Cartagena Colombia in 4 Days: Walled City, Rosario Islands & the Caribbean Coast
Bougainvillea-draped balconies, Castillo San Felipe, Getsemaní street art, and crystal-clear Caribbean water 45 minutes away by speedboat. The complete guide — $55/day to $300/day.
Delhi · Visited: Kedarnath, Gangotri, Manali, Shimla, Rishikesh & more · February 2026 · 11 min read
The most beautiful colonial city in the Americas, where Spanish conquistadors built the best-preserved fortifications in the New World around a city of bougainvillea-draped balconies and ceviche eaten at street carts — and where the Rosario Islands lie 45 minutes away with the clearest Caribbean water outside the Maldives.
⚡ What Cartagena Actually Is
Cartagena de Indias was founded by the Spanish in 1533 and became the most important port in the New World — the gateway through which South American gold and silver passed to Spain. To protect that treasure, they built 13km of walls up to 17 metres thick, which took over 200 years to complete and remain the best-preserved Spanish colonial fortifications in existence. The city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
The Ciudad Amurallada (walled city) is a compact grid of pastel-painted colonial mansions, bougainvillea spilling from iron balconies, cathedral plazas, and streets narrow enough to touch both walls with outstretched arms. Just outside the walls, Getsemaní — once Colombia's most dangerous neighbourhood — has transformed into the city's most vibrant barrio, its walls covered in street murals and its Plaza de la Trinidad alive every evening with locals and travellers.
Cartagena has transformed from a byword for danger into one of South America's great travel destinations in a single generation — driven by the warmth of its costeño people, the restored colonial architecture, and a food scene built on fresh Caribbean seafood, leche de tigre ceviche, and arepas de huevo fried in cast-iron pans at street carts. This is a city that has genuinely earned its reputation.
CTG (Rafael Núñez)
Airport
Dec–Apr
Best Season
13km · 200 yrs
Walls Built
$55/day
Budget From
🌡️ Best Time to Visit Cartagena
Dec–Apr — Dry Season — Best Time
Recommended
Lower humidity, less rain, and calmer seas ideal for the Rosario Islands. December and January are peak season — the city buzzes with Colombian holidaymakers and prices rise. February to April offers the sweet spot: dry weather, fewer crowds, and manageable humidity. This is the recommended window for most visitors.
May–Jul — Early Wet Season — Viable
Budget-friendly
Rain arrives but is typically short afternoon downpours rather than all-day events. Humidity climbs significantly. The city is quieter and cheaper. The Rosario Islands are still accessible most days. A solid choice for budget travellers who can tolerate the sweatier conditions.
Aug–Sep — Peak Wet Season — Less Ideal
Avoid if possible
Heaviest rainfall of the year with frequent downpours. High humidity throughout the day. The Rosario Islands can be rough and some boat operators suspend services. Not recommended unless you have flexible plans and strong budget motivations.
Oct–Nov — Heaviest Rain — Difficult
Not recommended
October and early November are the wettest months — prolonged heavy rain, rough Caribbean seas, and high humidity. Late November begins to dry out. The Old Town can flood briefly after heavy rains. If you must visit in this window, late November is far preferable to October.
✈️ Getting to Cartagena
Key detail: Cartagena's airport is CTG — Rafael Núñez International Airport, one of the most dramatically situated runways in the world: it literally ends at the Caribbean Sea. The airport is 3km from the Old Town walls — about a COP 25,000 ($6) taxi ride.
Fly direct to CTG (Cartagena)
Best optionDirect flights from Bogotá (45 min, from $40 one-way on Avianca, LATAM, or Wingo), Medellín (1 hr, from $50), and Miami / New York (3–5 hrs on American, Copa, Avianca). From CTG airport, take a metered taxi to the Old Town — COP 25,000–30,000 (~$6–$8). Uber also operates from the airport.
Fly from Bogotá (most common)
Recommended connectionBogotá El Dorado (BOG) to CTG: 45 minutes by air, multiple flights daily on Avianca and LATAM from $35 one-way. If connecting internationally through Bogotá, book the Bogotá–Cartagena leg as a separate domestic ticket — it is almost always cheaper than a single through-itinerary. Check in online to avoid the long Cartagena airport queues.
