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!
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.
Celebrate with us our first 10 years.
We are the first Free Walking Tour in Cartagena (2014-2024).
This tour of the historic center is the most complete because we visit the most interesting places in the old city and the very famous and well-known Getsemani neighborhood with its mural art and graffiti. You will know why Forbes Magazine called it the “coolest” neighborhood in the world. Our guides are the best of the GETSEMANÍ neighborhood in this city.
All aboard the Cartagena sightseeing train! Learn about the city's history comfortably as you pass through its most emblematic monuments.
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!
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.
Get closer to the Getsemani culture through our tour, where you will understand the importance of a segregated and insurgent people during the colony, whose fighting spirit initiated independence and over time engendered artistic movements in cinema, painting, sculpture, dancing and, of course, music.
During our tour you will be able to learn more about :
- Centenario Park and the commemoration of the independence of Cartagena
- Trinidad Artistic Square and the cultural movement that comes to life in the nighttime
- Afro Uprising and how the resistance is alive to the present day
- The Cultural Street Art as a way of represent traditions and history
- The Old Public Market and its importance among the locals
- Plaza "El Pozo" and the origin of its name
- San Felipe Fortress viewpoint, plus the fascinating stories of battles and victories.
- And so much more!
Today you will find a tourist neighborhood with inhabitants heirs of a rich culture, which at first glance hides stories and legends of revolution, pride and tradition.
Join this journey through time, culture and art, to discover the other side of Cartagena de Indias - the Heroic!
//
- Meeting Point Indications:
- Meeting point from Monday to Friday : we will meet at the indicated time of your reservation in the Plaza de la Proclamación , next to the statue of the Pope. GMaps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/rMPrN82APbFackQE9
- Meeting point on Saturdays and Sundays : we will meet at the indicated time of your reservation in the Plaza de la Santo Domingo , next to the statue of Botero "Gertrudis". GMaps : https://maps.app.goo.gl/nNMknv9DbtUjmNY79
*Arrive 5 minutes early, as we will move 2 blocks to the 2nd meeting and departure point of the tour with your guide!
//
Enjoy a more immersive walking tour with our wireless audio system! You’ll never miss a word from your guide, even from a distance. Stay fully engaged while enjoying the freedom to explore, take stunning photos, and soak in the city's atmosphere - all without struggling to hear over traffic or crowds.
Our Walking Tour is designed for comfort and convenience, our system ensures a more personalized and enriching experience allowing you to focus on the beauty of your surroundings while effortlessly following the tour. Our audio system is a “clip on” headphone: comfortable, practical and a clean option.
A smarter way to explore Beyond, stay connected to the stories, history, and magic of the city while enjoying total freedom. Book now and discover the difference!
We are authentic guides connecting Colombia since 2013, 12 years sharing passion in every step!
#GOBEYOND
Welcome to Cartagena and the best introduction to the Old & Walled City of the Colombian Caribbean!
Get to know with us the city that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its magical places, with legends and the beauty within the ancient colonial stone wall.
Join our fun and educational tour so you can understand and learn about the origins of the so-called "crown jewel of the coast", the Caribbean repository of all the gold and other treasures that the conquistadors stole and kept from the continent.
On our walking tour:
- You will relive the battles and victories of the Europeans
- You will learn about the empowerment and influence of Afro cultures
- You will explore the narrow and colorful colonial streets
- You will see the contrast of the old and modern areas
We will also visit and talk about:
- San Ignacio Bastion viewpoint
- Plaza San Pedro Claver, sanctuary and monument
- Spanish arrival and conquest
- Plazas de los Coches and de la Aduana
- The Palace of the Inquisition and its history of transformation
- Entrance to the Clock Tower and core of the walled city
- African slavery and the culture of San Basilio de Palenque
- Plaza de Santo Domingo and Botero sculpture
- And much more!
From its history, to its food and nightlife, to its beaches, Cartagena has it all!
