Guidebook for Cartagena
Food Scene
Typical Cartagena Seafood/Comida de Mar típica
La Cocina de Socorro
24 Cra. 8bCartagena Typical Seafood
Restaurante La Casa Del Buen Marisco
Excellent sea food.
Typical Fritos (Fried Food, Arepa e Huevo, Carimañolas),
8 habitants recommandent
Donde Magola Restaurante
Typical Fritos (Fried Food, Arepa e Huevo, Carimañolas),
A nice fusion of bistro, european recipes with the food and ingredientes of Cartagena.
El Bistro Cartagena
#36 Calle 35A nice fusion of bistro, european recipes with the food and ingredientes of Cartagena.
Now a place where you can eat menus. Ideal for travelers on a budget.
107 habitants recommandent
La Mulata
9 58 Cl. del QueroNow a place where you can eat menus. Ideal for travelers on a budget.
While not a place for typical food, it has good quality and is a good place to hang outdoors but being inside. I recommend the criollas bravas (a delicious colombian type of potatos, it's spicy) and pizza is pretty good two.
69 habitants recommandent
Demente
29-29 Cra. 10While not a place for typical food, it has good quality and is a good place to hang outdoors but being inside. I recommend the criollas bravas (a delicious colombian type of potatos, it's spicy) and pizza is pretty good two.
Drinks & Nightlife
Salsa Dancing Bar, excellent meeting place to start off the night and dance salsa
118 habitants recommandent
SALSA DONDE FIDEL
Carrera 4Salsa Dancing Bar, excellent meeting place to start off the night and dance salsa
Really affordable cover, champeta based club with other latin styles, live bands
107 habitants recommandent
Bazurto Social Club
#3042 Cra. 9Really affordable cover, champeta based club with other latin styles, live bands
Café Havana
ESQUINA Cra. 10Fantastic live salsa music
Excellent place to dance salsa
While mostly a place to learn social latin dance it also doubles as a bar and club.
10 habitants recommandent
Crazy Salsa, Salsa School
While mostly a place to learn social latin dance it also doubles as a bar and club.
More than la Castellana itself what is interesting is its surroundings. This is only for more adventorous travelers with more time. This is a place you should go with a local. Next to la Castellana is el Estanco Fiesta where middle and working class locals from nearby go to drink and dance. Behind it there are terrazas which are clubs. Across the street at the entrance of Las Gaviotas neighborhood there are also clubs where locals go. These are not the fancy touristy places you can find Downtown. While it is not particularly dangerous, it is definitely somewhere you want to go with in company of a local.
7 habitants recommandent
Centro Comercial Paseo de la Castellana
30-31 Calle 30More than la Castellana itself what is interesting is its surroundings. This is only for more adventorous travelers with more time. This is a place you should go with a local. Next to la Castellana is el Estanco Fiesta where middle and working class locals from nearby go to drink and dance. Behind it there are terrazas which are clubs. Across the street at the entrance of Las Gaviotas neighborhood there are also clubs where locals go. These are not the fancy touristy places you can find Downtown. While it is not particularly dangerous, it is definitely somewhere you want to go with in company of a local.