From India (connecting through Bogotá or Miami)
Via Bogotá or MiamiNo direct India–Cartagena flights exist. Best routing: Delhi or Mumbai → Madrid / London / Miami (9–12 hrs) → Bogotá BOG (9–10 hrs) → CTG (45 min). Total journey 22–28 hours. Avianca and Copa offer good Bogotá connections. Alternatively: fly to Miami and connect direct to CTG (3 hrs). Book with at least 72 hours connection in Bogotá for Colombian immigration.
Overland from Bogotá or Medellín
Backpacker routeBus from Medellín: 12–14 hrs via Sincelejo (Expreso Brasilia, from COP 80,000/$20). Bus from Bogotá: 18–20 hrs (not recommended given cheap flights). The overland route is popular with backpackers combining the coffee region. Arrive at Cartagena Terminal de Transportes, then taxi to the Old Town (~COP 20,000).
📅 4-Day Cartagena Itinerary
Each day card is expandable. Plan outdoor sightseeing for early mornings (7–10am) and late afternoons (4–7pm) — midday heat in Cartagena is genuinely brutal year-round. Costs shown in COP and USD.
- ●Arrive at CTG Rafael Núñez airport — the runway literally ends at the Caribbean Sea. Take the metered taxi to the Old Town (COP 25,000 / ~$6). Check in to a hostel in Getsemaní (dorm COP 50,000–70,000 / $12–$18) or a boutique casa hotel inside the walls (from COP 280,000 / $70).
- ●Walk the Ciudad Amurallada: 13km of Spanish colonial walls, some up to 17 metres thick, built over 200 years beginning in 1586. The walls are free to walk at any hour and form a complete circuit of the Old Town — allow 1.5 hours at a leisurely pace.
- ●Plaza de Bolívar: the main square of the Old Town, shaded by enormous trees, flanked by the Palacio de la Inquisición and the Cathedral of Cartagena. Sit on one of the wooden benches, buy a fresh coconut agua from a street vendor (COP 3,000 / $0.75), and watch the city move.
- ●Getsemaní neighbourhood in the afternoon: Colombia's most celebrated urban transformation — from the country's most notorious barrio to its most colourful in under 15 years. The Plaza de la Trinidad fills every evening with locals playing dominos, drinking cold Águila beer from the corner tienda, and dancing to vallenato from a Bluetooth speaker.
- ●Sunset at Café del Mar on the Baluarte de Santo Domingo section of the city walls — overpriced but essential at least once (COP 35,000–50,000 / $9–$13 per drink). The view of the Caribbean at golden hour from the top of the colonial walls is genuinely spectacular. Alternatively, bring your own beer to the free stretch of walls near Baluarte de San Francisco Javier, as locals do.
- ●Dinner in Getsemaní: arepa de huevo (fried corn cake stuffed with a whole egg, COP 4,000 / $1 each from street carts) and grilled fish at a plaza comedor — COP 20,000–25,000 / $5–$6 for a full plate.
- ●Morning: Castillo San Felipe de Barajas — entry COP 25,000 foreigners (~$6.25), COP 14,000 Colombians. The most impressive Spanish fortification in the Americas, built from 1657 on a 40-metre hill overlooking the bay, with an ingenious tunnel system engineered to amplify enemy footsteps. Hire a guide at the castle entrance (COP 40,000 / $10) — without context the tunnels and false walls are just corridors; with a guide they become a masterclass in 17th-century military engineering.
- ●The fort's genius: the tunnel network was designed so that any footstep within it echoed to a central listening chamber — guards could hear attackers approaching from any direction and at any depth. The fort was never successfully stormed by sea. Francis Drake tried and failed. The pirates tried and failed. It held every time.
- ●Mid-morning: Walk back to the walled city along the Avenida del Lago causeway — 20 minutes, passing the old city gates and the lagoon that once served as a defensive moat around the entire fortification system.
- ●Afternoon: Getsemaní street art walking tour — either self-guided (the neighbourhood is compact and every wall has something worth stopping for) or with a local guide (COP 60,000 / $15 for 90 min tours). The murals document everything from Afro-Colombian heritage to the neighbourhood's gentrification story to pure Caribbean colour explosions.
- ●Plaza de la Trinidad from 5pm onwards: the heartbeat of Getsemaní. Order a cold Águila beer from the corner shop (COP 4,000 / $1), find a spot on the church steps, and stay for at least an hour. Dominos boards appear, vendors sell arepas, and the plaza transforms into the most authentic social scene in the city as the heat breaks.
