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Five days · Cartagena with friends

Cartagena with friends: balconies, ramparts and a day on the Caribbean

Verified October 2026How we verify

One base inside the old walls, five days for a group of friends: colonial plazas, Getsemaní’s colorful streets, the fortress of San Felipe, a boat day to Barú and sunset on the ramparts.

Cities & Urban WeekendsHistoric & CulturalInternational

5 days / 5 nights Driest Dec–Mar Friends

Original illustrated itinerary artwork

The Puerta del Reloj clock tower gate in Cartagena under a blue sky, with palms and the plaza in front — **Puerta del Reloj** · the clock-tower gate into the walled city

The trip in 60 seconds

Trip at a glance

Who it’s for: A group of friends who want old streets, good food and one beach day, with evenings out together
Route: The walled city & the Gold Museum → Getsemaní → Castillo San Felipe → a boat day to Barú → sunset on the walls
Best timing: December to March is the dry season, but seas between Cartagena and the islands can be rough for small boats in December and January. March to May and October to November are rainy
Pace: Easy: four walking days in and around the old town and one boat day, with long lunches and free evenings
Sleep: One base inside the walled city for all five nights, so every evening ends on foot
Getting there: Fly into Cartagena’s Rafael Núñez International Airport. In town, walk, or book taxis through your hotel or an app; do not hail cars on the street
Rough budget: Entries are low: the Gold Museum is free and Castillo San Felipe is COP 38,000 per adult. The boat day and your hotel are the big costs; price them when you book
Good to know: The US State Department rates Colombia Level 3, Reconsider travel (March 31, 2026). Cartagena is outside the do-not-travel areas, but read the advisory and the safety notes in this guide before you go

Verified October 2026How we verify

Illustration: route map of the five days, an illustrated bird’s-eye view of Cartagena with numbered pins at the Puerta del Reloj (Day 1), Getsemaní’s Plaza de la Trinidad (Day 2), Castillo San Felipe (Day 3), Playa Blanca on Barú (Day 4) and the Santo Domingo bastion (Day 5), from one base inside the walls — Cartagena in five days · one base in the walled city, four days on foot and one boat day

Postcards from the trip

A street of brightly colored houses in Cartagena — **Colorful streets** · saffron, sky-blue and coral houses in the old town

Portrait murals on a red and white wall in Getsemaní — **Getsemaní** · portrait murals on the walls of the old popular quarter

A section of the old city walls between a grassy moat and the sea — **The city walls** · old ramparts between the walled town and the sea

Cartagena seen from La Popa hill, the city and the towers of Bocagrande by the sea — **Cartagena from above** · the old town and the towers of Bocagrande

The idea

Old walls, warm nights and a city made for walking together.

Cartagena is an easy city to share. The old town is compact and walkable, the plazas fill with color, and the Caribbean is never more than a few streets away, so a group can split up for an afternoon and meet again at sunset.

The route keeps one base inside the walls for five nights. Day 1 is the walled city and the free Gold Museum. Day 2 is Getsemaní, the old popular quarter outside the walls. Day 3 is the fortress of San Felipe, early before the heat. Day 4 is a boat day to Barú. Day 5 is a slow last day ending on the ramparts.

Two ground rules. Read the US travel advisory together before you book, and agree on simple habits: taxis by app or hotel, drinks never left alone, and boats only from the official pier. Then let each friend pick one dinner, so the trip feels like everyone’s.

Day-by-day summary

A narrow street in the walled city with wooden balconies and bougainvillea

Day 1 · the old townThe Walled CityPlazas, balconies and the Gold Museum.

Plaza de la Trinidad in Getsemaní with trees, benches and colorful houses

Day 2 · outside the wallsGetsemaníMurals, small plazas and the old popular quarter.

The stone ramparts of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas with a Colombian flag and city towers beyond

Day 3 · the fortressSan FelipeThe great fortress on San Lázaro hill.

