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Top Things to Do in Cartagena
We compared all 81 experiences in Cartagena so you can choose in minutes — real prices, verified reviews and our editorial picks.
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Cartagena: San Felipe Fortress & Popa Monastery Half-Day TourYou visit four major sites — the Bocagrande bay area, San Felipe de Barajas fortress, La Popa monastery at the city's highest point, and the colonial old town with its churches and squares — all in one morning with a bilingual guide, entry fees included, and air-conditioned transport handling the logistics so you don't have to arrange anything yourself.Is it for me?Book this if you're docked in Cartagena for a few hours and want the main landmarks without arranging separate transport, tickets, and timing — the fixed itinerary and included guide handle all three, which is what makes a full morning possible in a short port day.
Cartagena Bay Paddleboarding & Sunset Lights NightStep onto an LED-lit paddleboard in Cartagena Bay as sunset colors fade into night. With a local guide showing you how (no experience needed), you’ll glide over glowing water, spot fish darting below, and catch city lights flickering behind you—a feeling you’ll remember long after leaving Colombia.
San Basilio de Palenque Private Day Trip from CartagenaThis is your chance to walk Palenque’s vibrant streets with a native guide, taste homemade Caribbean dishes for lunch, sip fresh raspado under the sun, and hear stories of resistance that shaped Colombia’s history. Experience living culture—and real hospitality—in one unforgettable day.
Bachelor Party Bar Tour: Best Nightlife Spots with Local GuideIf you want more than just drinks—real connections, local tips, and a wild night out—this bachelor party bar tour is your ticket. You’ll get access to hidden spots and meet people you’d never find on your own.
Private Boat Tour Rosario Islands & Barú CartagenaIf you want to see Cartagena beyond its busy streets, this private boat trip lets you swim over coral reefs, eat fresh seafood on hidden beaches, and soak up local life—from sleepy villages to lively party spots—all at your own pace.
Cartagena: Old City & San Felipe Castle Private Tour 4 HoursYou spend four hours moving through Cartagena's layers—colonial plazas, street art in Getsemani, the fortress at San Felipe, and the hilltop convent—with entry fees and transport handled. A private guide sets the pace, so you linger where you want and skip the lines that form at the main sites.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want the main Cartagena landmarks without navigating lines or arranging transport themselves—the private format means you set the rhythm. Plan for moderate walking and some climbing at the castle; it's what gives you access to the views and the fortress itself.
Cartagena Old City: Walking tour with street food & guideYou’ll walk Cartagena’s old city with a local guide, tasting eight different street foods like arepas and patacones as you explore lively plazas and hear stories behind every corner. Expect laughter over language mix-ups, sticky fingers from fresh fruit candies, and moments where history feels close enough to touch — memories you’ll carry home long after you leave.
Cartagena: Local Market & Cooking Class with ChefYou shop the local market with a guide, learn to cook three traditional dishes in a beachfront cabin with a Colombian chef, and eat lunch right there. Hotel pickup from your neighborhood in Cartagena is included, so you show up and cook.Is it for me?Book this if you want to learn how Cartagena actually cooks—not from a cookbook, but from someone who lives here—and you'd rather not spend the morning finding the market or figuring out where to take a class. The small group and fixed schedule mean you show up and the rest is arranged.
Cartagena Highlights Tour: Old City, Getsemaní & San Felipe CastleYou’ll walk Cartagena’s most iconic streets, hear stories only locals know, and see the city’s history come alive—from pirate defenses to vibrant Getsemaní murals. This tour blends culture, shopping, and real moments you won’t find in a guidebook.
Cartagena: 4 Rosario Islands Snorkeling & Bioluminescent PlanktonYou're picked up from your Cartagena hotel and taken by boat to four islands in the Rosario archipelago, where you snorkel in clear water, eat lunch and fresh fruit on the islands, and finish the day swimming in bioluminescent plankton after dark. Snorkeling gear, meals, and all transport are included; you just show up and follow the guide's timing.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main Rosario Islands experience—snorkeling, island stops, and meals—without arranging your own boat or timing, and you're willing to stay out until evening for the plankton swim, which is what makes the full day possible.
Tierra Bomba: Wellness day with yoga, massage & fire ritualStep onto Tierra Bomba for a full-day wellness experience: gentle yoga by the sea, guided meditation beneath a sacred tree, relaxing aromatherapy massage, and a sunset cacao fire ceremony with live music. With private transport and lunch included, you’ll find space to breathe — and maybe even surprise yourself with what you leave behind.
