Cartagena City Tour with Popa Hill: 4-hour guided sightseeing

San Felipe de Barajas Castle rises from a hill built to withstand centuries of attack.

A 4-hour guided city tour of Cartagena with a bilingual English and Spanish guide, covering the colonial fortress of San Felipe de Barajas, the Convent of La Popa on its 148-meter hill, the artisan center at Las Bóvedas, and a 30-minute walk through the walled Old Town. Hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport and bottled water are included. The optional jewelry factory visit lets you see how Colombian emeralds are cut and set.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. San Felipe de Barajas Castle50m · entry included
2. La Popa Convent40m · entry included
3. Las Bóvedaspass by
4. Cartagena Old Town40m
5. Old Shoes Monument15m

Cartagena city and historic sites tour

• Panoramic view of Cartagena Bay
• Visit Pegasus Pier and public clock tower
• Tour La Popa Convent and hill
• Explore San Felipe de Barajas Fort
• Visit Las Bóvedas artisan center
• Walk through Cartagena Old Town
• See Old Shoes Monument
• Optional tour of emerald jewelry factory

The experience

The tour starts with hotel pickup and moves through Cartagena in air-conditioned transport, beginning with a panoramic view of the bay and the Pegasus Pier before reaching San Felipe de Barajas Castle. Built in 1657 during the Spanish colonial era on a hill called San Lazarus, the fortress was designed to withstand constant attacks from English and French forces. It was eventually taken by French commander Baron de Pointis in 1697. Walking through the fortification gives you the scale of what colonial military engineering looked like in the Americas.

From the castle, the tour climbs to La Popa Convent, which sits 148 meters above sea level on a hill visible from any approach to the city: by land, sea or air. Inside the convent, the central courtyard and thick columns show how the structure was built to resist bombardment. The church was dedicated to the purification of the Virgin, known as Candlemas, and the annual festival here on February 2 draws crowds that fill the streets from the sanctuary down to the city center. The convent offers the best panoramic view of Cartagena, and the guide explains the religious and civic history that shaped the city.

The tour then visits Las Bóvedas, a former colonial barracks converted into an artisan shopping center where local craftspeople sell jewelry, gold, silver and Colombian emeralds. A 30-minute walk through the walled Old Town follows, moving through streets and squares lined with colonial buildings. The guide points out the Old Shoes Monument, inspired by a poem by local poet Luis Carlos López about his love for his hometown. An optional visit to a jewelry factory closes the tour, where you can watch how emeralds are cut and set before returning to your hotel.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport.
• professional bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• bottled water.
• guided visits to San Felipe de Barajas Castle, La Popa Convent with panoramic city views, Las Bóvedas artisan center, and a 30-minute walk through the walled Old Town.
• optional jewelry factory tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 14:00

AgesAdult (14 to 95 years) · Youth (11 to 13 years) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupUp to 50

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 30 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearbyNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Guianza Express S.A.S

Is this one for you?The bilingual guide speaks English and Spanish, so English speakers can follow the full commentary without translation delays. If you want the colonial history and the city's layout explained as you move through it rather than reading plaques on your own, the guided pace and the stops at each major site (the fortress, the convent, the barracks, the old streets), hold the story together in a single afternoon.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 13 years); Child (5 to 10 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What is San Felipe de Barajas Castle and why was it built?

San Felipe de Barajas Castle is a 1657 Spanish colonial fortress built on a hill in Cartagena to defend the city against attacks from English and French forces. It stands as the largest military architectural work in the Americas and was designed with thick walls and columns capable of resisting bombardment.

How high is La Popa Convent and what makes it special?

La Popa Convent sits 148 meters above sea level on a hill visible from any direction you approach Cartagena. The convent's annual Candlemas festival on February 2 is the most splendid civic and religious celebration in the city, with crowds processing from the sanctuary down to the city center.

What happens during the 30-minute walk through the Old Town?

The Old Town walk takes you through the walled historic center to see colonial buildings, squares and streets. The guide shows you landmarks like the Old Shoes Monument, which inspired a poem by local poet Luis Carlos López, and explains the history embedded in the architecture.

Is the jewelry factory visit included, and what do you see there?

The jewelry factory visit is optional and happens at the end of the tour. You learn about the history and manufacture of Colombian emeralds and watch how they are cut and set before returning to your hotel.

How long does the tour take and what is provided?

The tour runs 4 hours and includes hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport throughout, bottled water, and a professional bilingual guide who speaks English and Spanish.