Turquoise water and white sand at Playa Blanca on Barú

Day 4 · at seaThe IslandsA boat day to Barú and the Caribbean.

Two people sitting on the old city walls at sunset, seen in silhouette

Day 5 · the rampartsThe WallsA slow last day and sunset on the ramparts.

The route

Five days, one base, one day at sea

Four days on foot in and around the walled city and one boat day to Barú, every night in the same room.

Illustration: friends walking down a colorful street toward a domed church, with palms and bougainvillea, illustrated day card for Day 1

01Walled City · plazas

Base: inside the walled city, all five nights. Today is on foot and nearly free: the Museo del Oro Zenú charges no admission and opens Tuesday to Saturday 09:00–17:00 and Sunday 09:00–14:00. It is closed on Mondays.

Through the Puerta del Reloj

Start at the Puerta del Reloj, the gate under the clock tower, and walk into the old town. UNESCO lists Cartagena’s port, fortresses and monuments as a World Heritage Site, with the most extensive fortifications in South America.

Inside, the old town splits into quarters: San Pedro, with the cathedral and its palaces, and San Diego, once home to merchants and the middle class. Wander with no plan for the first hour; the balconies are the point.

The third quarter, Getsemaní, lies just outside the walls; that is tomorrow. Today, stay inside and learn the grid of plazas you will keep coming back to.

Plaza de Santo Domingo and the side streets

Work your way to Plaza de Santo Domingo, with its old church and café tables spilling across the square. It is an easy meeting point for a group that splits up.

Give everyone a mission for the walk: one friend finds the best balcony, one the best door knocker, one the best plaza for a cold drink. Compare photos at lunch.

The Museo del Oro Zenú

Step into the Gold Museum in the afternoon heat. It is free, run by the Banco de la República, and shows the goldwork of the Zenú people of the Caribbean plains.

It opens 09:00–17:00 Tuesday to Saturday and 09:00–14:00 on Sunday, and closes on Mondays, so if you arrive on a Monday, swap today with Day 2. No reservation is needed: walk in, and allow about an hour.

Walk in the morning and late afternoon. Cartagena is hot and humid; use the middle of the day for the museum, a long lunch or the hotel pool.

The whole day is on foot inside the walls: the Puerta del Reloj → Plaza de Santo Domingo is about 5 minutes, and the Gold Museum is a few minutes more. Dinner in San Diego is about 10 minutes on foot.

Where to stay

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara — in the walled city, with a pool, a historic crypt and Bar 1621.
Casa Pestagua — an 18th-century mansion in the walled city, restored in 2022 and part of Relais & Châteaux.

Dinner: La Cevichería on Calle Stuart in San Diego, open daily 12:00–23:00, for ceviche to share around the table.

Tomorrow: out through the walls to Getsemaní, a short walk from the old town.

Bad-weather plan

Heavy rain? Give the morning to the Gold Museum and a long lunch, then walk the plazas once it clears; showers are often short.

Stay: walled-city base · Anchor: the Puerta del Reloj · Gold Museum free, closed Mondays

Good to know: Bring a light layer and cover your shoulders if you plan to step into churches, and carry water everywhere.

Illustration: a white church on a plaza in Getsemaní under string lights at dusk, illustrated day card for Day 2

02Getsemaní · murals

Base: the same room in the walled city; Getsemaní is a short walk. Today costs almost nothing: the streets and plazas are free. Keep evenings simple: book taxis through the hotel or an app.

The streets of Getsemaní

Walk out of the walled city to Getsemaní, which UNESCO describes as the old town’s popular quarter. Today its streets are lined with murals and brightly colored houses.

Go slowly. Small side streets often hold the best walls, and a group can scatter and meet again at the next plaza.

Plaza de la Trinidad

Make Plaza de la Trinidad the anchor of the day: a small square with shade trees, benches and colorful houses around it. Sit for a while and watch the neighborhood go by.

Come back at dusk, when it is cooler and the street lights come on, and choose a place for dinner nearby.

