Cartagena
Slim Aarons, 1957
Cartagena is a port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. By the sea is the walled Old Town, founded in the 16th century, with squares, cobblestone streets and colorful colonial buildings. With a tropical climate, the city is also a popular beach destination. Reachable by boat are Isla de Barú, with white-sand beaches and palm trees, and the Islas del Rosario, known for their coral reefs. Here is our guide to Cartagena, Colombia.
STAY
CASA SAN AGUSTÍN Coral stone walls and 300-year-old frescoes add to the charm of this 30-room hotel, but it’s the courtyard pool built beneath the city’s original aqueduct that is the star. Book the rooftop Suite Del Virrey, with its private plunge pool and view of the old town. Alma is a fine dining restaurant in the courtyard.
SANTA CLARA Located in Cartagena’s old town, near the San Felipe de Barajas Castle and the San Pedro Claver Church and Convent, the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena was once a 17th-century convent. The hotel’s presidential suite was designed by Lina Botero, daughter of the famed Colombian artist.
HOTEL CASA LOLA Casa Lola is located in the alternative Getsemani neighborhood complete with a rooftop bar and downstairs lounge.
HOTEL CHARLESTON SANTA TERESA Overlooking the Caribbean Sea, this palatial, colonial-style hotel has an opulent restaurant, a street-level cafe, and a terrace eatery with sea views.
CASA DEL ARZOBISPADO Located in the Old Town, this boutique hotel has a pool in the courtyard as well as a private rooftop. The attached restaurant, Epoca espresso bar, owned by the hotel owner's brother, is also the best place to get your morning coffee (and hotcakes)!
CASA PESTAGUA An 11-room boutique hotel in a former colonial palace, which once belonged to the Count of Pestagua in the seventeenth century, a rich and powerful aristocrat who gave his name to this mansion with sumptuous colonial architecture.
TOWNHOUSE A boutique hotel with a great rooftop bar and café.
FENIX A beach club, hotel, and restaurant located on Tierra Bomba Island, a 10-minute boat ride away from Cartagena. fenix.co
DINE | DRINK
LA VITROLA A must visit for a scenic (and scene-y) dinner in a 400-year-old colonial home converted to a restaurant. Order the ropa vieja and a mojito and enjoy the live Cuban music.
LA CEVICHERIA Anthony Bourdain touted this tiny cevicheria, which serves fish, octopus, and shrimp varieties.
MOVICH HOTEL The perfect rooftop bar in the Old City to watch the sunset before beginning your evening.
EL BOLICHE CEBICHERIA An innovative take on the Caribbean staple with a coconut version and a breaded squid, conch, and mushroom blend. Order the fresh-off-the-boat Costeno ceviche made from a medley of seafood and the unusual addition of sour cream and crispy yucca.
MARIA BONITA A Mexican hideaway in the hip Getsemani neighborhood, specializing in tacos.
OH LA LA A A French chef offers healthy options including freshly baked bread, ceviche, chicken in coconut milk, and Colombian cheese and yam soup. The restaurant also offers cooking classes for those looking to learn even more about the region's culinary traditions.
LA PALETTERIA A popsicle shop that offers flavors ranging from maracuja and mora roja to salted caramel and tres leches. Some favorites are the “Arequipe,” a Colombian version of Dulce de Leche, and “Lulo,” a sour, green Colombian fruit.
LA ESQUINA DEL PAN DE BONO A local bakery that serves delicious Colombian cheese bread, dubbed pan de bonos. If you are lucky, you can get one right out of the oven. Try the Pan de Yucca as well!
CAFE HAVANA This crowded bar has a live band and is the spot for salsa dancing.
QUIEBRA CANTO A salsa bar right outside the walls of the Old City, and the best place to go to begin a night out. Ask for Reina, she will show you some moves.
ALMA The restaurant in the Casa San Augustin hotel is set in the courtyard, serving traditional Colombian Caribbean cuisine, and perfect for a group or an intimate date.
EPOCA An artisanal coffee bar known for its ritual-like filtering techniques (that amplify the intensity of the flavors) from the mountains of Tolima, Quindío, Santander, and Cundinamarca.
CAFE DEL MAR A touch touristic, but the bar atop the remains of a historical defense wall overlooking the sun set over the Caribbean Sea is truly picturesque.
DEMENTE A bar and tapas restaurant that retains the walls from the 18th-century ruins from which it was built. The pintxos and pizza made in its wood-fired oven are very good, but even better is the beer garden in which you can sip on local brews in Getsemani's most lively plaza while listening to live music.
EL BARON Considered one of the best cocktail bars in the city. Located in the Plaza of San Pedro Clave, El Baron infuses its own liquors and makes its own syrups.
LA COCINA DE PEPINA A small neighborhood gem in Getsemani.
JUAN DEL MAR A popular spot with the locals with outdoor dining and live music. Try the carbonara pizza!
REPOSTERIA ROSITA DE BENEDETTI Rosita has been around for over 50 years, and she has small shops around the city including the Old Town in front of the old wall near Plaza del Tejadillo.
ABACO LIBROS Y CAFE A coffee shop meets bookstore.
DONDE FIDEL A salsa bar for true salsa lovers, only open during the day as it closes at midnight. The best time to go is between 7pm and 10pm.
LA MULATA
A tiny, casual lunch spot for Colombians and tourists alike.
EL PESCADOR DE COLORES A beach club and restaurant located 20 minutes away by boat. Go for lunch, cocktails, music and sunbathing.
LA MOVIDA A locals only tapas bar and salsa club.
