Cartagena Itinerary 4 Days: The PERFECT Plan! (2023)
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Looking for the best 4-day Cartagena itinerary? You’re in the right place! Cartagena in Colombia was one of those places we instantly fell in love with. It’s rare that you visit somewhere that is so full of life, charm and character (and chaos!)
With the colourful Spanish colonial buildings, vibrant street art, crazy nightlife, beautiful beaches, incredible day trips and friendly locals, it’s hard not to fall in love with Cartagena!
If you’re visiting Cartagena for the first time, this 4 day itinerary is to help you make the most of your trip.
As someone who can wholeheartedly recommend this gem in Colombia, I’ve included all of the best things to do in Cartagena – whether you just have 4 days, or decide to extend and stay longer!
So, let’s start and discuss the Internet’s BEST 4 day Cartagena itinerary!
Still got a question about this Cartagena itinerary? Let me know over on Instagram or shoot me an email at jennie(@)jenniewanders.com!
🇨🇴 Other Colombia posts:
- 2 Days In Cartagena Colombia: Perfect Itinerary!
- 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
4 Days in Cartagena: A Summary
In the following 4 day Cartagena itinerary, you will be able to see some of the city’s best sights and activities.
In my opinion, just wandering the streets of Cartagena (even though it’s incredibly hot) and walking around the main square (Trinidad Square) is one of the best things you can do.
Although this 4-day itinerary is jam-packed, I actually recommend picking and choosing your activities from the list, and not cramming in too much!
In summary, your 4 days in Cartagena, Colombia will be a little like this:
🌞 Day 1: Explore the wonderful neighbourhood of Getsemani, whilst admiring the street art, experiencing the local entertainment and meeting the ladies of Palenque. Lunch at El Bololo (our favourite healthy lunch cafe), visiting Parque Centenario to spot sloths and having a late afternoon drink at the Clock Pub. Finally, end your amazing first day in Cartagena with a sunset dinner and drinks at Cafe Del Mar.
🏖️ Day 2: Have breakfast at Beiyu, followed by a day out of the city on a Palenque tour. Not your thing? Relax at Bora Bora beach club instead! In the evening, enjoy the atmosphere of Trinidad Square with local street food (well, giant hamburgers) at Chambos and watch the live entertainment. Then rum cocktails from the street vendors if you’re not too exhausted!
🌊 Day 3: A full-day island snorkelling tour, followed by dinner and drinks at the delicious Italian restaurant; Di Silvio (Getsemani).
🌳 Day 4: your final day to catch up on an activity you haven’t done yet! Either a trip to the mud volcano, an ATV tour or even a relaxing trip to Playa Blanca. If you’d rather stay IN the city, check out a walking tour in Getsemani. End your trip with dinner at Terraza Municipal, and dreamy sunset drinks at our favourite rooftop bar; Townhouse.
For more information about your 4 day itinerary in Cartagena, keep reading!
Too long in Cartagena? Check out my perfect 2-day itinerary here!
Day 1 in Cartagena
Let me talk in more detail about some of the amazing things you will get up to on this 4 day Cartagena itinerary!
🇨🇴 Regardless of what time you arrive in Cartagena, I recommend taking your first day easy. Start by walking around the beautiful and colourful town of Getsemani, admiring epic street art and local street performers. Wherever you walk in Getsemani, there will be something going on! If you take photos with the ladies of Palenque (they’re dressed in traditional colourful dresses), be sure to tip. I recommend exploring Getsemani early, as the midday sun is unbearable!
🥗 Grab lunch at El Bololo; our favourite healthy bowl spot in Getsemani. Serving both meat and vegetarian options, the Caribbean bowls are delicious (we returned three times during our trip!)
🦥 Did you know you can spot sloths in Cartagena?! Yes, sloths! There’s a sloth family living in Parque Centenario (a mama, papa and baby!) and you can easily spot them in the trees! Locals will happily help you to find them, or just look for the group of gringos pointing up at a giant tree!
🍻 If you’re in need of refreshments, head to the Clock Pub. If you want something as similar to a traditional British pub as possible, the Clock Pub is it! We were genuinely shocked to see a pub-style bar like this in Colombia, and it felt SO good to have a beer in a setting like this!
🌅 Finally, end your amazing first day in Cartagena with a sunset dinner and drinks at Cafe Del Mar. Cafe Del Mar is stunning and is one of the busiest bars in Cartagena (and with good reason). The views and vibes are unbeatable; think DJs, sea views and beers.
Day 2 in Cartagena
🍳 Start your day at Beiyu, one of the best breakfast spots in the city. They have vegetarian and vegan options, as well as tasty acai bowls and pancakes. Oh, and the coffee is *chef’s kiss*.
