Cartagena Food Tour: 10+ Dishes, Street Food & Walled City

Two neighborhoods, one culinary story: street vendors and colonial kitchens

A 3.5-hour food tour of Cartagena led by an expert guide through Getsemaní's street food scene and the Ciudad Amurallada's colonial plazas, tasting 10+ dishes and drinks that trace 500 years of Caribbean Colombian cuisine. The guide speaks English or Spanish, and the route covers both neighborhoods on foot, ending at Portal de los Dulces for handmade sweets.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cartagena food and culture tour

• Begin at Plaza de la Trinidad in Getsemaní
• Explore colorful streets and street art
• Sample local street food and fresh fruits
• Walk through Cartagena's Walled City
• Learn about Caribbean Colombian cuisine history
• Taste dishes in plazas and cobblestone streets
• Visit Portal de los Dulces sweets arcade
• Taste traditional Colombian candies and treats

The Experience

Ten-plus dishes and drinks across one afternoon, starting in Getsemaní at Plaza de la Trinidad. This is where Cartageneros gather to eat and share stories, and where your guide leads you past murals and flag-draped alleys to taste from the vendors who've fed the neighborhood for generations—fritos, fresh fruit, street food that has no menu. The barrio itself tells the story: once working-class, now alive with the colors and aromas that make it one of Cartagena's most soulful corners.

From there you cross into the Walled City, the UNESCO-listed colonial old town where Spanish, African, and Indigenous flavors first collided to create the cuisine you're tasting. The guide traces that history through plazas and cobblestone streets, explaining the stories behind iconic dishes—the arepa de huevo, the signature Cartagenero plates—and the markets and kitchens that shaped them. Two sit-down stops at local restaurants break up the walking: curated tastings of both traditional Caribbean and new Fusion cuisine, the kind of food that lives inside these walls.

Portal de los Dulces, a century-old sweets arcade beside Plaza de los Coches, is where the tour ends. Palenqueras and local vendors fill glass jars with handmade Colombian candies—coconut cocadas, tamarind balls, bocadillo, fig preserves—and you taste your way through them while the guide explains how each one reflects Cartagena's Afro-Caribbean and Spanish roots. The whole arc, from street to sit-down to sweets, takes 3.5 hours on foot.

What’s included

• Expert local guide in English or Spanish.
• tasting of 10+ dishes and drinks across street vendors, two sit-down restaurants, and Portal de los Dulces.
• history and street art commentary throughout Getsemaní and the Walled City.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Sherpa Food Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to taste both neighborhoods' food cultures in one outing: you'll start with street food and street art in Getsemaní, then move to sit-down restaurant tastings inside the Walled City.

Traveler reviews

4.99★★★★★★★★★★

137 verified traveler reviews

5 ★135

4 ★2

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What's the difference between the street food stops in Getsemaní and the sit-down restaurants in the Walled City?

Getsemaní is where you taste from street vendors and food carts at Plaza de la Trinidad—fritos, fresh fruit, and neighborhood staples served where locals eat. The Walled City stops are sit-down tastings at curated local restaurants serving both traditional Cartagenero dishes and new Caribbean Fusion cuisine, with the guide explaining the history and cultural traditions behind each plate.

Does the tour include transportation between Getsemaní and the Walled City?

The tour is a walking route through both neighborhoods, and public transportation options are available nearby if needed between sections. The guide leads you on foot through the streets, plazas, and alleys where the food and history live.

What does Portal de los Dulces actually sell?

Portal de los Dulces is a century-old sweets arcade beside Plaza de los Coches filled with handmade Colombian candies in glass jars—coconut cocadas, tamarind balls, bocadillo, fig preserves, and dozens of other treats. You taste your way through them as part of the tour's final stop.

Is the guide a local, and what languages do they speak?

The tour is led by an expert local guide who speaks English or Spanish. The guide shares the history, street art, and cultural stories woven through both neighborhoods as you move through them.

How much walking is involved over the 3.5 hours?

The tour covers Getsemaní and the Walled City on foot, with stops for tastings at street vendors, two sit-down restaurants, and Portal de los Dulces. The route is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it involves walking through neighborhoods with uneven cobblestone streets and alleys.

What's included in the 10+ dishes and drinks?

The tasting includes street food from Getsemaní vendors, exotic fruits from the Palenqueras, the arepa de huevo, curated tastings at two sit-down restaurants, and a selection of handmade sweets at Portal de los Dulces. The exact dishes vary based on what's available and in season.