Things to Do in Cartagena

Join this walking tour from a TripAdvisor Travelers Choice winner! No other tour covers so many important places in Cartagena.

Discover the must-sees of the historic center of Cartagena. Everything you need to know about the city in a single tour.

Tour highlights:

We will visit the Historic Cartagena and Gethsemane in a single Free Walking Tour. You will go through the scenes of culture, architecture, history, enslavement, pirates and corsairs, battles, Graffiti, Salsa and Champeta and much more. You will know what arises as a result of the mixture of indigenous, African and Spanish, Lebanese migrants that make this city something without equal.

We will start at the time you make your reservation at our meeting point: Camellón de Los Mártires - Plaza de Cervantes. We move through the "Golden Key of Cartagena" or Clock Tower entering the Plaza del Ecuador , to continue part of the enslavement route through Porto Carrero and Candilejo streets .

We will visit the Portal de Los dulces , a symbol of female activity in times of slavery and that their descendants still continue their traditions. We will pass through the old Plaza de la Contraloría , which has been historically important.

On our tour you will find the Museum of Modern Art, an exponent of Caribbean and Latin American art from the 50's, the Gold Museum and the Emerald Museum.

Religion is present with San Pedro Claver, Slave of the Slaves, we will see the Architecture of the Church and Museum-Monastery that bear his name and is the Headquarters of Human Rights.

If you like the feats of pirates and corsairs, we tell them when visiting a Bastion, as a sample of Spanish military constructions and strategies, we continue to Plaza Bolívar, in homage to the precursor of Independence , a place to refresh ourselves.

We will visit other scenarios of the Independence of Cartagena and Colombia such as the Centennial Park. There we will meet the Sloth Bears, the squirrels, the iguanas that house one of the most important Lungs in Cartagena, and where we cool off under the shade of beautiful trees.

We will enjoy one of the most important and colorful cultural corridors in Gethsemane, due to its unparalleled graffiti and architecture. Finally, we enter the neighborhood to the sound of salsa and African champeta.

In this tour you will find everything you need to know about the city to make your experience unforgettable!

A journey through the most magical side of Cartagena with wireless audio system included!

OUR TOUR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES

Because Cartagena isn’t just beautiful, it’s alive, every corner whispers stories of pirates and battles, of love, rhythm, resilience and Afro-Caribbean soul. And on this tour, you won’t just see the city, you’ll feel it breathe.

With our wireless audio system, you’ll hear your guide’s voice clearly at every step, even in the liveliest streets. It’s the perfect way to immerse yourself completely without missing a single detail 

What if you could listen to the heartbeat of Cartagena? The Walled Old City: legends carved in stone!

We’ll begin inside Cartagena’s UNESCO-listed historic center, where pastel-colored houses, wooden balconies and flower-filled facades paint the perfect Caribbean postcard. Our guide Beyond will bring these streets to life with stories of pirate attacks and heroic defenses, the real tales behind the Inquisition, hidden symbols in architecture and plazas, and the characters who shaped Cartagena’s soul.

We believe that history doesn’t just get told, it comes alive, vibrant, surprising, and unforgettable as it gets more exciting when we visit Getsemaní: the beating heart of Cartagena!

Leaving the walls behind, we’ll step into Getsemaní, the neighborhood locals call “the heart of the people.” You’ll wander through streets alive with murals of resistance, pride and dreams; narrow, colorful alleys where independence was born; Afro-Caribbean rhythms and daily life flowing through every corner; and a melting pot of cultures, flavors, and community energy.

This is the Great Cartagena locals live, love and fiercely protect. This tour is perfect for you if

• You want more than photos; you want to understand Cartagena’s essence.
• You enjoy experiences full of color, culture, and meaning.
• You love tours that feel alive, dynamic, and truly human.

Every corner, every street has its magic and with us you will discover it, you will know about our history, culture, traditions, gastronomy, music and you will do it with the help of local guides that will make you feel like a local from Cartagena. Our tour begins in Plaza de los Coches, then we will continue to Plaza de la Paz, Plaza de La Aduana, Plaza San Pedro Claver, Baluarte San Ignacio, and Plaza Santa Teresa. We will continue our tour to the Inquisition Street, to reach Simón Bolívar Park, then we will continue to Plaza Santo Domingo and our tour will end in El Baluarte Santo Domingo, where Café del Mar is, the best place in Cartagena to watch the sunset .

