Neighborhoods Beyond the City

A peninsula south of Cartagena connected by a narrow strip of land, and home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the region. Barú deserves more than a day trip — stay at least a night or two to actually enjoy it. Skip Playa Blanca unless you're prepared for an intense gauntlet of persistent vendors. The far better approach is to stay at a property with a private beach. The Sofitel Calablanca is the gold standard: five-star, stunning private beach, genuinely family-friendly, and the kind of place you check into and immediately stop caring about your return date. Hotel Las Islas is another exceptional option — the property feels like a tree village, with golf carts ferrying you to your room through canopies of trees, across wooden plank bridges and winding jungle paths. It's unlike anything else in the region.

Neighborhoods Bocagrande/Castillogrande

Bocagrande is Cartagena's modern peninsula neighborhood, a strip of high-rise hotels, restaurants, and shops that feels more Miami than colonial Caribbean. Most tourists skip it or only venture there for the beach, which we'd actually advise against. The public beach is loud, vendor-heavy, and not the relaxing experience most people are picturing. What is worth your time is the bay-side boardwalk on the peninsula's calmer side. No vendors, no chaos, just locals getting their steps in along the water with a pleasant breeze off the bay. It's one of the better places in the city for an early morning walk or an evening stroll when the heat finally lifts.

Neighborhoods Getsemaní

The bohemian soul of Cartagena, just outside the old walls. Getsemaní is grittier and more alive than the Centro Histórico — extraordinary street murals, a thriving restaurant scene, and an energy around Plaza de la Trinidad at night that is hard to find anywhere else in the city. Most people who stay in the Walled City end up spending their evenings here.

Neighborhoods Beyond the City

An archipelago of Caribbean islands about 45 minutes by boat from Cartagena, and one of the most beautiful natural areas in Colombia. Crystal clear water, incredible snorkeling, and a pace that makes the city feel like a distant memory. This is not a day trip. The islands deserve at least one or two nights to properly decompress from the intensity of Cartagena and actually settle into the Caribbean rhythm. Between December and March the crossing can get choppy, so make sure you find a good boat and captain. The Rosarios are the perfect complement to a Cartagena trip and many people find them to be the highlight of their time in Colombia.