Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena, Colombia ~

Cartagena, one of the largest city in Colombia, has such a diverse, rich culture and history; no wonder it remains on the top travel destination list, and it’s a very affordable place to take a trip. My friends and I got a deal for $399 that included flight and hotel for three nights. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Cartagena Bocagrande, which had excellent accommodations and was located close to main attractions. Our stay at the hotel included free breakfast and wifi as well. The hotel staff was outstanding too.

There are a multitude of things to do in Cartagena that would make you want to vacay at least a week. If we could have continued our trip, we surely would have done so. Even though our time was short, I still have some goodies for you all to take a look at; but before I get to the break down of everything, here are some quick tips:

Learn the conversion from dollars to Colombian pesos. It was confusing for us at first, but we got the hang of it.
Make sure the money exchange place gives you small pesos. Some businesses won’t take larger pesos.
Cab fare was usually 8,000 to 10,000 pesos (depends on where you are going)
The weather can fluctuate. Bring a light jacket.

Here’s the break down from my trip that I feel will help you on your travels there!

Places To Eat

Colombia is known for its food, so you know we had to try out some food spots! Here are a few we went to:

Restaurante La Karibena

La Karibena was the first restaurant to introduce us to authentic Colombian cuisine. The food and drinks were really cheap. My meal with an acholic beverage cost only $18! Plus, the restaurant had outside seating, so we got free entertainment. The taste and quality of the food were very appetizing, but to be honest, this wouldn’t be my first choice to recommend in Cartagena.

Restaurante Don Juan

Don Juan is a fine dining restaurant with a fancier menu that won’t break your bank. What you would pay in the United States for a drink, appetizer, and entrée we all ate here would cost way more money. The food was delicious especially my steak and the crab claws. The atmosphere was very pleasing too. Some of us had a misunderstanding with the waitstaff because of language barriers, but overall everything was great!

Restaurante La Colonia

I think out of all the restaurants we went to, La Colonia gave us the most Colombian culture. We tried their specialty drinks that consisted of Mint and Coconut! They were very tasty! I would drink one of those on any hot day! I tried their “Sea Rice” which had a mixture of different types of seafood. It was delicious. This restaurant food was flavorful, and the prices were low. It takes a while for your food to come out, but I would recommend La Colonia to anyone. It’s right next to the El Castillo San Felipe.

Restaurante Café Del Mar

Café Del Mar is a very popular restaurant in Cartagena. People flock to this place to watch the sunset while having dinner. The entire restaurant is outdoor except for a few lounge areas. They also have a short menu. I’m guessing because of all the influx of tourists. We didn’t get a chance to see the sunset, but the place was still nice to have dinner. Just make sure you bring a sweater because it gets chilly at night. The restaurant sits right by the Caribbean sea. Also, make sure you try the “Langostinos Al Ajillo” “Garlic Shrimp”! That dish made us want to order more and more!

NightLife In Cartagena

Now, there are many late night spots to go to for dancing and music in Cartagena, but you have to go on the right days. We certainly learned that lesson well. Do not party on Sundays; most places are closed. We spent additional money on cab fare to take us around and ended up right back at our hotel. Besides that hiccup, we found some cool places on other days we were in Cartagena.

Eivissa

Eivissa is a rooftop nightclub located right in the Walled City. It has three floors with lovely views and stylish art.

Dolce Vita

If you are looking for a spot that plays all the latest music and gives you that real nightclub feeling then Dolce Vita is the place for you! This place had us dancing! We had a great time.

Donde Fidel

Do you want to chill amongst the locals or do some salsa dancing? Then, Donde Fidel is where you need to go! You will have fun; however, the place is small, and they only serve beer. Still, I enjoyed dancing with my maracas at Fidel!

Things To Do

Again, we were only there for three days, but we filled our itinerary with quite a few things. I enjoyed my time in Cartagena so much that I want to go back to experience more of the city as well as other places in Colombia. I mean, Cartagena is the fifth largest city in Colombia, so there are four other cities I can salsa my way into! Haha!

Explore The Colonial Walled City And Fortress

You can see the historical walls that surround the old city in Cartagena. Be amazed by the ancient colonial Spanish architecture. In addition, there are many bars, restaurants, and places to shop to choose from while you stroll along the streets. Also, if you don’t want to walk throughout the Walled City, you can go to the Plaza de los Coches to catch a horse carriage. A romantic thing to do for couples at night.

Puerta del Reloj (Clock Gate)

Plaza de los Coches (Square of the Carriages)

Shop For Clothes And Art

Catholic Churches

They are very prevalent throughout the city.

Iglesia de San Pedro Claver

Cathedral Of Cartagena, Colombia

Every Where I Travel, There Is Always Something To Remind Me Of Home!

Cartagena really reminded me of New Orleans. You can see the similarity in the architecture especially since Spain colonized both.

Tour The Islas del Rosario

We chose to do the tour with Bora Bora Beach Club, and we were very satisfied with this booking. It was one of the highlights of our trip. I believe it took 45 minutes to an hour to get there. I would recommend this tour company for people that don’t want to be bothered by vendors, can enjoy a party scene while on the beach (not for the quietness type), like great music and dancing, and being secluded on a beach area away from crowds. The only negative thing I would say about this tour is the boat ride from the island is extremely rough. Be prepared! Other than that, you will have an incredible time! I know we did!

The cost was only $57 and included lunch.

Met Some Friends From Argentina! They invited Us To Their Country!

Fresh Lobster! It Was So Good!

Authentic Colombian Style Cuisine: Fish With Coconut Rice and Plantains

Souvenir Shopping at Las Bovedas

Las Bovedas is a delightful location to buy all your souvenir needs for friends and family, but make sure you bargain for good deals!

While there, we had to try some Colombian coffee before leaving, and it didn’t disappoint.

My Trip Was Complete When I Ran Into Her!

Palanquera Fruit Seller (Symbol of Cartagena)

I can’t wait to travel again to Colombia to visit San Basilio de Palenque, the first free town of the Americas to be ruled by runaway slaves. There’s history to be learned!

Volcán de Lodo El Totumo (Mud Volcano)

Totumo is an activity that many come to Cartagena to do! It’s famous for tourist because of it’s alleged healing powers. The mud bath feels weird at first, and you freak out a bit because there is no bottom to touch, but you don’t sink. You just float in the very thick mud. You have a choice to receive a massage if you like to enhance those healing powers. Just remember you have to tip everyone that helps you! Then once you are finished soaking in the mud, a helper takes you to the river to be clean by another helper, who strips you naked! Haha! It was a funny experience that I will not forget!

Here is a tip: Go very early to beat the crowds. Arrive around 9 to 9:30 am. Do not book with a tour company. Just pay a cab driver to take you for a way lower price. The entrance fee may be free on certain days, or you may have to pay 10,000 pesos ($3.25) which isn’t bad. Remember to bring small bills to tip.

This activity only cost us $20 each! That included the hour ride there and back.

Visit El Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

This castle is a great place to see more old colonial architecture. It was a fortress used by the Spanish Military during the colonial era. It’s enormous and has lots of tunnels to walk through. As we explore the castle, I believe we went into where the dungeons were. While in there, I’m telling you it felt like we were in an episode of “Ghost Hunters”! Haha! It was exciting.