Nine Days Exploring Cartagena

Arriving at Rafael Núñez International Airport, the humidity hit us immediately as we transferred into the historic center. We checked into Casa Pizarro, which is conveniently located for exploring the walled city on foot. After dropping our bags, we spent the afternoon walking around Plaza de San Diego, a quiet square where the fine arts university students sit under the pastel-colored buildings. We finished the first day with a casual dinner at La Mulata.

The next morning was dedicated to history. We toured the Palacio de la Inquisición, where the displays on colonial history and torture devices felt quite grim, before moving on to the Museo del Oro Zenu to see the ancient gold work. We spent a quiet hour relaxing under the shade trees at Plaza de Bolívar and visited the Santuario de San Pedro Claver. Lunch was at La Cevicheria, followed by dinner at Restaurante Candé and a quick stop for coffee at Café San Alberto. We checked out of the hotel that evening.

We moved our focus to the Getsemaní neighborhood, starting with a lunch at Restaurante Coroncoro. Walking along Calle de la Sierpe, the murals gave us a good look at the local art scene. We spent the afternoon navigating the steep ramps and tunnels of Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, which takes about two hours to walk through properly. We ended the day with sunset drinks at Café del Mar on the city walls, followed by dinner at Demente.

Our final days were slower, centering around local neighborhood spots. We visited Abaco Libros y Café to browse and grab a drink, and enjoyed breakfast at Café Stepping Stone. We wrapped up the trip with a final meal at La Cocina de Socorro. Sticking to a budget of $100 a day was manageable here, as long as we balanced the popular tourist restaurants with the smaller, local spots.