- ●Optional late dinner: El Boliche Cevichería in Getsemaní — the best ceviche in Cartagena at local prices (COP 20,000–30,000 / $5–$8 a plate). Order the leche de tigre shot — the citrus marinade drained from the ceviche, served as an aperitif.
- ●Take the shared speedboat from Muelle Turístico La Bodeguita at 8am to Playa Blanca, Isla Barú — COP 80,000–100,000 return (~$20–$25), 45 minutes each way. Book the day before at the pier or through any hostel. Shared boats are just as fast and comfortable as private tours at a fraction of the price.
- ●Playa Blanca: white sand beach, crystal-clear Caribbean water — arrive early before the day-tripper crowds from the cruise ships (which dock at 9–10am). The first two hours are extraordinary — the beach is virtually empty, the water is translucent turquoise, and the palm trees bend over the sand.
- ●Snorkelling in the Rosario Islands coral reef system — equipment rental COP 20,000–40,000 ($5–$10), guide included in some tours. The reef system around Isla Barú is one of Colombia's best for coral diversity. Look for parrotfish, moray eels, and sea turtles in the outer sections.
- ●Lunch on the beach: fresh grilled lobster directly from the fishing families who work the beach — COP 50,000–60,000 (~$12–$15) for a full lobster. Order by pointing at what you want from the iced coolers. Alternatively, whole grilled mojarra (local fish) with patacones and salad for COP 25,000 (~$6).
- ●Afternoon: the beach fills up after noon with day-trippers. Use the afternoon for swimming, hammock time, or exploring further along the beach. Many visitors prefer to spend COP 15,000–20,000 on a sun lounger rental to escape the crowded central stretch.
- ●Return boats leave by 4–4:30pm; watch for dolphins in the channel on the crossing. Back in Cartagena by 5:15pm — perfect timing to walk the walls at sunset (free) and have dinner in the Old Town.
- ●Morning: Bocagrande beach — the modern city's beachfront neighbourhood, complete with high-rises, beach vendors, and the most accessible swimming in Cartagena proper. Not as pristine as Playa Blanca but excellent for an early morning swim with city views. Take a taxi from the Old Town (COP 12,000 / $3).
- ●Convento de la Popa (optional, highly recommended): the white convent perched 150 metres above the city on the highest hill in Cartagena — entry COP 14,000 (~$3.50). Panoramic view over the bay, Old Town, Bocagrande, and the Caribbean horizon. Take a taxi up (COP 12,000 one-way — the road is too steep and unsafe to walk). The Virgen de la Candelaria chapel inside the convent is the spiritual heart of Cartagena.
- ●Wander back through the Old Town for a final time: stop at the Cathedral of Cartagena (free entry, one of the oldest churches in the Americas, first stone laid 1575), Plaza de los Coches (the old slave market square, now food vendors and horse-drawn carriages), and the Portal de los Dulces at its edge — where elderly women sell handmade Colombian sweets and coconut candy in paper cones.
- ●Las Bóvedas: the colonial arched dungeons built into the city walls in the 18th century for military storage, now converted into a row of craft shops selling Colombian emeralds, Wayuu mochilas (handwoven bags from the Guajira Peninsula), hammocks, and hand-painted ceramics. Prices are higher than Getsemaní market stalls but quality is reliably good.
- ●Final meal: sancocho de pescado (Caribbean fish stew with yuca, plantain, and corn — COP 18,000–25,000 / $4.50–$6) at any plaza comedor, or ceviche at La Cevichería on Calle Stuart (COP 35,000–50,000 / $9–$12 — pricier but the most famous in the city).
- ●Taxi to CTG airport (COP 25,000–30,000 / $6–$7, or Uber for COP 18,000–22,000 / $4.50–$5.50). Check-in queues at CTG can be very long — arrive 2 hours before domestic flights, 2.5 hours for international.
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🏰 Cartagena Landmark Guide
The most important sites in priority order. Entry fees as of early 2026 in COP and USD.
Castillo San Felipe de Barajas
The most impressive Spanish fortification in the Americas. Built from 1657, expanded through the 18th century, perched 40 metres above the bay on the Cerro de San Lázaro. The tunnel network — engineered to amplify enemy footsteps — is the engineering marvel. Never successfully taken by force. Allow 1.5–2 hours; hire a guide at the entrance.
