2 Days In Cartagena Colombia: Perfect Itinerary! 2023
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Looking for a perfect itinerary for 2 days in Cartagena? You’re in the right place! Cartagena was one of our most memorable places in Colombia (and even in South America), and is known for being a city of vibrance, life, history and culture.
With its traditional Spanish colonial buildings, street art painted by talented local artists, wild nightlife, white sandy beaches, cultural day trips and delicious street food, it’s easy to fall in love with this incredible Colombian coastal city.
But if you’re visiting Cartagena for the first time, it can be overwhelming when planning what to do. Do you stick to Getsemani? Wander over to the beaches? Learn about the history of the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas city walls? Or fill your time with bucket-list day trips and sunny rooftop bars?
That’s where I come in! After spending time in Cartagena ourselves, we believe we have curated the best 2 day itinerary for Cartagena, with some additional alternate ideas at the end (as we do all like different things).
So, let’s get started and discuss the best 2 days in Cartagena!
Still got a question about 2 days in Cartagena? Let me know over on Instagram or shoot me an email at jennie(@)jenniewanders.com!
🇨🇴 Other Colombia posts:
- 10 BEST Day Trips From Cartagena Colombia!
- Getsemani Cartagena: FULL Travel Guide
- Palenque Tour Cartagena: The BEST Day Trip!
- Medellin To Cartagena: FULL Transport Guide
2 Days in Cartagena Colombia: A Summary
Cartagena is a city on the Caribbean coast of Colombia. It’s Colombia’s fifth-largest city and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South America due to its picturesque beaches, crystal clear waters and party atmosphere.
If you only have 2 days in Cartagena, you want to plan your time wisely. There are different areas in Cartagena (some great, some not so great), so having a rough plan of where you want to go and what you want to do will help save time.
In the following itinerary, I’ve listed some of the best things to do in Cartagena in 2 days. It includes all of the highlights and is sure to give you a true Cartagenan experience in a short amount of time. Here’s a quick summary:
🌞 Day 1: Arrive at your accommodation in Getsemani. Spend time wandering the old town (take a walking tour at 10am if you arrive in time) and have lunch at El Bololo, the best healthy lunch cafe on Trinidad Square. Then head to Parque Centenario to spot sloths and have a late afternoon cocktail at either the Clock Pub or Terraza Municipal, a large outdoor space next to the water. End your first day in Cartagena at Cafe Del Mar, one of the most popular spots for evening drinks, DJs and sunset vibes.
🏖️ Day 2: Start your morning visiting the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, a historic Colombian castle in Cartagena, followed by a stroll around some of the local markets such as Mercado de Bazurto. Try some tasty local street food for lunch, and head to the Bocagrande beaches in the afternoon. Party the night away on the Chiva bus in the evening, or experience the local Cartagena nightlife.
NOTE: If you want to experience one of Cartagena’s bucket list tours, I recommend checking out my detailed day trips from Cartagena post. This has everything you need to know about snorkelling tours, Palenque, beach clubs, mud volcanoes and more.
Day 1 in Cartagena Colombia
In the morning (or whenever you arrive in Cartagena), be sure to take some time to soak in all of the city’s sights. Getsemani is beautiful, and it is full of life, history and energy.
The atmosphere on the streets in Cartagena is genuinely captivating, and it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the high-spirited mood that’s present everywhere you turn. Talk to locals, try some street food, admire the street art and immerse yourself in the wonderful world of Cartagena.
Grab lunch at El Bololo if you’re hungry. They serve both meat and vegetarian options in a tasty Caribbean-inspired bowl. They’re cheap, easy and quick; the perfect backpacker lunch!
After lunch, head to Parque Centenario. Why? Because you can spot sloths! Before visiting Cartagena, I didn’t even know you could find wild sloths in a city like Cartagena, but we were fortunate enough to see a whole family of sloths living in the trees! Just take your time, look carefully (and watch out for giant iguanas walking through the grass!)
You’re likely to be exhausted after this time, so you have a few options. You can keep going and wander the old streets of San Diego, another beautiful part of Cartagena. This also leads to the seafront and old city walls, so you can admire some of the views at the same time.
If you’re too tired, I recommend heading to either the Clock Pub or Terraza Municipal, which is a large outdoor food and drink venue next to the water. They’re both just a stone’s throw from Parque Centenario, so you can relax there for a little while before heading out for the evening.
I highly recommend ending your first day in Cartagena at the beautiful Cafe Del Mar. The queue might be out of the door (book in advance if you can), as it’s one of the most chill bars in the area with great food and good music from local DJs.
Day 2 in Cartagena Colombia
On your second day, you have two choices. You either stay within the city and follow the route below, or head out of the city on a day trip. If you’re considering a day trip, I recommend either Palenque or an island snorkelling tour.
But let’s discuss the plan for those of you who want to stick within the city walls!
Start your morning by heading out to the famous Colombian castle; Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. This is a great chance to learn some more about the city’s history, and you can even book a guided tour to learn a little more in-depth.
After exploring the castle and the walls of the walled city, head to Mercado de Bazurto. This is a great chance to try some traditional food, speak to some of the locals and immerse yourself in the Colombian way of life.