Welcome to Cartagena and the best introduction to the Walled City of the Colombian Caribbean!

DURATION: 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES

Discover Cartagena from the inside out

Begin your journey through the legendary streets of the Walled City, where centuries of fortification and beauty come to life  enhanced by our wireless audio system, ensuring exceptional clarity and comfort.

Cartagena is not just a city to visit… it’s a city to feel.

Behind every balcony, fortress, square, and cobblestone street lies a story shaped by pirates, poets, merchants, conquerors, and Afro-Caribbean communities who infused this place with rhythm and resilience.

Join us on a guided walk through the Walled City, where we combine grand history, vibrant local life, and a wireless audio system that allows you to hear every detail with perfect clarity while enjoying the freedom to explore at your own pace.

This is the perfect tour to start your journey in Cartagena, where you will:

• Dive into the colonial heart of Cartagena
• Explore the city’s most iconic squares and streets
• Learn how Cartagena became the most fortified city in Latin America
• Discover why pirates attacked it more than 10 times (French, Dutch, English, and Spanish!)
• Find out the surprising reason why the Clock Tower originally had no clock
• Understand how architecture revealed social class, wealth, and even gossip in colonial times

Between culture and daily life within the walls, our Beyond guide will show you how the city blends tradition and modernity, how Afro-Caribbean heritage shaped its identity, and where to find the best places to eat, listen to music, and enjoy the sunset.

Some of the main highlights of our most complete Walled City Tour:

• Historic entrance: Clock Tower
• Plaza de la Aduana (former colonial trade center)
• Plaza Bolívar
• Palace of the Inquisition
• San Pedro Claver area
• City walls, bastions, and cannon viewpoints
• The best photo spots in the historic center

And much more!

To make sure you don’t miss a thing, this tour includes professional wireless audio receivers that offer crisp sound even on the busiest streets, giving you the freedom to take photos while listening to your guide’s stories  for a more personal and immersive narrative experience.

It’s a detail that makes a big difference and truly elevates your experience.

Book your spot and discover why travelers who seek depth, quality, and a sense of wonder keep falling in love with the timeless legends and irresistible charm of Cartagena’s Walled City.

Please note: our wireless audio system is not suitable for children under 15 years old and is not waterproof. If it starts to rain, we must collect all devices and keep them safe.

We are authentic guides connecting Colombia since 2013 - 12 years sharing our passion every step of the way!

#GOBEYOND

Delve into Carthago Nova's Roman past by reserving this ticket to the Roman Theatre Museum, with which you'll discover the history of this important monument. 

Discover the untold history of the famous Gethsemane neighborhood!

Walk through the most emblematic streets and representative squares of a historically resilient town, its folklore, its colors, its music and its people.

OUR TOUR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES 

Getsemaní: where Cartagena speaks with its real voice! It is not a neighborhood you simply visit; it’s a neighborhood you feel.

This free walking tour takes you into the most vibrant and rebellious heart of Cartagena, where art, music, and history blend into a single rhythm. Once home to dock workers, freed Afro-descendant communities and revolutionaries, Getsemaní became the place where Cartagena’s spirit of freedom was born.

Today, its blocks tell stories through color and movement. Murals fill the streets with faces of strength, symbols of resistance, and scenes of everyday life. The air vibrates with the rhythm of drums, the laughter of children and the voices of locals sharing their streets with pride.

With our wireless audio system, you will hear every story clearly, even as the city dances around you, a perfect balance between comfort and authenticity.

This is not just a walk; it’s an experience that lets you listen to Cartagena’s heartbeat through its people and its streets.

Once we start from Camellón de los Mártires we’ll go through Parque Centenario towards Plaza de la Trinidad, the heart of rebellion. Centuries ago, this was the neighborhood of those who built the city with their hands: sailors, artisans, and the first free Afro-descendants who, from the margins, changed Cartagena’s destiny. While the elites lived safely behind the walls, Getsemaní was the place where courage and community grew stronger every day.