Ciudad Amurallada (Walled City)
13km of Spanish colonial walls up to 17 metres thick, begun in 1586 and completed over 200 years. Walk the complete circuit at sunrise or sunset for the best light. The walls form the boundary of the Old Town UNESCO heritage zone — the pastel mansions, cathedral plazas, and bougainvillea balconies are inside.
Getsemaní neighbourhood
Cartagena's most remarkable urban transformation. Once Colombia's most dangerous barrio, now its most celebrated — murals cover every wall, the Plaza de la Trinidad fills every evening with locals, and the streets have more atmosphere than the tourist-heavy walled city. Best visited from 5pm onwards.
Café del Mar (City Walls)
The most famous sunset spot in Cartagena. Bar built into the Baluarte de Santo Domingo section of the city walls, with Caribbean views. At least one sunset drink here is non-negotiable. Alternatively, the free stretch of walls to the west offers the same view with your own drinks.
Convento de la Popa
White convent on the highest hill in Cartagena — 150 metres above the city with panoramic views over the bay, walled city, Bocagrande, and the Caribbean. The Virgen de la Candelaria chapel inside is the spiritual heart of the city. Take a taxi up — the road is not safe to walk. Allow 45 minutes.
Plaza de Bolívar
The main square of the Old Town — flanked by the Palacio de la Inquisición museum (COP 25,000 / $6.25, worth an hour), the Cathedral of Cartagena, and the City Hall. The shaded square with its enormous trees is the most pleasant spot for people-watching in the city. Morning is best before the heat builds.
Playa Blanca (Isla Barú)
The best beach accessible from Cartagena — white sand, clear turquoise water, lobster on the beach. 45 minutes by shared speedboat from Muelle La Bodeguita. Arrive before 10am to beat the cruise ship crowds. Stay until 4pm when the return boats depart.
Cartagena — Old Town, Islands & the Caribbean Coast
The colours, the fortifications, and the crystal Caribbean beyond.
📸
Ciudad Amurallada Old Town
Ciudad Amurallada Old Town
Pastel-painted colonial mansions with bougainvillea-draped iron balconies in the UNESCO-listed walled city.
💰 Budget Breakdown (COP + USD)
Cartagena can be done on a tight budget or in serious luxury — the gap between the two is larger than almost anywhere in South America. All prices in Colombian Pesos (COP) and approximate USD equivalent at ~COP 4,000 = $1.
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏨 Accommodation/night | COP 50,000–80,000 ($12–$20 dorm) | COP 280,000–440,000 ($70–$110 boutique) | COP 1,000,000–1,800,000 ($250–$450 luxury) |
| 🍽️ Food/day | COP 40,000–60,000 ($10–$15 street/comedores) | COP 100,000–160,000 ($25–$40 restaurants) | COP 240,000–400,000 ($60–$100 fine dining) |
| 🚕 Transport/day | COP 20,000–40,000 ($5–$10 taxi/walking) | COP 40,000–80,000 ($10–$20 Uber/taxi) | COP 80,000–160,000 ($20–$40 private car) |
| 🏰 Activities/day | COP 40,000–80,000 ($10–$20 castle+boat) | COP 120,000–240,000 ($30–$60 guided+islands) | COP 320,000–600,000 ($80–$150 private) |
| TOTAL/day | COP 220,000 (~$55) | COP 480,000 (~$120) | COP 1,200,000 (~$300) |
💚 Budget (COP 220,000 / ~$55/day)
Hostel dorm in Getsemaní, street food and comedores, walking and taxis, castle entry and shared Rosario boat. Completely comfortable — Cartagena's backpacker infrastructure is excellent and the best experiences (sunsets on the walls, Getsemaní plaza) are entirely free.
🌟 Mid-Range (COP 480,000 / ~$120/day)
Boutique casa hotel inside the walls, sit-down restaurants, guided tours, private Rosario Islands boat split among 4–6 people. The sweet spot — you get the colonial atmosphere, good food, and the islands without paying luxury rates.
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🏨 Where to Stay in Cartagena
Three main areas: the Walled City (most atmospheric, best location, most expensive), Getsemaní (just outside the walls, excellent budget and mid-range options, great neighbourhood feel), and Bocagrande (modern beach strip, cheaper chain hotels, misses the point of Cartagena entirely). Stay inside or adjacent to the walls.