Cartagena: Cholón Island Party Boat Tour with DJ & LunchYou’ll feel Cartagena’s energy from the moment you step onto the boat—music pulsing, sun on your face—heading out to Isla Grande before joining Cholón Island’s floating party scene. Enjoy lunch on board (fish, chicken or veggie), cocktails if you want them, and a live DJ spinning crossover tracks as you float between islands.
Cartagena: San Basilio de Palenque Cultural Tour & African HeritageYou're picked up from your Cartagena hotel and driven to San Basilio de Palenque, the first free Black territory in the Americas. A welcome with traditional music and dance opens the visit, then you walk through the statue of Benkos Bioho, the palenquera language mural, the musical house museum, traditional medicine space, and community homes. Lunch and refreshments are included, and the private transport means you move at a pace that lets the stories land.Is it for me?Book this if you want to understand the history of resistance and freedom that built this place, and you'd rather not navigate the logistics of getting there from Cartagena on your own — the private transport and guided stops are what make the story coherent instead of scattered.
Cartagena: 5 Islands & Snorkel Tour with LunchYou start at the clock tower in Cartagena and spend the day island-hopping through the Rosario Islands with a guide. Snorkel at Isla Grande where a sunken plane sits on the seafloor, taste fresh seafood on Cholón, swim and sample tropical fruit at Agua Azul, then have lunch at Playa Tranquila before returning to your hotel by 4pm. Hotel pickup and all meals are included.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main Rosario Islands experience in a single day without arranging your own boat, snorkeling gear, or island-hopping logistics—the fixed schedule and included meals mean you show up at the clock tower and everything else is handled.
Cartagena: San Felipe Castle & Emerald Museum City TourYou get hotel pickup, a full day moving through Cartagena's colonial center and modern districts with a professional guide, entry to San Felipe Castle, a stop at the Emerald Museum, and air-conditioned transport throughout. The guide is not a driver doubling as narrator—it's someone whose job is to explain what you're seeing. You return to your hotel in the late afternoon without having arranged a single ticket or figured out how to get between stops.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Cartagena's main landmarks in one organized day without arranging your own transport or tickets—the guide handles the narrative, the driver handles the route, and you just show up at your hotel ready to go.
Cartagena: Food Tour & Getsemani with Private TransportYou taste unlimited street food and local dishes across two of Cartagena's most real neighborhoods — Bazurto market and Getsemani — with a bilingual driver who knows the vendors and the stories behind the food. Hotel pickup, private transport, samples and parking are all included, so you show up hungry and leave full without arranging logistics yourself.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want to eat real Cartagena food without arranging transport or navigating markets alone. The four-hour window means you can fit it into a morning or afternoon without losing the rest of your day, and the private car keeps the pace relaxed enough to actually taste and ask questions.
Colombia 11 Days: Cartagena, Medellin & Bogota with ToursYou move through three Colombian cities over 11 days with all hotels, meals, and airport transfers included. Each city gets a private guide and full-day tours: Cartagena's old town and Rosario Islands, Medellin's cable cars and Guatape rock, a coffee farm with lunch and horse riding, and Bogota's Gold Museum and salt cathedral. The fixed itinerary and private pickups mean you never arrange transport or tours yourself — you just show up at the hotel lobby at 9 AM.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see three different regions of Colombia — coast, mountains, and high plateau — without arranging flights, hotels, or tours yourself; the fixed itinerary and private guide in each city mean you show up and go, which is what makes fitting three cities into 11 days possible.
Cartagena / Totumo Volcano: Mud Bath Tour with PickupFloat weightlessly in the warm mud of Totumo Volcano near Cartagena, guided by locals who know every story behind this place. From hotel pickup to a muddy massage and a quick rinse at the lagoon, you’ll get an experience that’s messy, funny, and surprisingly relaxing — one you’ll remember every time you see a splash of gray on your shoes.
Cartagena: Sunset Boat Party & Nightclub Entry with Open BarYou board a party boat in Cartagena Bay, get an open bar for two hours, meet other travelers, and watch the sunset from the water. A local host keeps the energy up, and your nightclub entry is included, so you skip the cover charge and walk straight in. It's designed for people who want the social part of a night out without arranging it themselves.Is it for me?Book this if you want to meet other travelers and experience Cartagena's nightlife without arranging transport, cover charges, or a pre-dinner drink separately — the boat and club entry are handled, so you just show up and go.
Private Boat Transfer Cartagena to Rosario Islands & ReturnThis is your chance to skip crowded ferries and travel straight from Cartagena to Islas del Rosario with your own private boat transfer. Enjoy flexible boarding times, a friendly local crew, onboard music, and plenty of space for your group—plus insider tips on where to go once you arrive.