As we walk through its narrow streets, your guide Beyond will reveal the stories behind its walls, the struggles for independence, the faces immortalized in murals and the traditions that have kept this neighborhood alive and proud. Every corner hides a lesson about resistance, identity and the human will to be free.

Some of the top highlights you’ll enjoy on our Getsemaní District Experience:

• Plaza de la Trinidad: The neighborhood’s historic and cultural center.
• Calle de la Sierpe: Signature street-art corridor filled with powerful murals.
• Colorful alleys: Flags, graffiti, and local life at every corner.
• Afro-Caribbean heritage: Stories and influences that shape Getsemaní’s identity.
• Hidden backstreets: Authentic areas beyond the tourist flow.
• Top photo spots: Vibrant murals and colonial charm.
• Revolutionary history: Getsemaní’s role in Cartagena’s independence.
• Wireless audio system: Clear, comfortable storytelling throughout the tour

Walking through Calle de la Sierpe, Callejón Ancho and the colorful alleys that surround them, you’ll see kids playing in the streets, dancers rehearsing in the plazas, and artists painting in real time. Here, life doesn’t pause; it unfolds before your eyes.

This is the walk that connects Cartagena’s past and present, its struggles and celebrations. Travelers love this experience because it shows the city beyond its postcard beauty, a city alive with rhythm, color, and authenticity. It’s a journey through art, history, and daily life, guided by passionate storytellers who bring every corner to life in English, ensuring a deep and unforgettable connection.

Book your spot and feel from rebellion to rhythm, from walls painted with history to streets filled with music, this tour reveals the true soul of Cartagena, one that continues to sing, dance, and resist with every beat of Getsemaní’s heart.

We are authentic guides connecting Colombia since 2013, 12 years sharing passion in every step!

#GOBEYOND

Celebrate our first 11 years with us.
We are the first Free Walking Tour in Cartagena (2014-2025).

Ready to discover Cartagena through different eyes?
Join our free tour and experience a unique experience among city walls, art-filled alleys, and the vibrant energy of the Caribbean.

We'll walk through the Historic Center, where the stones speak of pirates, colonizers, and heroes of independence. Admire its imposing churches, colonial balconies, and plazas steeped in history.

Next, we'll explore Getsemaní, the city's most authentic and colorful neighborhood. Here, you'll be immersed in urban art, folk legends, and the Afro-descendant cultural resilience that gives Cartagena its soul.

During the tour, we'll share secrets, curiosities, and anecdotes that don't appear in books, all with a passionate, professional, and entertaining local guide.

Ready to explore Cartagena like never before?

Join us for a fun and unforgettable free walking tour through colorful streets, hidden gems, and the rich culture that makes this city so special.

We'll start in the heart of the historic Walled City, where stunning colonial architecture and vibrant facades paint the perfect backdrop for your journey. Then, we'll take you to the soul of Cartagena— Getsemaní —a lively neighborhood full of street art, music, murals, and a cool bohemian vibe that blends tradition with modern flair.

What makes our tour different?

It's designed for small groups, so you'll get a more personal and relaxed experience. Our local expert guides are passionate about Cartagena and love sharing tips on where to go, what to eat, and how to enjoy every corner of this magical city.

Celebrate 11 years with us.

The first Free Walking Tour in Cartagena. 2014-2025

Let yourself be captivated by Cartagena's history and coastal culture.
On this free tour of the "Heroica," we'll visit the most important streets and squares of the city's old town. This comprehensive tour will help you discover the magic and charm of Cartagena's Old Town .
IMPORTANT: For the 8:00 AM tour, please make your reservation 12 hours in advance.
At least 2 people are required for the tour.

What will we visit?

• Santa Teresa Square
• San Pedro Claver Square
• Customs Square
• Car Square
• Proclamation Square
• The Cathedral
• Simón Bolívar Square
• Santo Domingo Square
• Merced Square

Any questions or concerns are welcome, so go ahead and book this free tour!

Join us on a free food tour in Cartagena that goes beyond the typical bites and dives deep into the heart of the city's vibrant culinary scene. Cartagena is bursting with flavor—from crispy empanadas to zesty ceviche served. But this isn’t your average food tour. Come hungry and leave full—not just with food, but with unforgettable memories.