Come with us and discover it with the help of our expert local guides!
//
ANNOUNCEMENT: Every Saturday and Sunday we will add to this Walled City Tour the visit to the Getsemaní Neighborhood, we call it "the Great Historic Center of Cartagena" where we will visit both historical and cultural areas in 1 Tour! Reserve your spot at 9:55am or 3:55pm.
- Meeting Point Directions:
- Meeting point from Monday to Friday: we will meet at the time indicated in your reservation in the Plaza de la Proclamación, next to the statue of the Pope. GMaps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rMPrN82APbFackQE9
- Meeting point on Saturdays and Sundays: we will meet at the time indicated in your reservation in the Plaza de la Santo Domingo, next to the Botero statue "Gertrudis". GMaps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nNMknv9DbtUjmNY79
*Please arrive 5 minutes early, as we will move 2 blocks to the 2nd meeting point and departure point for the tour with your guide!
//
Enjoy a more immersive walking tour with our wireless audio system! You’ll never miss a word from your guide, even from a distance. Stay fully engaged while enjoying the freedom to explore, take stunning photos, and soak in the city's atmosphere - all without struggling to hear over traffic or crowds.
Our Walking Tour is designed for comfort and convenience, our system ensures a more personalized and enriching experience allowing you to focus on the beauty of your surroundings while effortlessly following the tour. Our audio system is a “clip on” headphone: comfortable, practical and a clean option.
A smarter way to explore Beyond, stay connected to the stories, history, and magic of the city while enjoying total freedom. Book now and discover the difference!
We are authentic guides connecting Colombia since 2013, 12 years sharing passion at every step!
#GOBEYOND
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 .
Within its walls , Cartagena still preserves its essence represented in the constructions that date back to its first years as a city, as witnesses of a past that remains an unforgettable memory. This is an ideal experience for those who are interested in the history, culture and daily life of this city , and other topics they are passionate about.
We will visit Kalamari , a characteristic neighborhood in the center of the city, and thus see what daily life in the city is like. We will visit the Plaza de la Paz, Plaza de los Coches, Customs Square, San Pedro Claver Square, Santo Domingo Square, Bolivar Park, we will pass the Palace of the Inquisition, the Santa Catalina de Alejandria Cathedral, we will see the dominant architecture in Cartagena we will tour some of its streets and discuss topics such as the Inquisition, slavery, etc., in addition to a tour of the wall. All the time you will be accompanied by a guide who will provide you with all the information and answer all your questions.
Visit the Greater Cartagena Center: the neighborhoods of Santo Domingo and Getsemaní together in a single tour!
Visiting the districts of Santo Domingo and Getsemaní will give you a broader idea of how our lives during colonial times were divided by social classes but connected to achieve local independence.
We will experience Cartagena in a different way once we cross the Camellón de los Mártires square, the old bridge that allowed the two sides of society to unite and build their own identity.
Uprisings , independence , revolutions and uprisings are the basis of a resilient and fighting Colombian culture that you will be able to see and feel. Travel back in time, follow the historic path of freedom and be part of the essence of “La Fantástica” .
Cross from north to south to the viewpoint of the San Felipe Fortress and understand the great power held by the people of Cartagena, the jewel of the ancient Spanish Crown.
What are the topics we will talk about?
- Santo Domingo Square and Botero sculpture
- African heritage, music and customs
- Trinity Church and Cultural Square
- The Palace of the Inquisition and its history of transformation
- Sanctuary and monument of San Pedro Claver
- Centennial Park and Sierpe Street
- “Wide” and “narrow” alleys
- Gentrification of “Gethsemanicenses”
- And much more!
What is included in our Tour?
- Certified guide in Spanish.
- Accurate and objective knowledge of the history of the great center of Cartagena.
- Tour of essential places in both neighborhoods of the walled city and Gethsemane.
- 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.
A different perspective on our historical and current social and economic contrasts!