PASTELERIA MILA A traditional bakery and cake shop with coffee. Calle de la iglesia #35-76; mila.com.co
ALQUÍMICO A trendy bar with a rooftop terrace serving inventive cocktails, sandwiches, seafood, and meat plates. Cl. del Colegio ###34-24, C; alquimico.com
CUZCO COCINA PERUANA A Peruvian restaurant. Order the grilled octopus, ceviche, and Peruvian risotto. Calle Santo Domingo #33-48; cartagena.restaurantecuzco.com
LA CASA DE SOCORRO A Caribbean restaurant in Getsemani. Calle Larga, No. 8B-11
BAR TU CANDELA Famous for its beautiful arches, this two storey bar with its stunning interior becomes THE place to be around 1am, when most of the other establishments close. ocated in the "Portal de los Dulces" of Cartagena de Indias with a beautiful view of the old city. Centro Portal de los Dulces Plaza de los Coches, Cra. 7 ##32-25
CELELE One of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, this intimate restaurant serves a delightful salad made entirely of flowers - not to be missed. Calle del Espíritu Santo, Cra. 10c #29-200, Getsemaní; celelerestaurante.com
LA UNICA The same chain of restaurants as Mexico City with a Cartagena location. Cra. 8 #38-47, San Diego, Cartagena de Indias; launica.mx
CARMEN Fashionable restaurant featuring sustainable dishes & creative cocktails, plus an ample wine list. Calle 38 # 8-19, Calle del Santísimo, Provincia de Cartagena; carmencartagena.com/
RESTAURANT DONJUAN Consistently considered Cartagena's best restaurant for its quality ingredients, flavoursome plates and fresh, classic ambience. Av Carlos Escallon 34-01, Centro histórico. Al lado de la torre del reloj, Provincia de Cartagena; restaurantedonjuan.co
ARTS | CULTURE
MUSEO DEL ORO ZENÚ Cartagena’s gold museum has 55,000 artifacts including Balsa Muisca, a pre-Colombian gold votive sometimes called the El Dorado raft. It was found by three farmers in a cave in 1969 but is believed to date from between 600 and 1600 AD - the workmanship is exquisite.
SHOP
ST. DOM Cartagena's concept store spotlights local talents including dresses by Johanna Ortiz, embroidered woven bags from Palma Canaria, and rows of fiesta-ready tasselled and embellished earrings from Mercedes Salazar.
SILVIA TCHERASSI The Colombian fashion designer’s boutique is filled with colorful dresses and prints. Plaza Santa Teresa, Carrera 3 N ° 31-11; silviatcherassi.com/co/es/tiendas/cartagena
HECHIZOO Colombian crafts including woven blinds, bowls, rugs and hammocks abound, all housed in a magnificent 20,000 square foot atélier. The client list is equally impressive: architect Peter Marino has commissioned pieces for Chanel, Fendi and Dior stores.
CASA CHIQUI A treasure trove and unique shopping experience, which gives a glimpse into the private interiors of Cartagena. It’s really an extension of the founder Cloclo Echavarria’s famed house, as everything in it can be found in her home in some version. It started because she would travel around the world, from Bali to India to Mexico, buying things for her houses, and eventually collected more than she could use.
L.A. CANO A famous heritage jewelry brand with a beautiful shop in the Old City where you can pick up their pre-Columbian inspired designs.
NOHRA HAIME GALLERY An art gallery featuring amazing Colombian artists.
NH GALERIA A contemporary and modern art gallery,
ARTESENIAS DE COLOMBIA A shop promoting Colombian artisans and handicrafts.
LOTO DEL SUR From the outside, this beauty store looks like an old French pharmacy with cloche bell jars covering a selection of candles and a glass display of blocks of soaps. Everything, from the bath salts and scrubs to lip balms and creams, smells delicious and is plant-based and natural.
DANTE An Italian stationery store. Paseo Alfonso XIII, nº 3; dantecartagena.es
MAR A MAR A women’s resortwear and bathing suit boutique with unique, colorful prints.
AGUA BENDITA Founded by Medellin-based designers Mariana Hinestroza and Catalina Álvarez after an inspiring summer holiday in Cartagena. Agua Bendita is known for their beautiful patterns and prints and high-quality dresses, bathing suits, sets, and swimsuits.
MAYGEL CORONEL Born in Cartagena, and made in Colombia, Maygel Coronel's swim and beachwear is designed to accentuate and enhance the body.
DAY | WEEKEND TRIPS
ISLA BARÚ Charter a boat and head 30 minutes outside of Cartagena to visit the beaches of Baru, as well as the little islands of Rosario. Visit Blue Apple Beach Club or Hotel Playa Manglares.
PROVIDENCIA Take a 20 seat seaplane to an island that feels like it is stuck in time. Stay at Deep Blue Hotel and don't miss the cocktails and bonfires at Roland's Roots Bar.
ISLA ROSARIO The Rosario islands, which are a little further away from the city than Baru, have turquoise water. Stay at Hotel Coralina Island or Hotel San Pedro De Majagua spend your day snorkeling above the nearby reefs.
VOLCAN DE LODO Volcán de Lodo El Totumo is an active mud volcano located near sea level, and a local tourist destination, popular for its alleged healing mud bath.
SANTA MARTA Not exactly a day trip, but perfect for the weekend. Approximatley 4 hours away by car, Santa Marta is home to beautiful beaches and the scenic Tayrona National Park. Hike to the 3 beaches within the park and enjoy views of some of the highest mountain peaks to next to an ocean. In the city, don’t miss a memorable meal at Guasimo Restaurante, Casa Magdalena, and Agua de Rio.
BARANQUILLA Shakira’s hometown! Also home to the Silvia Tcherassi flagship boutique. Stay at the Hotel Del Prado, and dine at La Cueva or Mahalo.