WHAT MAKES OUR FREE FOOD TOUR DIFFERENT?

We explore the city the way locals do—tasting our way through hidden spots, family-run eateries, and food stands you might miss on your own. Every stop tells a story, and every bite brings you closer to Cartagena’s culture and soul.

HOW MUCH DOES FOOD COST IN EACH PLACE WE PASS BY?

The places we'll stop by to try food, fresh fruit juices, tropical fruits, and local snacks. They're best known by locals, which is why the food is so cheap. Prices typically range from $3 to $10 per plate at Yo Amo Bazurto restaurant, $1.5 to $2 for fresh fruit juice at the Refresquerías, and $0.5 to $5 for fresh tropical fruit at the fruit stands. Fried arepas at Donde Magola restaurant range in price from $1 to $4, and a delicious buñuelo or pastel at Super Buñuelo can be enjoyed for $1 to $2. Finally, Colombitalia Express charges $2.5 to $7 for grilled arepas. You'll spend at least $10 for the gastronomic experience, plus the guide's tip, which usually ranges from $10 to $50, depending on your satisfaction with the tour.

So lace up your walking shoes, and get ready to taste the most delicious dishes that Cartagena has to offer you.

Learn the true story of the graffiti and mural art located in Getsemaní , one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world, according to Forbes Magazine.
We'll walk through its streets and learn about the history hidden in its narrow alleys, houses, and squares. Our guides will take you to meet its people and idiosyncrasies, and you'll learn why they always say
" I love Gethsemane .
We will visit, among others, the following streets:

• The Serpent
• Saint John
• Wide Alley
• Narrow Alley (the umbrellas), among others.
• We will climb the Walls and you will find out why it is called the Suburb of Gethsemane.

We look forward to seeing you at the famous Rubber Stick to begin this wonderful tour.
Make your reservations early!

Magical Cartagena from Gabo's perspective!

 Get to know the Cartagena neighborhood that inspired Gabriel García Márquez: San Diego. Get to know the streets that tell the story of the characters in “Love in the Time of Cholera” and “Love and Other Demons.”
 

OUR TOUR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES 

Cartagena will never be the same after you take this Free Tour. Be part of an exceptional and magical experience thanks to the stories that bring the streets to life, follow in the footsteps of our Nobel Prize winner for Literature “Gabo” between squares and bastions, between houses and balconies.

If you haven't read any of Gabo's novels yet, or you are a regular reader of his literary works, this tour will awaken your senses and alter your reality.

From the Plaza de Santo Domingo to Gabriel García Márquez's house in San Diego Cartagena , experience the art, music and literature of the bohemian neighborhood where our writer lived absurd, magical and imaginary realities that influenced his life and later the lives of his characters that give full meaning to the magical realism that we love and enamor so much.

Learn more about the life of this great artist, explore a different area of Cartagena's historic center and be inspired by the fantastic stories that only Gabo knew how to write as if it were a chronicle of a death foretold!

 What will we talk about on our Free San Diego and Gabo Tour?

•  Fantastic stories inspired by Gabo
•  Fernandez Park in Madrid and Santo Toribio
•  La Merced Monastery and Adolfo Mejia Theater
•  Plaza and Cloister of San Diego
•  Life, novels and “Marquecian” cinema
•  Fortification and bastion of Santa Catalina
•  House of Gabriel Garcia Marquez
•  Society, classes and local cultural dynamics
•  And much more!

 We include:

•  Certified guide in Spanish.
•  Accurate and objective knowledge of Gabo's literature and life.
•  A tour of essential places in the San Diego neighborhood
•  Benefits and discounts with our recommended friends if you show the bracelet that we give you at the end of the tour, exclusively for our participants.
•  Recommendations for local shops for lunch, coffee, souvenirs and more.

 Finally, come with an open mind to understand Gabo's story, water or your preferred form of hydration and comfortable shoes (we will walk about 7 km).

 We are authentic guides connecting Colombia since 2013, 12 years sharing passion in every step!

 #GOBEYOND