Walled City Boutique Casa Hotels
Boutique · Inside the UNESCO walls
Restored colonial mansions converted to boutique hotels — internal courtyards with hammocks, rooftop terraces, and the sound of the streets below. Casa Pestagua, Hotel Boutique Las Tres Banderas, and Casa de la Palma are among the most celebrated. Book well in advance for December–February peak season.
Getsemaní Hostels & Guesthouses
Budget-mid · Just outside the walls
Media Luna Hostel, Mamallena, and Hostel Cartagena are consistently rated the best budget options. Private rooms from COP 120,000–200,000 (~$30–$50). The neighbourhood location is ideal — 5 minutes to the walled city, and the Plaza de la Trinidad is your evening living room.
Sofitel Legend Santa Clara
Luxury · Walled City, 17th-century convent
A restored 17th-century Franciscan convent inside the walled city — the most atmospheric luxury hotel in Cartagena. Pool in the original cloisters, colonial-era architectural details throughout, and the best address in town. The benchmark for Cartagena luxury.
Bastión Luxury Hotel
Luxury · Built into the city walls
A restored 17th-century Spanish bastion with a rooftop pool overlooking the entire walled city and Caribbean. The only hotel in the world built directly into the colonial fortifications. Remarkable setting, excellent service, and arguably the best rooftop view in Cartagena.
🍽️ Where to Eat in Cartagena
Cartagena's food scene is built on fresh Caribbean seafood — ceviche, grilled lobster, mojarra frita, and the coastal staples of arepas de huevo, patacones, and sancocho de pescado. The best cheap eating is in Getsemaní; the best restaurants are in the walled city. All prices in COP and USD.
Arepas de Huevo (street carts)
Street food · Getsemaní and Old Town
The definitive Cartagena street food — a corn arepa deep-fried until crisp, split open and filled with a whole egg, then refried until the egg sets inside the dough. COP 4,000–5,000 (~$1–$1.25) each. Found at street carts throughout Getsemaní and at the Portal de los Dulces. Eat two or three for a complete breakfast.
La Cevichería
Seafood restaurant · Calle Stuart, Walled City
The most famous ceviche restaurant in Cartagena — the place that made the city's ceviche internationally known. Classic ceviche, leche de tigre, pulpo (octopus), and the best shrimp cocktail on the coast. COP 35,000–60,000 (~$9–$15) per dish. Book ahead or arrive at noon opening for no wait.
El Boliche Cevichería
Ceviche · Getsemaní
Equally good ceviche at half the price of La Cevichería and with a much more local atmosphere. COP 20,000–30,000 (~$5–$8) a plate. The leche de tigre here is legendary among Getsemaní regulars. The small dining room fills fast from 1pm — arrive by 12:30 or expect to wait.
Quebracho
Argentinian grill · Bocagrande / Walled City
The best steak restaurant in Cartagena — Argentinian-style parrilla with Colombian beef. COP 70,000–140,000 (~$18–$35) for main plates. An excellent option for the one evening you want something that isn't seafood. The chimichurri is made fresh daily.
Sancocho de Pescado (plaza comedores)
Local home cooking · Throughout Old Town
The most comforting dish on the Caribbean coast — a rich fish stew with yuca, green plantain, corn on the cob, and a squeeze of lime. COP 18,000–25,000 (~$4.50–$6) at any plaza comedor. Ask locals which window in your barrio does the best one — every neighbourhood has a favourite.
Where to Stay in Cartagena Colombia
Verified prices · Instant booking
Sofitel Legend Santa Clara
Luxury · 17th-century convent · Walled City
Bastión Luxury Hotel
Luxury · Built into the city walls
Casa Pestagua
Boutique · Restored colonial mansion · Walled City
Media Luna Hostel
Hostel · Getsemaní neighbourhood
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Things to Do in Cartagena Colombia
Tours & experiences · Instant confirmation
Cartagena Walled City Walking Tour
Must doRosario Islands Day Trip + Snorkelling
Best experienceCastillo San Felipe Private Tour
IconicGetsemaní Street Art Walking Tour
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❌ Mistakes to Avoid in Cartagena
Underestimating the heat and humidity — it is genuinely brutal
Cartagena sits at sea level on the Caribbean coast and is hot and humid every month of the year. Daily highs of 32–35°C with high humidity that makes it feel 5–8°C hotter. Explore the Old Town and walls in the early morning (7–10am) and late afternoon (4–7pm). Midday is for the beach, pool, or air-conditioned restaurants. Linen clothing, a hand fan, and a hostel or hotel with AC are non-negotiable in any budget tier.
