Cartagena itinerary for 3, 5 and 7 days
How to structure three, five or seven days in Cartagena around the heat, the water and the good tables, with timings that actually work on the ground.
Three days in Cartagena gives you the walled city, one island day and two great dinners. Five days adds Barú, a slow beach club afternoon and a night in Getsemaní. Seven days is when you add a villa, a yacht day and time to do nothing between them.
Three days
The classic version. Front load the city, then get on the water.
- Day 1: arrive, sunset drink on the wall, dinner in the old city, walk Getsemaní after.
- Day 2: boat to the Rosario Islands from 9am, lunch on the water, back by 5pm, rooftop and a late dinner.
- Day 3: old city early with a guide, pool through the heat, closing dinner and drinks in Getsemaní.
Five days
Two more days lets the trip breathe and gets you off the tourist track.
- Day 4: Barú, a beach club or a private villa day, long lunch, no schedule.
- Day 5: Tierrabomba half day, then a chef dinner at the house instead of a restaurant.
Seven days
This is the bachelor party and group celebration length, and also the honeymoon one.
- Day 6: full yacht charter with a route through the Rosarios, sound system, crew and lunch on board.
- Day 7: spa morning, shopping in the old city for hats and emeralds, a final dinner with the whole group at one long table.
Plan around the heat, not the map
Cartagena is hot and humid almost every day of the year. Ignore that and you will burn your afternoons in a hotel room.
- Walk the walls and old streets before 10am or after 5pm.
- Give 11am to 4pm to a boat, a pool or a beach club.
- Dinner reservations at 8pm, drinks after 10pm, the city stays up.
- Boats leave early. A 9am departure means being ready at 8:30am, not deciding at 8:30am.
Where the money goes
The two line items worth spending on here are the boat and the stay. A private boat instead of a shared launch changes the entire day. A well located villa or colonial hotel with a pool changes the whole trip.
Everything else, food included, is good value. Tell us the group size and dates and we will map it, including the boat, the tables and the transfers.
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