.
Morning
The walled city
Explore early in the morning or after 4pm; the midday heat is intense and the light is better for photos. Allow Half a day or more.
Late morning
City walls and bastions
Walk the stretch between Baluarte de Santo Domingo and Baluarte de Santa Catalina at sunset, when the sea breeze picks up. Allow 1–2 hours.
Lunch
Lunch: Arepa de huevo
Street stands in Getsemaní and around the walled city in the morning and evening; La Boquilla's beach shacks.
Afternoon
Plaza Santo Domingo
Have a drink on a terrace after dark, when the church is lit and the heat eases. Allow 30 minutes.
Late afternoon
Palace of the Inquisition
Visit during the midday heat; afterwards rest in the shade of Plaza de Bolívar opposite. Allow 1 hour.
Evening
Getsemaní streets and Plaza de la Trinidad
Visit twice: in the morning for photos of the murals and after dark for the scene in Plaza de la Trinidad.
If it rains
- Swap in Museo del Oro Zenú (El Centro): A free, cool half-hour stop between Plaza de Bolívar and the cathedral.
- Swap in Church and Cloister of San Pedro Claver (El Centro): Combine it with the modern art museum on the same square, Plaza de San Pedro Claver.
- Swap in Museo de Arte Moderno de Cartagena (El Centro): A short air-conditioned stop next to the San Pedro Claver church.
Where to stay for this itinerary
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, luxury and culture
El Centro
The walled city's grand plazas, churches and boutique hotels in restored colonial houses
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–10 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.5 hours in December to 12.7 hours in June.
Getting between stops: Walking. Walking is the only sensible way to explore the old town and Getsemaní; distances are short but the heat makes early mornings and evenings the best times.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Cartagena?
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 5. How many days Cartagena needs.