Easy habits for a night out

The US State Department advises against hailing taxis on the street; use a dispatch service or an app instead. It also warns that drinks can be drugged, especially after meetings arranged on dating apps.

Agree as a group: nobody leaves a drink unattended, everyone shares their location, and you go home together.

The city runs a Tourist Assistance Center in the renovated Parque Centenario, open 10:00–18:00, if you need help or want to report a problem. Save the key numbers in your phones: Policía Nacional 123 and Cruz Roja 132.

If you come in January

The Cartagena Festival de Música runs January 9–17, 2027. It is the busiest season in the old town, so book rooms and the boat day early, and plan a concert night together.

Outside festival weeks, evenings in Getsemaní are your own: choose one plaza, one dinner and one place for a last drink, and walk back to the walled city as a group.

Plan a January trip around the music festival. The Cartagena Festival de Música runs January 9–17, 2027; book rooms early if your dates overlap.

Walled city → Getsemaní: about 10 minutes on foot. Getsemaní → Plaza de la Trinidad: a few minutes on foot. Plaza de la Trinidad → the walled city: about 10 minutes on foot.

Where to stay

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara — the same base inside the walls, a short walk back from Getsemaní.
Casa Pestagua — or a night in a restored mansion inside the walls.

Dinner: in Getsemaní, near Plaza de la Trinidad; pick a place together on the afternoon walk.

Tomorrow: an early start for Castillo San Felipe, a short taxi ride from the old town.

Bad-weather plan

If it pours, stay near Plaza de la Trinidad for a long lunch, then do the murals once it clears, or swap with Day 5.

Stay: same walled-city base · Anchor: Plaza de la Trinidad · taxis by app or hotel

Good to know: Carry a copy of your passport and leave the original in the hotel safe; keep phones out of reach on busy streets.

“Cartagena was built to keep the world out. Now its walls are where everyone meets at sunset.”

Illustration: the stone walls of Castillo San Felipe de Barajas climbing a hill, bougainvillea in front, illustrated day card for Day 3

03San Felipe · fortress

Base: the same room; a short taxi ride to the fortress. Castillo San Felipe de Barajas opens daily 07:00–18:00. Full price is COP 38,000, Colombians pay COP 33,000, and children 6–13 and students pay COP 16,000.

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas

Get there at 07:00, when it opens and before the heat. The fortress was built from 1657 on the hill of San Lázaro, and it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Climb the ramparts slowly. From the top, the whole city spreads out: the walled town, Getsemaní and the towers of Bocagrande by the sea.

The tunnels and the ramparts

Allow 2 hours. The ticket does not include a guide; you can hire one at the ticket office, and in a group the cost splits nicely. Bring ID if anyone qualifies for the reduced COP 16,000 student or teacher price.

Bring water and a hat, and wear shoes with grip: the stone ramps are steep and there is little shade. Take breaks in the shadow of the walls and keep the group together on the narrow passages.

A long lunch and a slow afternoon

Head back to the old town for a long lunch and the hotel pool through the hottest hours. Let the group split: some to the shops, some to a nap, all back together for the evening.

Toast the day on a rooftop or in a plaza in the walled city, then dinner wherever the group votes.

The fortress is open every day, so it is the right plan if your trip puts a Monday here, when the Gold Museum is closed.

If anyone still has energy, walk back via Getsemaní and look up at the fortress from the streets below, now that you know what is up there.

Be at the gate at 07:00. The fortress opens early and has little shade; by midday the ramparts are hot and crowded.

Walled city → Castillo San Felipe: about 10 minutes by taxi, or about 25 minutes on foot via Getsemaní. Back the same way.

Where to stay

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara — the same base in the walled city, with a pool for the afternoon heat.
Casa Pestagua — or the restored mansion inside the walls.

Dinner: in the walled city; give tonight’s pick to whoever planned the morning.

Tomorrow: the boat day. Book with an authorized operator tonight, and pack swimsuits, sunscreen and cash.