Dance School
Salsa, bachata and champeta classes for alll levels, bar at night usually with live bands
10 habitants recommandent
Crazy Salsa, Salsa School
Salsa, bachata and champeta classes for alll levels, bar at night usually with live bands
All in one/Todo en uno - Histórico
Uno de los grandes encantos de la ciudad/One of the main attractions of the city
Patrimonio Histórico de la Humanidad/World Heritage
Caminar por la Muralla en la puesta del sol/Walk on the walls during sunset
Stroll through the breathtaking Spanish architecture/Pasear por las calles entre la increíble arquitectura Española
Stroll, Eat, Shop, Plazas, Art, Museums, Bars, Clubs/Pasear, Comer, Comprar, Plazas, Arte, Museos, Bares, Discotecas
Places to visit in Old Town: San Pedro Church, San Pedro Square, San Pedro Claver's Museum - Santo Domingo Church - La Catedral and Parque Bolívar (Usually Folk Dance crews assemble here and do their street performances) - Portal de los Dulces o Plaza de los Coches (Here you can buy typical Cartagena candy such as cocadas, alegrías and bolitas de tamarindo) or catch a handsome cab ride to tour the city or have a romantic evening, Parque Fernandez Madrid (around their are places to drink and/or eat), San Diego Square (Also restaurants and street crafts vendors you can also find these at Santa Teresa's square, there's the Museum of Modern Art (small but hosts some of Cartagena's most important painters such as Enrique Grau who also painted the curtain of the Adolfo Mejía Theater) and the Museum of Naval History.
60 habitants recommandent
Centro Historico Norte De Cartagena, Bolivar
Uno de los grandes encantos de la ciudad/One of the main attractions of the city
Patrimonio Histórico de la Humanidad/World Heritage
Caminar por la Muralla en la puesta del sol/Walk on the walls during sunset
Stroll through the breathtaking Spanish architecture/Pasear por las calles entre la increíble arquitectura Española
Stroll, Eat, Shop, Plazas, Art, Museums, Bars, Clubs/Pasear, Comer, Comprar, Plazas, Arte, Museos, Bares, Discotecas
Places to visit in Old Town: San Pedro Church, San Pedro Square, San Pedro Claver's Museum - Santo Domingo Church - La Catedral and Parque Bolívar (Usually Folk Dance crews assemble here and do their street performances) - Portal de los Dulces o Plaza de los Coches (Here you can buy typical Cartagena candy such as cocadas, alegrías and bolitas de tamarindo) or catch a handsome cab ride to tour the city or have a romantic evening, Parque Fernandez Madrid (around their are places to drink and/or eat), San Diego Square (Also restaurants and street crafts vendors you can also find these at Santa Teresa's square, there's the Museum of Modern Art (small but hosts some of Cartagena's most important painters such as Enrique Grau who also painted the curtain of the Adolfo Mejía Theater) and the Museum of Naval History.
Vecindarios
Once the home to craftsmen and slaves this is part of the old city outside its walls. It is also were Cartagena's independence began. Now a lively neighborhood with a lot of cool restaurants, bars and charming streets. Visit la Trinidad Square.
207 habitants recommandent
Getsemani
Once the home to craftsmen and slaves this is part of the old city outside its walls. It is also were Cartagena's independence began. Now a lively neighborhood with a lot of cool restaurants, bars and charming streets. Visit la Trinidad Square.
Sit at night and relax at the docks in the bay. It also has some nice houses from the beginning of the 20 century built by the first arabic immigrants.
24 habitants recommandent
Manga
Sit at night and relax at the docks in the bay. It also has some nice houses from the beginning of the 20 century built by the first arabic immigrants.
Beaches/Playas
Beautiful blue aquamarine water, white soft sand. It is possible to reach it by land or boat. It is the most accesible beach of the Rosario Islands, now a natural park. It can be very crowded depending on the day and time of day you go. You can also spend the night there.
43 habitants recommandent
Baru Playa Blanca
Beautiful blue aquamarine water, white soft sand. It is possible to reach it by land or boat. It is the most accesible beach of the Rosario Islands, now a natural park. It can be very crowded depending on the day and time of day you go. You can also spend the night there.
A beautiful archipiélago with choral life has different small islands where you can go to.
296 habitants recommandent
Rosario Islands
A beautiful archipiélago with choral life has different small islands where you can go to.
This beach is not pretty and la Boquilla is not a place for all types of travelers. It is mostly a place where the local villagers go to. It is interesting for it's not a touristy place and less crowded than the beach in Bocagrande or Castillogrande. There is a nice local tour on canoe through the mangle tunnels. It is best to have a local guide or friend.