Booking Rosario Islands tours through your hotel
Hotels add 30–50% markup on Rosario Islands packages. Book directly at Muelle Turístico La Bodeguita wharf the evening before your trip — shared speedboats to Playa Blanca cost COP 80,000–100,000 return (~$20–$25). The hotel 'package' for the same journey routinely costs COP 240,000–320,000 ($60–$80 pp) with no meaningful difference in experience.
Staying in Bocagrande instead of the Old Town
Bocagrande is Cartagena's modern beach strip — high-rise hotels, chain restaurants, and a perfectly functional city beach. It is also entirely disconnected from the reason most people visit Cartagena. Even a mid-range casa hotel inside or adjacent to the walls ($70–$100/night) puts you in the colonial atmosphere, five minutes from the best street food, and able to walk the walls at sunset without taking a taxi.
Exchanging currency at the airport or using USD cash
Airport exchange desks give 10–15% worse rates than city ATMs. Use Bancolombia or Davivienda ATMs in the Old Town for Colombian pesos — withdraw COP 400,000–800,000 at a time to minimise transaction fees (typically COP 12,000–15,000 per withdrawal). Most restaurants and shops inside the walls accept cards; street food, taxis, and market stalls are cash only. Keep small bills (COP 5,000 and 10,000) for street food and tips.
Walking alone in Getsemaní late at night or displaying valuables
Getsemaní has transformed enormously but remains a neighbourhood in transition. The Plaza de la Trinidad and the main streets are safe and vibrant until midnight. Side streets after 11pm are less so. Walk in pairs after dark, keep phones and cameras out of sight, and use Uber rather than walking through unfamiliar streets back to your hotel. Pickpocketing in the crowded Old Town is the more common risk — a money belt or zipped bag solves 90% of this.
💡 Pro Tips for Cartagena
The real Cartagena is in Getsemaní, not the walled city
The walled city is beautiful but increasingly Disneyfied — COP 140,000 ($35) mojitos and restaurants aimed at cruise ship passengers. Getsemaní is where the city breathes. The Plaza de la Trinidad fills every evening with locals playing dominos, cold Águila beer from corner shops (COP 4,000 / $1), and free salsa. Eat here, drink here, and come back for the Sunday evening street food market.
Eat the ceviche — especially order the leche de tigre
Cartagena's ceviche is some of the best in South America. The leche de tigre (tiger's milk — the citrus marinade drained from the ceviche) is served as a shot and is said to cure hangovers and heat exhaustion. La Cevichería on Calle Stuart is the most famous; El Boliche in Getsemaní is equally good at half the price (COP 20,000 / $5 vs COP 45,000 / $11).
Walk the city walls every evening — it is free
The walls are free to walk at any hour. The sunset view from the Café del Mar stretch or Baluarte de San Francisco Javier is spectacular every evening regardless of season. Locals bring their own Águila beer and snacks to the free sections. The pastel-coloured buildings turn gold, the bougainvillea glows, and the Caribbean shimmers below. Make this your daily ritual.
Download Uber and InDriver before you arrive
Uber operates legally in Cartagena and is consistently 30–40% cheaper than metered taxis. The Old Town to CTG airport should cost COP 18,000–22,000 (~$4.50–$5.50) by Uber vs taxi drivers asking COP 50,000+. InDriver (a bidding app) is often even cheaper for longer distances. Both apps show the fare upfront in pesos.
Go to Playa Blanca before 10am
Cruise ships dock at Cartagena and send thousands of passengers to Playa Blanca on Isla Barú by 10am. The beach transforms from near-empty paradise to crowded chaos between 9:30am and 11am. Take the first boat from La Bodeguita at 8am, stake your spot on the beach, and you'll have two hours of tranquillity before the crowds arrive.
Hire a guide specifically for Getsemaní murals
A guided street art walk in Getsemaní (COP 60,000 / $15, 90 mins) unlocks the entire story behind the murals — which pieces document Afro-Colombian heritage, which were painted by internationally known artists, and which document the neighbourhood's own transformation. Without context, you walk past remarkable work without understanding it.
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