🇨🇴 I then recommend heading on a tour of Palenque. It’s an hour from Cartagena (transfers included in the tour) and was undoubtedly our best day in Colombia. Palenque was the first free black town in all of the Americas, and by visiting on a tour, not only are you supporting the local community, but you get to see first-hand some of the Afro-Colombian traditions that still live on today. Trust me, do the tour! (Need to know more information about what happens on the Palenque tour? Check out my Palenque post here!)
🏖️ Not your thing? Relax at Bora Bora beach club instead! This tour includes food, kayaking and cocktails, so it’s well worth the money!
🍔 In the evening, enjoy the atmosphere of Trinidad Square with local street food (well, giant hamburgers) at Chambos. Don’t order one of these hamburgers lightly; they are HUGE (and can feed two people)! But they’re delicious. Stuffed with beef, chicken, chorizo, salad, pineapple, cheese and more; it’s an experience in itself! Trinidad Square also has lots of local performers at night, so grab a seat and enjoy the show!
🍹Still want more? Grab a rum cocktail from the street vendors if you’re not too tired and enjoy the nightlife of Cartagena! (FULL nightlife and safety guide here!)
Day 3 in Cartagena
🤿 Day 3 is all about snorkelling! One of the best activities to do in Cartagena is to visit the islands in the Caribbean Sea, and I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. The waters are bright blue, and crystal clear and you’ll have ample opportunity to spot underwater wildlife. The tour includes all equipment, lunch and transfers. It’s so worth it. Pre-book your snorkelling tour here!
🍝 For dinner, head to Di Amelio. This was one of our favourite restaurants in Cartagena, as it felt like being back in Europe. With fairy-lit gardens, a peaceful ambience and ridiculously good food, this restaurant is unmissable.
Day 4 in Cartagena
🌋 For your final day, you’ll need to choose the best activity that you haven’t done yet. In my opinion, I recommend heading to either the mud volcano or setting off on a bucket-list sunset ATV tour. Or, if you’d like to stay closer to your accommodation, book a walking tour of Getsemani to learn more about the city’s history.
🚶🏼♂️If you’re staying in Cartagena, you can then walk around the walled city and old town, and actually visit the historic wall itself. You can even get up close to the centuries-old cannons!
🌅 Finally, top off your epic 4 days in Cartagena by having dinner at the beautiful Terraza Municipal (with incredible sea views). It’s a fun venue with street food vans with food from around the world. You can either watch the sunset here, or head to the dreamy Townhouse. Cocktails may be a little on the pricy side, but wow, this place is worth it!
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!
Related post: The BEST Hostels in Cartagena, Colombia!
How many days do I need in Cartagena?
If you are visiting Cartagena for the first time, I recommend staying 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!
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:
- Take a day trip to Tayrona National Park, one of the most beautiful natural areas of Colombia.
- Visit the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, a historic Colombian castle
- 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
Other places to eat and drink in Cartagena
To recap, the best places to eat and drink in Cartagena (including those on the 4 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 to get to Cartagena
Cartagena de Indias is located on the northern Caribbean Coast of Colombia. Depending on where you are coming from, it’s generally best to reach the city by plane.
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!)
Getting around Cartagena
Most of Cartagena is walkable, but sometimes you may want to take an Uber to avoid the scorching midday (well, all day) heat. If you’re staying in Getsemani and want to travel to Bocagrande, it’s best to jump in a taxi rather than walk 30+ minutes.
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 minute drive!
Is Cartagena safe?
Safety in different countries, cities and towns is subjective. However, I am going to talk about my personal experience of safety in Cartagena and how we found it.
We stayed in Cartagena for a week. Throughout this time, we felt safe, both during the day and at night, however, for longer journeys at night, we would get an Uber.
Overall, Cartagena, specifically Getsemani, has a safe feel to it. The streets are narrow and compact, and there are many security guards and police monitoring the area.
Most restaurants are al fresco, and the cocktail bars spill onto the street corners; meaning you can find groups of both locals and tourists drinking and socialising outside.
However, 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), 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.
➡ 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!
Cartagena Itinerary 4 days: FAQs
1) Is 4 days in Cartagena enough?
Yes, 4 days in Cartagena is definitely enough. 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!
➡ Book an epic stay in Cartagena now!
Related post: Cartagena Nightlife: Colombia Party Guide! | Getsemani Cartagena Full Travel Guide | Day Trips from Cartagena
2) Should I spend more time in Cartagena or Medellin?
Both Medellin and Cartagena have their pros and cons, and it really depends 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!
3) 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!
4) 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 Cartagena 4 day itinerary. 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:
- 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).