57 habitants recommandent
La Boquilla
This beach is not pretty and la Boquilla is not a place for all types of travelers. It is mostly a place where the local villagers go to. It is interesting for it's not a touristy place and less crowded than the beach in Bocagrande or Castillogrande. There is a nice local tour on canoe through the mangle tunnels. It is best to have a local guide or friend.
Lugares de interés
Together with Old town and San Felipe Castle it is how the Spanish used the forts and ocean to fend off invaders, the British and Pirates. It will help you understand how the Spanish protected the city, and make you feel like you or on a movie or tv set of a conquest or pirate story. If you enjoy history and historical landmarks, don't miss. As a matter of fact I myself have shot shows a couple of times there.
23 habitants recommandent
Fort San Fernando de Bocahica
Together with Old town and San Felipe Castle it is how the Spanish used the forts and ocean to fend off invaders, the British and Pirates. It will help you understand how the Spanish protected the city, and make you feel like you or on a movie or tv set of a conquest or pirate story. If you enjoy history and historical landmarks, don't miss. As a matter of fact I myself have shot shows a couple of times there.
This is not for everybody but it is quite an experience. It is the traditional market of the city where you can find all sorts of things from tenis shoes to typical food, very often at really good prices. It is chaotic, noisy, smelly, relatively big, but you definitely come into contact with how must people live in Cartagena.
23 habitants recommandent
Marché de Bazurto
This is not for everybody but it is quite an experience. It is the traditional market of the city where you can find all sorts of things from tenis shoes to typical food, very often at really good prices. It is chaotic, noisy, smelly, relatively big, but you definitely come into contact with how must people live in Cartagena.
Together with the use of the ocean it is the key to city. It is how the Spanish would defend the city and the gold that was to be transported to the islands and from there to Spain. Inside it has dark tunnels that would decrease their height so that when the British chased them they would hit their head (as they were taller). It has been the site of adventurous battles, pirate sieges and more.
64 habitants recommandent
Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas
17-85 Calle 32Together with the use of the ocean it is the key to city. It is how the Spanish would defend the city and the gold that was to be transported to the islands and from there to Spain. Inside it has dark tunnels that would decrease their height so that when the British chased them they would hit their head (as they were taller). It has been the site of adventurous battles, pirate sieges and more.
Once the Inquisition Palace were heretics and alleged witches were tried and condemned in Cartagena it is now the MUHCA or historical museum of Cartagena where important events are held such as the first signature of the peace agreement with the FARC. Only the building alone is worth a visit as it is a fine example of colonial architecture. But if you wish to know about Cartagena's history, which is fascinating, it's a great place to start.
175 habitants recommandent
Palais de l'Inquisition Musée historique de Carthagène
Once the Inquisition Palace were heretics and alleged witches were tried and condemned in Cartagena it is now the MUHCA or historical museum of Cartagena where important events are held such as the first signature of the peace agreement with the FARC. Only the building alone is worth a visit as it is a fine example of colonial architecture. But if you wish to know about Cartagena's history, which is fascinating, it's a great place to start.
Once the convent and the church this building now hosts AECID - Spanish Foundation for cooperation where projects and events are held. You might be able to catch an art exhibit, a concert, dance, theater in its open center square and sometimes movies are projected for free. In other rooms they might hold conferences on diverse topics. The church and the convent building are worth just taking a look at for it's beaufitul Spanish Colonial Arabic influenced architecture.
7 habitants recommandent
Training Center of the Spanish Cooperation
2-74 Cl. 36Once the convent and the church this building now hosts AECID - Spanish Foundation for cooperation where projects and events are held. You might be able to catch an art exhibit, a concert, dance, theater in its open center square and sometimes movies are projected for free. In other rooms they might hold conferences on diverse topics. The church and the convent building are worth just taking a look at for it's beaufitul Spanish Colonial Arabic influenced architecture.