//
Enjoy a more immersive walking tour with our wireless audio system! You’ll never miss a word from your guide, even from a distance. Stay fully engaged while enjoying the freedom to explore, take stunning photos, and soak in the city's atmosphere - all without struggling to hear over traffic or crowds.
Our Walking Tour is designed for comfort and convenience, our system ensures a more personalized and enriching experience allowing you to focus on the beauty of your surroundings while effortlessly following the tour. Our audio system is a “clip on” headphone: comfortable, practical and a clean option.
A smarter way to explore Beyond, stay connected to the stories, history, and magic of the city while enjoying total freedom. Book now and discover the difference!
We are authentic guides connecting Colombia since 2013, 12 years sharing passion in every step!
Note: Our wireless audio system is available only on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) at 10 AM and 4 PM.
//
#GOBEYOND
Would you like to embark on an unforgettable experience of colorful streets, captivating places, and vibrant culture?
Join us as we reveal the layers of history and artistic expression of this charming city. Your exploration begins in the historic walled city. Marvel at the impeccably preserved colonial architecture that graces the vibrant streets lined with colorful buildings, creating a picturesque setting. Venturing further afield, immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of the Getsemaní neighborhood. Renowned for its dynamic street art, lively alleyways, and bohemian vibe, Getsemaní offers a unique combination of cultural richness and contemporary style.
This free tour stands out from others in Cartagena because it's customized for small groups. Led by expert guides passionate about sharing their love of Cartagena and showing you where to go, where to eat, where to hang out, and what to do to have fun in the magical city of Cartagena.
Getsemaní is the most emblematic neighborhood of modern Cartagena, especially because in recent years it has been transformed into an open-air museum, with its graffiti and other artistic expressions scattered throughout its labyrinthine streets. Not only that, it is also the legendary niche of Cartagena poetry and music. Learn about its combative history, its bohemian life, its relationship with literature, especially with García Márquez, while appreciating its striking and rebellious street art.
The tour is given in Spanish or English at either of the two proposed times.
First stop, Plaza de la Trinidad, the most vibrant meeting point of Cartagena's evenings and nights, which also tells us part of the history of Colombia's Independence. You will be able to observe the most colorful examples of life in the city and then we will go into its streets to appreciate several murals to unravel their meaning.
Second stop , from the bastion of Santa Bárbara we will be able to see the prodigious castle of San Felipe de Barajas and the hill of La Popa, we will discover the reasons for the successive pirate attacks that Cartagena suffered in its colonial era, from Francis Drake to Edward Vernon.
Third stop , back to the modern. We will stop at the most representative alleys of the neighborhood, the Plaza del Pozo, the Callejón Ancho, the Callejón Estrecho, alleys full of colorful umbrellas and flags, where we can see several graffiti dedicated to García Márquez, his most representative books and we will talk about his relationship with the neighborhood. Although Getsemaní does not live only on García Márquez's letters, it was also the territory of illustrious poets such as Jorge Artel, Raúl Gómez Jattin, who wandered through its streets, as well as renowned intellectuals such as Manuel Zapata Olivella.
Fourth stop , visit San Juan Street, a cool alley covered by large trees, there you can find local painting exhibitions for all tastes, as well as beautiful murals of some of the most emblematic characters of Cartagena (Joe Arroyo, Mr Black, Blas de Lezo).
Fifth stop, Sierpe Street, where thanks to its murals we will learn about the history of Vencos Biohó and the palenques, the liberation and the Afro-descendant pride. The resistance of the people!
Sixth stop , Centenario Park, the place that commemorates the independence of Cartagena and Colombia, where you can see beautiful and unique animals of the region, such as iguanas, titi monkeys and sloths.
Seventh stop , the Convention Center and the Martyrs' Boulevard, which also tells us stories of both the Independence of Cartagena and the Spanish Reconquest, before the iconic presence of the Clock Tower, a sublime example of the union between colonial and republican architecture.