Bad-weather plan

If storms roll in, go to the fortress at opening and finish before the rain, then spend the afternoon in the Museo del Oro Zenú (closed Mondays).

Stay: same walled-city base · Anchor: the ramparts of San Felipe · open 07:00–18:00 daily

Good to know: Tickets can be bought at the ticket office; check the official site for current prices before you go.

Illustration: a small boat on turquoise water off a white-sand island beach, illustrated day card for Day 4

04Barú · boat day

Base: the same room; this is a day trip by boat, back by afternoon. The city asks visitors to sail only from the Muelle de La Bodeguita with authorized operators. The official departure window is from 07:00, with return by 15:00.

The Muelle de La Bodeguita

Go to the Muelle de La Bodeguita, the city’s main pier for boats to the islands, and book only with authorized operators. The Coast Guard and other authorities check the boats there before they leave.

Insist on life jackets for everyone, and check that the boat is not over its maximum capacity. Arrive early, as departures start at 07:00. If something goes wrong at sea, the Coast Guard line is 146.

A day on Barú

Spend the day at Playa Blanca on Barú, with white sand and clear turquoise water. Swim, eat lunch by the water, and take turns guarding the bags.

Bring cash, sunscreen, water and a dry bag for phones. Agree on a meeting time with the boat crew before you step off, and keep it.

Plan to be back at the pier by 15:00, as the city recommends, then rinse off at the hotel and rest before dinner.

Sea conditions and timing

The US State Department urges caution on small tourist boats between Cartagena and the islands, and warns that seas can be dangerous for small boats from December to January.

If the sea looks rough or the operator seems rushed, skip it and swap with a city day. The city also warns that sailing outside the official hours can be risky.

If a booking goes wrong, the Tourist Assistance Center in Parque Centenario takes complaints, open 10:00–18:00.

Pick the operator before the day. Ask your hotel to recommend an authorized boat, and sail only from the official pier.

Walled city → Muelle de La Bodeguita: about 10 minutes on foot along Avenida Blas de Lezo. Boat times to Barú vary with the boat and the sea; ask the operator.

Where to stay

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara — back to the walled-city base, an easy walk from the pier.
Casa Pestagua — or the restored mansion inside the walls, for a quiet night after the sun.

Dinner: in the walled city; everyone will be tired and sun-soaked, so keep it close.

Tomorrow: the last day, slow and on foot, ending on the walls at sunset.

Bad-weather plan

Rough sea or storms? Skip the boat. Swap with Day 5 or take the morning for the Gold Museum if you missed it.

Stay: same walled-city base · Anchor: the water at Barú · boats from 07:00, back by 15:00

Good to know: Life jackets are non-negotiable: ask for them before the boat leaves the pier.

Illustration: three friends seen from behind on the old city walls at sunset, illustrated day card for Day 5

05The Walls · sunset

Base: the same room for the last night. Today is free and on foot. Keep the morning open for whatever the group missed, and save the evening for the walls.

A free morning

Let each friend choose the morning: the Gold Museum if you missed it, a last look at Getsemaní’s murals, or a coffee in Plaza de Santo Domingo.

Shop slowly for gifts in the walled city, and meet again for lunch before the heat peaks.

On a Sunday the Gold Museum closes at 14:00, so go in the morning. On a Monday it is closed all day.

Settle up before sunset

Use the hot middle of the day to settle the shared costs. One friend totals the boat, the taxis and the big dinners; everyone pays before the last evening, so nobody spends sunset doing sums.

Then rest, shower and meet in the hotel lobby an hour before sunset. Bring water and a light layer for the breeze on the walls.

Along the walls

In the late afternoon, climb up onto the walls. They run around the old town by the sea, part of the most extensive fortifications in South America.

Walk west toward the Santo Domingo bastion, where the walls face the open Caribbean and the breeze picks up.

Sunset on the ramparts

Find a spot on the walls by the bastion and watch the sun drop into the sea. It is the classic last evening in Cartagena, and the best group photo of the trip.