And you can’t leave Cartagena without seeing the beautiful beaches. In the afternoon, I recommend heading to Bocagrande as it’s only a short taxi ride from Getsemani and doesn’t involve a lengthy boat trip.
Bocagrande is surrounded by Miami-looking high-rise buildings, and the beach is close to some of the city’s best hotels. Expect steeper prices, but for the beautiful white sandy beach you get in return, things aren’t too bad!
In the evening (and if you’re not an old granny like me), book a trip on a Chiva bus. What the heck are Chiva buses, I hear you ask?! Well, they’re essentially old American school buses converted into disco-light-loud-music party buses. You’ll stay on the bus for a few hours, drink drink and drink some more, tour some of the big sights at night and then be dropped back off in town.
If a party bus isn’t your thing, there are plenty of rooftop bars, pubs and restaurants to spend your evening in. We loved just hanging out at Trinidad Square in Getsemani, as there were always live performances and things happening. Plus, it’s free!
Where to stay in Cartagena
Cartagena is another big city in Colombia, and there are many different areas to stay in. I’ll be doing a post in the near future about all of the accommodation areas in Cartagena, but if you’re visiting for a short stay, I recommend booking accommodation in Getsemani.
Getsemani is the main ‘hub’ of Cartagena and is home to the biggest backpacker hostels. It’s also known for its colourful streets, range of restaurants, bars and nightlife.
For backpackers and short-term tourists in Getsemani (Cartagena), I recommend one of the following:
- Life Is Good Hostel: perfect for any short-term tourist. It’s a boutique hostel in an ideal location, and it was one of our favourite hostels in Colombia for a number of reasons. Stay here if you can! ➡ CHECK PRICES NOW!
- Viajero Hostel: another good location a few minutes from Getsemani; perfect for solo travellers or couples. We’ve stayed in a few Viajero Hostels and have loved them! ➡ CHECK PRICES NOW!
- Hotel Dorado Plaza Calle del Arsenal: a hotel with a rooftop in Getsemani. ➡ CHECK PRICES NOW!
- Hyatt Regency: for a more luxurious stay in Cartagena! ➡ CHECK PRICES NOW!
- GHL Hotel Armeria Real: a beautiful hotel in the middle of Getsemani! ➡ CHECK PRICES NOW!
Alternate best things to do in Cartagena
If you’re looking for OTHER things to do in Cartagena (especially if you end up staying longer than 4 days), here are some extra ideas you can use:
- Go snorkelling! One of the best activities to do in Cartagena is to visit the islands in the Caribbean Sea.
- Take a day trip to Palenque.
- Head to either the mud volcano or take a sunset ATV tour.
- Book a walking tour of Getsemani.
- Take a day trip to Tayrona National Park, one of the most beautiful natural areas of Colombia.
- Head to the dreamy Townhouse for evening cocktails.
- Relax at Bora Bora beach club
- Take a salsa lesson at Tertulia De Getsemani (because if you can’t learn salsa in Colombia, where can you learn to salsa dance?!)
- Try some new foods on a Colombian street food tour
- Visit La Boquilla fishing village, including sailing through swampy mangroves and spotting wildlife
- Experience some of the crazy Cartagena nightlife, such as Media Luna’s ‘Mega Party’ on a Wednesday, or the iconic Chiva Party Bus
- Take an authentic Colombian cooking class
- Stroll around the local markets, such as Mercado de Bazurto
- Experience a wild beach club day/night out on Tierra Bomba Island
- Rent your OWN boat to sail around the coastline of Cartagena (my top pick if you have a large group!)
- Take a day trip to the buzzing nearby town of Barranquilla
Where to eat and drink in Cartagena
To recap, the best places to eat and drink in Cartagena (including those on this 2 day itinerary) are:
BREAKFAST + LUNCH
- El Bololo: Caribbean healthy lunch bowls
- Beiyu: smoothie bowls, pancakes and coffee
- Cafe de la Manana: brunch and lunch options with good iced coffee
- Gokela: healthy food on the go
- Pezetarian: healthy bowls, sushi and Asian food
DINNER
- Di Amelio: authentic Italian cuisine
- Novo Kebab Grill: falafel and Turkish food
- Quero Arepa: tasty arepas (including vegetarian)
- San Nicolas: similar to TGI Fridays or Frankie and Benny’s
- Macarena: tasty food in a modern restaurant setting
For the best pubs, clubs and rooftop bars, check out my full guide to Cartagena’s nightlife here.
How many days do I need in Cartagena?
I recommend staying in Cartagena for around 3-4 nights. This gives you enough time to spend a day at the beach, take some day tours out of the city (snorkelling or to Palenque are unmissable), roam the colourful Cartagena streets and have an epic Colombian night out!
How to get to Cartagena
Cartagena is most commonly reached by plane from locations such as Medellin and Bogota. It’s also the end (or starting) point for San Blas Island tours, so you may have arrived by boat.
From Medellin, it’s a short 50 minute flight, or Bogota, just over an hour. There are also buses that run all over Colombia, but unless you are close by (for example in Minca or Santa Marta), I don’t recommend the 20+ hour bus journey.
