Best things to do in Cartagena, including free and rainy-day options

Cartagena rewards a short list, not a long one. The walled city and Getsemaní are walkable and free; the paid items are the fortress, the walls walk, the museums and the water. Choose one paid item per day and let the rest of the day be streets, food and shade.

Start inside the walls before the heat and the tour groups. Walk the Plaza de la Aduana, the Plaza de Bolívar and the cathedral, then follow the wall from Las Bóvedas toward the clock tower. The public stretch of the wall is free to walk; some sections and the sunset spots have gates and small fees (check).

Castillo San Felipe de Barajas sits on the hill east of the old town, a 15–20 minute walk from the clock tower or a short taxi ride. Go at opening to beat the heat and the crowds; the tunnels are cooler but humid. Bring water, a hat and cash for the ticket.

For the islands, boats leave from the Muelle de la Bodeguita near the clock tower. The crossing to the Rosario Islands takes about an hour. Cheaper shared boats pack people in and stop at a beach club with pressure to buy; private or small-group boats cost more and give you more time in the water. Port tax and island entry fees are usually extra, and beach vendors are persistent.

Getsemaní is the counterweight to the polished old town: street art, Plaza de la Trinidad, and a food and bar scene that runs late. Walk it in the evening, keep to lit streets, and use an app or hotel-called taxi after dark rather than hailing on the street.

Bazurto market is loud, hot and busy. Go in the morning, carry little, and keep your phone out of sight. It is a working market, not a sight, so treat it as one.

A day in Cartagena can cost very little if you stay on foot and eat local, or a lot if you add boats and beach clubs. The table below is a 2026 estimate for one person.

Heat and rain shape the day more than opening hours. Plan outdoor sights for early morning, indoor sights and meals for the early afternoon, and the walls or Getsemaní for the evening.

Tap water on the coast is not for drinking; buy bottled or filtered water. Many museums and shops close on Mondays, and Monday public holidays shift opening days across the city.

For getting around, see the transport page; for the airport run, the transfer page; and for night-time rules, the safety page.

Afternoon showers are normal in the wet months and rarely last all day. Have a wet-weather plan ready: the gold and history museums near the Plaza de Bolívar, the cathedral, a long lunch, or a café in Getsemaní. The Castillo is partly open-air, so save it for a dry window.

If a full day is washed out, swap the islands for the following morning — boats run most days, but rough water can cancel crossings (check with your operator).