When the light goes, walk down into the old town for a farewell dinner, all together.

Book the big table at lunch: a group of friends on the last night is exactly the kind of booking that fills up.

Get on the walls an hour before sunset. The good spots fill up, and the light is best in the half hour before the sun goes down.

Walled city → the walls: a few minutes on foot from anywhere in the old town. Along the walls to the Santo Domingo bastion: about 10 minutes on foot.

Where to stay

Sofitel Legend Santa Clara — a last night in the walled city.
Casa Pestagua — or end with a splurge in the restored mansion.

Dinner: a farewell dinner in the walled city; book ahead for a big table.

Tomorrow: home. The airport is a short taxi ride from the walled city; book the car through your hotel.

Bad-weather plan

If it rains, spend the afternoon in the Museo del Oro Zenú (not Mondays), watch the sky from a covered café on Plaza de Santo Domingo, and walk the walls the next morning before the flight.

Stay: same walled-city base · Anchor: sunset on the walls · free and on foot

Good to know: The walls are uneven and have no railings in places; watch your step after dark and when you have had a drink.

The people behind the plans

Who is Earth Adventure Travel?

We build routes for real life — wrangling kids, spanning generations, or heading out solo — and review key details regularly. Things change and we can miss some, so we link the official sources for you to confirm before you go.

Learn About Us

Before you go

Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

Light, breathable clothes. It is hot and humid all year; linen and cotton beat everything else.
A hat, sunscreen and sunglasses. For the fortress ramparts and the boat day.
Water bottles. Refill often; the heat builds fast at midday.
Swimsuits and a dry bag. For Barú, with phones kept dry on the boat.
Shoes with grip. The fortress ramps and the old walls are steep and uneven.
A copy of your passport. Leave the original in the hotel safe.
Cash in small notes. Useful for the islands and small purchases.
A light rain layer. For the rainy months, March to May and October to November.

Steep stone ramps and ramparts at Castillo San Felipe de Barajas — **Shoes with grip for the ramparts.** **San Felipe ramparts** · steep stone ramps with little shade; wear grippy shoes

Yellow colonial buildings with balconies and café tables on Plaza de Santo Domingo — **A light layer for evenings in the plazas.** **Plaza de Santo Domingo** · café tables and balconies in the heart of the walled city

Illustration: the five-day Cartagena plan card, an open map and notebook beside a sliced mango on a sunny table — **The plan** · five days from the walled city to Barú and back, all from one base

The plan, on one card

All five days on one card to save: where you sleep, the one stop that makes each day, and which day is at sea.

Illustration: recap card of the old walls and domes of the walled city at dusk, towers across the bay — **Route recap** · one base, four days on foot and one boat day, kept on your phone

The recap, for the road

The short version for your phone: the five days, the safety habits, and what to pack for the boat.

Postcards

Cartagena, in frames.

Bocagrande beach with blue umbrellas and high-rise towers — **Bocagrande** · the city beach below the high-rise towers, south of the old town

Quick answers

Planning notes

Is Cartagena good for a trip with friends?

Yes. The walled city is compact and walkable, the plazas make easy meeting points, and the mix of history, food, a boat day and sunsets on the walls suits a group that likes to split up and regroup.

How many days do you need in Cartagena?

Five days covers the walled city and the Gold Museum, Getsemaní, Castillo San Felipe, a boat day to Barú and a slow last day on the walls, with time for long lunches.

Is Cartagena safe to visit?

The US State Department rates Colombia Level 3, Reconsider travel (March 31, 2026), and Cartagena is not on its do-not-travel list. It advises using taxis from a dispatch service or app rather than the street, never leaving drinks unattended, and caution on small tourist boats. Read the full advisory before you book.

How much does Castillo San Felipe cost?

Full price is COP 38,000; Colombians pay COP 33,000, and children 6–13, students and teachers pay COP 16,000. It opens daily 07:00–18:00, and a guide can be hired at the ticket office.

Is the Gold Museum in Cartagena free?

