Cartagena half-day city tour: San Felipe Castle and Old Town

San Felipe Castle sits inside a fortress built to hold enslaved people during the colonial era.

A half-day private city tour of Cartagena covers the Old Town, San Felipe Castle, Las Bóvedas, Teatro Adolfo Mejía and Isla Grande with a bilingual driver, private vehicle, and hotel pickup. The tour runs 4 hours and departs at 9 am or 2 pm daily. Entry to San Felipe Castle and all local taxes are included. Lunch and drinks are not included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. San Felipe de Barajas Castle1h · entry included
2. Cartagena Old Town1h
3. Las Bóvedas30m
4. Teatro Adolfo Mejía20m
5. Isla Grande4h

Cartagena half day city tour

• Hotel pick up
• Walk around Torre del Reloj and Plaza de la Aduana
• Visit Getsemaní neighborhood
• Stop for photo at Heredia Theater
• Explore San Felipe Castle
• Walk around Las Bóvedas
• Hotel drop off

The experience

The tour starts with pickup from your hotel in a private air-conditioned car. Your bilingual driver narrates the route through Cartagena's historic center, moving between stops without the pace of a walking group. The car handles the distances and the heat, which matters in the Caribbean afternoon.

San Felipe de Barajas Castle is the centerpiece: a 17th-century fortress where you walk the tunnels and ramparts that once held enslaved people during the colonial period. The structure itself tells that history plainly. From there, the route moves through the Old Town's cobbled streets and plazas, including Plaza de la Aduana and Getsemaní, then to Las Bóvedas, the waterfront dungeons now lined with shops. A stop at Teatro Adolfo Mejía gives a photo moment of the neoclassical building. The itinerary also takes in views of Isla Grande, the island visible from the coast.

You choose between a 9 am or 2 pm departure. Flexible start times are available on request. The whole tour runs approximately 4 hours, which keeps it inside a morning or afternoon without consuming a full day. Hotel drop-off is included at the end.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private air-conditioned vehicle.
• bilingual driver with full narration.
• entry ticket to San Felipe Castle.
• all local taxes, fees and parking.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English or Spanish09:00

Guide in English or Spanish14:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:00

Book up to3h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessible

Operated by Medellin City Services

Is this one for you?Book the morning departure if you want the Old Town and the castle before the afternoon heat and crowds. The afternoon tour suits a late arrival or a preference to spend the morning elsewhere in the city. Either way, the private car and fixed itinerary mean you move between stops without waiting for a group or arranging your own transport.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is San Felipe Castle and why is it on this tour?

San Felipe de Barajas Castle is a 17th-century fortress built during the colonial period. It's the main attraction on the tour because it's central to Cartagena's history: the tunnels and ramparts show the scale of the colonial infrastructure, and the site itself is where entry is included with your tour ticket.

Does the tour include lunch or drinks?

Lunch and beverages are not included. The tour covers entry to San Felipe Castle, transport, the driver's narration and all local taxes, but you'll need to arrange food separately or purchase drinks on your own.

Can I choose a morning or afternoon departure?

The tour departs daily at 9 am or 2 pm. Flexible start times are available if you contact the operator to arrange them before booking.

What is Las Bóvedas and what do you do there?

Las Bóvedas are the waterfront dungeons of Cartagena's old fortification. On the tour you walk around the site, which is now lined with shops and sits along the Caribbean coast. It's a stop for exploring the colonial architecture and the water views.

Is the driver a guide, or just transport?

The driver is bilingual and provides a fully narrated tour, so you get both transport and commentary throughout the 4 hours. The narration covers the history and context of each stop.

What happens if I land at the airport late? Can I still do the afternoon tour?

The 2 pm departure is possible if your flight arrives with enough time to reach your hotel and meet the driver. Since pickup is from your hotel, confirm your arrival time and hotel location with the operator when booking to make sure the timing works.