Just fly, fares aren’t even that expensive (especially when using this website!)
Related posts: Cartagena To Santa Marta | Medellin To Cartagena: FULL Transport Guide
Getting around Cartagena
Cartagena is a walkable city, especially in areas such as Getsemani and San Diego. However, if you want to head to Bocagrande or any of the other beaches, I recommend jumping in an Uber or grabbing a taxi. Remember, Cartagena is hot – walking long distances in that midday sun is unbearable!
For transportation to the islands, you can either book a tour or head to the main Cartagena docks.
If you need to travel further (for instance, the airport) Cartagena has both Uber and yellow licensed taxis. The drive to the airport is under 10 minutes with no traffic, but this is rare, so expect more of a 20-30 minute drive!
Is Cartagena safe?
It is impossible to say whether a city is entirely ‘safe’ or not. Safety is subjective, and every tourist can only speak about their own experiences.
When we visited Cartagena, we felt safe. Yes, it’s an overwhelming, crazy and chaotic city, but at no point did we feel in danger or ‘unsafe’.
However, at night, we didn’t walk for long periods of time. We stuck to the busy, well-lit streets of Getsemani. As most of the restaurants are al fresco, and the pop-up cocktail bars are lined along the street, Getsemani has an overall safe feel to it.
But as I said, Cartagena isn’t the calmest of areas! If I’m honest, it’s chaotic, and you will get approached several times by sellers, regardless of the time of day or where you are.
But if you’re aware of this, and know how to respond (a simple ‘no gracias‘ will suffice), then the heckling and selling is no more than heckling and selling.
For more information about safety in Cartagena and Colombia, check out my in-depth, honest and realistic blog post about how to stay safe in Colombia as a solo female traveller here.
Where to go AFTER Cartagena Colombia
Backpacking South America? Here are some popular options to go AFTER Cartagena if you are travelling through Colombia or some of the surrounding countries.
➡ Quito, Ecuador. We actually flew from Cartagena to Medellin, then onwards to Ecuador. We found this was a popular option with other backpackers. You can find out more about backpacking Ecuador here!
➡ Medellin: Medellin was our favourite city in Colombia, and it’s the perfect spot for digital nomads. It’s a short one-hour flight from Cartagena (or a 20+ hour bus, which you can find out more about here).
➡ Santa Marta: Another popular coastal town which is the perfect stop for Tayrona National Park. Book your bus to Santa Marta here! (Check out my FULL Cartagena to Santa Marta travel guide here!)
➡ Minca. Minca is a small village in the Colombian mountains, and is ideal for nature lovers and those who like waterfalls, wildlife and jungle hikes! (Check out my post on how to travel from Cartagena to Minca here!)
➡ San Blas Islands: a popular, bucket-list 5-day boat trip across the Caribbean Sea to Panama!
➡ Bogota for onward travel: we actually flew to Bogota and then onward to Quito, Ecuador after Cartagena. It’s the perfect international airport for bigger flights across South America!
Book your South American flights here!
2 Days in Cartagena: FAQs
1) Is 2 days enough for Cartagena?
If you have limited time in Cartagena, 2 days is a good amount of time. Whilst you may not be able to squeeze in any day trips, you can spend some time exploring the city, trying some local foods and relaxing on the beaches.
2) Which is better to visit Cartagena or Medellin?
Both Medellin and Cartagena have their pros and cons, and it really depends on what kind of person you are when it comes to deciding how long you should be in each city. Do you prefer beaches or bustling inner cities? Coastal vibes or big, local markets?
We found Medellin to be better in terms of co-working and living a regular ‘day-to-day’ life. Cartagena felt more like a holiday town, and after a week, we were ready to move on.
In terms of nightlife, both have rooftop bars, clubs, bars and late-night venues. However, Medellin is a bigger city, so it has more options and a wider range of clubs, bars and restaurants.
Cartagena is a coastal city, so many of the nightlife options take place near the Caribbean Sea in beach clubs and bars. Again, the one you prefer is a personal preference!
4) Do you need a different SIM card to travel around Colombia?
Yes, and I highly recommend downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and safety in Colombia We found most of the cities to be chaotic and difficult to find local SIM cards.
ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!
5) Is there Uber in Cartagena?
Yes, there is Uber in Cartagena, Colombia. You can use Uber all over the city to get around, although most of Cartagena is walkable.
Don’t forget travel insurance for South America!
If you’re visiting South America as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.
Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.
I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.
If you need medical help at any point whilst in South America, you need travel insurance.
With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)
Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for South America. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!
If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!
Cartagena Itinerary 4 Days: In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about the best 2 days in Cartagena. When you’re planning a trip to Colombia, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at real-life travellers wanting authentic and down-to-earth information. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Colombia content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
🇨🇴 Other Colombia posts:
- Cartagena Itinerary 4 Days: The PERFECT Plan!
- 10 BEST Day Trips From Cartagena Colombia!
- Getsemani Cartagena: FULL Travel Guide
- Cartagena Nightlife: Colombia Party Guide!
- Cartagena To Minca: Best Routes + Ways To Travel
MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