Yes. The Museo del Oro Zenú is free. It opens Tuesday to Saturday 09:00–17:00 and Sunday 09:00–14:00, and is closed on Mondays.

How do you get to the islands from Cartagena?

By boat from the Muelle de La Bodeguita, the city’s official pier for the islands. Book only authorized operators, insist on life jackets, and note the official window: departures from 07:00, back by 15:00.

When is the best time to visit Cartagena?

December to March is the dry season, though seas to the islands can be rough for small boats in December and January. March to May and October to November are rainy. The Cartagena Festival de Música runs January 9–17, 2027.

Before you set off — the official checks

Prices, hours, sea conditions and safety advice. Confirm current details on the sites listed under official links.

US travel advisory — Colombia: Level 3, Reconsider travel (March 31, 2026). Read the latest before you book. Travel.State.gov ↗
Castillo San Felipe de Barajas — Daily 07:00–18:00; COP 38,000 full, COP 16,000 ages 6–13 and students. Fortificaciones ↗
Museo del Oro Zenú — Free; Tue–Sat 09:00–17:00, Sun 09:00–14:00; closed Mondays. Banco de la República ↗
Boats to the islands — Authorized operators from the Muelle de La Bodeguita only; departures from 07:00, back by 15:00; life jackets. Alcaldía de Cartagena ↗
Cartagena Festival de Música — January 9–17, 2027. Festival ↗

Plan with confidence

Official Links

Official sites to plan and verify the details in this guide.

US State Department: Colombia travel advisory ↗Advisory level, safety advice and do-not-travel areas

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas ↗Hours, tickets and guides

Museo del Oro Zenú ↗Hours and free admission

Alcaldía de Cartagena: boats and tourist help ↗Official pier, boat hours, Coast Guard line, tourist assistance

UNESCO: Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena ↗World Heritage listing

Verified October 2026How we verify

Details checked October 16, 2026. Conditions and prices can change.

References

Research behind this guide

The reporting and research that shaped this itinerary.

Resolución 005 de 2026: ticket prices ↗Fortificaciones Cartagena de Indias

Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena ↗UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Cartagena Festival de Música ↗Cartagena Festival de Música

Photo credits

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, resized and converted to WebP. The illustrated cover, day cards, plan card and recap card are this guide’s original itinerary artwork, illustrated from the credited photos listed here.

Puerta del Reloj — photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Cover and Cover web illustrations, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Walled city balconies — photo by Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0); it is also the basis of the Day 1 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Plaza de la Trinidad — photo by Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0); it is also the basis of the Day 2 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Castillo San Felipe — photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Day 3 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Playa Blanca, Barú — photo by TitiNicola, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Day 4 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Walls at sunset — photo by Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz), CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Day 5 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
San Felipe ramparts — photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Packing card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Plaza de Santo Domingo — photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Bocagrande beach — photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Recap card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Colorful street — photo by Jami430, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Getsemaní murals — photo by Joe Ross, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
City walls — photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
View from La Popa — photo by Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Route map — original illustrated route artwork for this guide; stop locations from OpenStreetMap

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The trip in 60 seconds

Postcards from the trip

Old walls, warm nights and a city made for walking together.

Day-by-day summary

Five days, one base, one day at sea

Day 1 · The Walled City—Through the clock-tower gate into plazas, balconies and a free museum of Zenú gold.

Day 2 · Getsemaní—Murals, small plazas and the old popular quarter just outside the walls.

Day 3 · San Felipe—The great Spanish fortress on San Lázaro hill, climbed before the heat.

Day 4 · The Islands—A boat from the official pier to Barú’s white sand and the Caribbean.

Day 5 · The Walls—A slow last day in the old town and sunset on the ramparts.

Who is Earth Adventure Travel?

Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

The plan, on one card

The recap, for the road

Cartagena, in frames.

Planning notes

Before you set off — the official checks

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Official Links

Research behind this guide

Photo credits

Choose the landscape. Then choose the pace.

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