Colombia wasn’t always on my bucket list. In fact, it wasn’t until a few years ago – when I started following a then-new company called El Camino Travel on Instagram – that my Colombian wanderlust was born. I fell in love with this company’s unique travel philosophy, which was unlike like anything else I’d seen in the market. They also had a badass Colombian-American female founder at the helm, who was clearly passionate about educating travelers on the culture and pure magic of her home country. Despite my controlling tendencies when it comes to travel planning, I began slowly warming up to the idea of group travel for our first visit to Colombia.
El Camino‘s focus is highly curated & elevated small group experiences from local experts, meaning their trips are about immersing yourself in the culture – rather than “touring” it – and truly experiencing the cities alongside locals + other like-minded adventurers. Their website says it best:
“This is sustainable and responsible travel on a grassroots level…Because we don’t just meet the locals, we live with them; we learn alongside them; we dance with them through the night. They help us explore their country the way they’d want to explore it today, allowing you to get the most authentic travel experiences from the people who know their destination better than anyone else. Because our brand of travel is living there now.”
Can you see why we were intrigued? Nick and I toyed with the idea, debating a long list of questions like:
- What if we don’t like what they plan for us?
- What if the people in our group are weird?
- Will we be in one of those heinous tourist groups that follow a guide with a megaphone & a giant flag?
- What if the hotels aren’t my taste & God forbid do not have a fluffy robe that I can wear at all times?
On top of that, I wondered, how could I possibly let someone else plan my vacation without my input, AND deal with the fact that we wouldn’t know our exact itinerary OR hotels until two weeks before? The control freak inside me said HELL NO, but my gut told me to let go and do something different. So we took the leap. And it was AMAZING.
It’s important to note that this is not sponsored in any way, but I feel compelled to give props to El Camino for curating such a memorable, elevated and authentic experience, and encourage anyone on the fence about Colombia to RUN DON’T WALK to this beautiful country.
Here are our top travel tips & favorite spots in the colorful Caribbean city of Cartagena. Many of these fab recs are from the locally-focused curators at El Camino, plus some little gems we discovered on our own.
STAY // Walled City
You’ll notice there are several neighborhoods to consider when booking a hotel, but I highly recommend staying in the Walled City. It’s unbelievably picturesque, and you’ll be walking distance to all of the best restaurants, bars and the waterfront. We stayed at Hotel 3 Banderas, a charming – albeit minimalist – lush oasis perfectly situated in the Walled City. It had air conditioning and a delicious breakfast every morning, and though it was simple it was perfect for what we needed on this trip. If you’re looking for somewhere safe, clean and ideally located on a budget, this is a great bet. All the more money to spend on the outstanding restaurants & even a day trip to the Islas de Rosario for some beach time!
For something a little more luxurious, I’ve heard fabulous things about the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara, which is actually a refurbished convent (how cool is that?) also located within the Walled City.
EAT //
La Mulata – This v cute, v traditional local spot was our first stop in Cartagena. We arrived in town at an awkward hour between lunch & dinnertime, it was hot as f outside, and we urgently needed an ice cold adult beverage and food of some kind. El Camino recommended this unassuming spot, and we probably wouldn’t have popped in if we hadn’t been looking for it. I’m so glad we did! This is an easy lunch spot or a great place for some late afternoon ceviche (& limonada de coco!)
La Paletteria– Swing by here for refreshing exotic popsicles – you’ll want this because you will basically be dripping with sweat every second you are outside.
La Cevicheria– This stylish yet casual cevicheria has the brightest & prettiest decor and (obviously) amazing ceviche. It’s usually crowded, but it’s definitely worth popping in and trying to get a seat.
Restaurante Interno– This was one of the most unique & delicious experiences we had in Cartagena. This restaurant is adjacent to a women’s jail, and before you write this off as totally weird, let me explain. This restaurant is part of an incredibly innovative program where some of Colombia’s top chefs train female inmates to be culinary masters, so they have a valuable skill when they leave jail. I loved the idea of supporting these women, plus the food was outstanding & the vibe was way cool. Highly recommend.
Carmen – This restaurant has a trendy vibe for dinner & delicious seafood (& meat dishes too if you’re sick of fish!) Ideal for dinner before going out.
Elkilo – The seafood rice dishes here were seriously life-changing! Trust me.
Caffe Lunatico – This place is verrrry traditional and low-key but it’s the perfect place to grab lunch when you venture over to the Getsemani neighborhood (more on this below!) The Grandma’s croquettes are everything, and there’s of course amazing fresh ceviche.
