Cartagena holidays
Cartagena holidays at a glance
Cartagena’s beautifully preserved Cartagena Old Town remains protected behind seventeen-metre-thick defensive walls, built during the Spanish Empire to keep out pirates and invading fleets. The forts and cannons erected to defend the city are still standing today, evidence of a swashbuckling history.
That history now sits comfortably alongside a cultured, contemporary city. Music academies fill the air with gentle harmonies, language schools draw international students, and artists are still drawn to capture the flower-decked balconies and literary cafés that give the streets their particular romance.
It’s one of the best places in Colombia to combine culture with relaxation, and its Caribbean cuisine and easy access to tropical islands make it an ideal base for exploring Cartagena Caribbean coast highlights beyond the city itself.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Cartagena
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Romantic and evocative Cartagena de Indias is without doubt one of the most captivating cities on the continent.
When to visit Cartagena
Cartagena enjoys warm temperatures and sunshine throughout the year, making it one of Colombia’s best year-round destinations.
These are the driest months in Cartagena, with little chance of rainfall. Temperatures reach 31°C and nights are warm. This is a busy time for visitors, with plenty of exciting events. The Hay Festival of Literature takes place in January, drawing authors and book lovers from across the globe. In January / February, there are horse-riding parades for the Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, while in March the city hosts a Caribbean Music Festival and an International Film Festival.
While April remains fairly dry, rainfall increases in May and by June there are an average of eight rainy days out of the month. Temperatures increase ever so slightly, reaching highs of 32°C in June.
Steamy afternoon downpours are common during these months. Humidity is high and temperatures peak at 32°C.
These months are fairly wet, with regular afternoon showers and eleven rainy days in October. However, the tropical climate means the weather remains hot, with temperatures hovering around 30°C.
Top Things to do in Cartagena
Cartagena colonial city walls, the Rosario Islands and Getsemaní’s street art all sit within easy reach of each other, and there’s no shortage of things to do in Cartagena for however long you stay.
Explore an area of natural beauty dotted with the intriguing archaeological remains of a pre-Columbian society.
Swim, snorkel and sunbathe in a Caribbean archipelago reached by boat from Cartagena.
Stroll the atmospheric streets of a historical treasure trove on the shores of the Caribbean.
Accommodation in Cartagena
We offer a wide range of accommodation throughout Cartagena, from elegant boutique hotels within the historic centre to luxurious Caribbean retreats, many housed within beautifully restored colonial buildings that let you settle straight into the city’s atmosphere and history.
Bovedas de Santa Clara is a smaller, more boutique-styled sister to the Sofitel Santa Clara, with which it shares stunning facitlities.
Welcoming, small guesthouse in a superbly-located 18th century house with a shady courtyard garden at its heart.
Charming boutique hotel in the historic centre of Cartagena set in a beautifully restored 17th-century building with a leafy patio.
Sofitel Legend Hotel Santa Clara is an opulent colonial style property situated within the historic city walls of Cartagena.
Located within the walls of the old town, the Don Pedro is small rustic property, perfect for exploring Cartagena.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Cartagena
Group Cartagena Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Chachalaca: Colombia’s Colonial and Coffee Culture
Places visited: Bogota · Villa de Leyva & Barichara · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Medellin · Cartagena
14 days from £4,476
Weaverbird: Spirit of Colombia
Places visited: Bogota · San Agustin, Popayan and Cali · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Caribbean coast and islands · Villa de Leyva & Barichara · Cartagena
16 days from £3,326
Tailor-Made Cartagena Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Magdalena River Cruise: Colombia’s Hidden Gems
Places visited: Cartagena · Caribbean coast and islands · Bogota · Medellin
13 days from £4,800
Signature Colombia: Culture and coffee
Places visited: Bogota · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Medellin · Caribbean coast and islands · Cartagena
15 days from £4,050
Signature Peru and Colombia – Andean Wonders to the Caribbean Coast
Places visited: Lima · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Bogota · Coffee Region (Zona Cafetera) · Medellin · Cartagena · Caribbean coast and islands
20 days from £6,030
FAQs about visiting Cartagena
Cartagena is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When is the best time to visit Cartagena?
The city is an all-year destination, with plenty of sun throughout. The rainy season is Aug-Nov when showers can be torrential. Dec-Apr should be pretty rain-free. The city can be very busy – and noisy – during holidays and festivals.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- What language is spoken in Cartagena?
The main language spoken in Cartagena is Spanish.
- What currency do I need in Cartagena?
The Peso is the main currency used in Cartagena. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs in the old and new quarters of the city using a UK credit or debit card, though you may have to advise your bank first and amounts that can be withdrawn may be lower than in the UK. Be aware that some ATMs are often out of service but there should be a working one nearby. Banks will offer advances on a credit card, but with a lot of paperwork. Money exchanges (casas de cambio) change US dollars cash (very few accept euros or sterling and the rate will be poor). Don’t change money on the street.
- What is the time difference between Cartagena and UK?
The time difference between Cartagena and the UK is GMT -5 hours.
- What combines well with Cartagena?
Bogotá, Colombia’s vigorous capital, where the dynamic of this mountain city contrasts with the laid back attitudes of the Caribbean (1.5hrs by air); exquisite coastal Tayrona National Park, which hosts wild, undeveloped, remote-feeling Caribbean beaches and rocky bays mantled with densely packed rainforest vegetation (5hrs by road via Santa Marta); Mompox, tiny colonial town preserved in aspic, literally and figuratively becoming a backwater when the Rio Magdalena changed its course 150 yrs ago (6 hrs by road and launch)
- How do I get to Cartagena?
There are frequent flights from Bogotá to Cartagena (1.5hrs).
- What are the festivals, cultural and sport events in Cartagena?
Hay Festival: Jan, annually. An offshoot of the famous literary festival in Hay-on- Wye, it attracts Latin American and international writers and intellectuals of international renown.
Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, late Jan-early Feb, annually. Horse riders from nearby towns and villages descend on Cartagena and trot through the streets from Bocagrande to the centre and up to the Convento de la Popa, bearing candles.
Caribbean Music Festival, Mar; most years. Bands from all over the Caribbean perform reggae, salsa, and other local musical genres.
International Film Festival, Mar, annually. Every possible venue opens to screen films from all over the continent and the festival is attended by many Latin stars.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.