STREET FOOD – OMG eat the arepas and ALL the cheesy bread. Be careful about juices, but most of the other things on the street are fried so although they aren’t healthy, at least the fryer kills any germs and makes everything generally safe to eat.
DRINK //
Alquimico– This was our absolute favorite cocktail spot! It has a modern speakeasy vibe and a DJ, but it’s not clubby at all. The music was a mix between old school hip hop, current hits & Colombian favorites. If you’re staying in the Walled City, this is an easy one to walk to.
Demente – This is a trendy spot for cocktails in the Getsemani neighborhood (which is a MUST visit!) with a pretty little back garden.
Bazurto Social Club – Come here for live Champeta music (this is the traditional African dance/salsa hybrid that’s native to Cartagena – so.much.fun.) This spot is best for late night, around midnight-ish, for allll the dancing. This one’s also in the Getsemani neighborhood, so I recommend starting with drinks at Demente then end the night here.
Cafe Del Mar – This is the perfect place to watch the sunset. It can be a bit touristy, but it’s a good place to grab a drink pre-dinner and get that gorgeous sunset view + photo (you know you want to.)
COFFEE //
Abacos Libros y Cafe– Cozy library to get some coffee
Cafe del Mural– The coolest coffee shop in Getsemani. You have to stop by here! Pic of its cuteness below.
DO //
Getsemani Neighborhood – I’ve mentioned it a lot above, but this is an amazing neighborhood that’s a lot like Wynwood in Miami. Incredibly vibrant street art, way less of a touristy feel and lots of cool restaurants and bars. Walk around here during the day to get good photos of the art, then grab lunch at Caffe Lunatico + coffee at Cafe de Mural.
Mud Volcano– We went to this volcano just outside the city to “bathe” in it’s mud, and it was seriously the coolest, most memorable experience. You literally get in a volcanic crater filled with clay-like mud and a local massages it all over you (it’s SO WEIRD but also strangely relaxing and kind of nice?) Because the mud has so many minerals, you float – it almost feels like an anti-gravity experience. It’s a hilarious & cool experience and it was one of our favorite things. Something to consider if you want to go out of the city and do something out-of-the-ordinary, but definitely go EARLY (we arrived at like 9am) to beat the crowd. Also your skin feels amazing afterward.. bonus.
Islas de Rosario – The beaches in Cartagena aren’t known for being stellar, BUT there are several beautiful little islands just a quick boat ride away that are absolutely breathtaking. Enter: Islas de Rosario. We headed out to Bendita Beach, which was surrounded by crystal blue water and had a remote, desert island feel. Our day trip included the boat ride + an outrageously delicious fresh-caught lobster lunch. Did I mention there’s a bar and masseuses on the beach? To put it lightly, I WAS PLEASED.
JUST A FEW QUICK TIPS //
- Cartagena is EXTREMELY hot & humid. We went in May, and it was an actual sauna, so be sure to bring light, airy clothes because you will sweat through everything (but you’ll be having so much fun you won’t care!)
- I brought my hair dryer + wand and never used them once, so save yourself some luggage space & embrace the air-dry!
- While I brought several pairs of heels, I never wore them once. The vibe is very island-y and laidback, so if you’re looking for an excuse to wear comfy sandals on your vacation – this is the place!
- You should NOT drink the water in Cartagena, so make sure to pop in a corner store and buy some big bottles to have on hand. Even when brushing your teeth, use your bottled water.
- Ubers in Cartagena are apparently sketchy, but there are taxis on the street if you need them and they are perfectly fine. We never once took one though, since we could walk everywhere.
- When paying with a credit card, they should always process it with a handheld machine in front of you. They shouldn’t ever take it away to run the check, so just be aware.
- Eat all the seafood you can, try the limonada de coco, eat a cheesy arepa (or eat 100 like I did), and buy all the coffee!
Cartagena was an absolutely magical destination and totally worth adding to your travel bucket list. If tackling it alone seems daunting, I cannot recommend El Camino Travel enough. Whether you’re traveling solo, with a friend or your partner, it’s truly the best way to get an authentic cultural experience with a side of adventure and built-in friends. We met so many incredible people on this trip – we loved it so much we even booked a second trip with El Camino to Cuba. Another post on that to come!
If you have any questions about our trip or have other favorite spots we should check out next time we visit Cartagena, would love to hear from you in the comments below!
Xx Lauren
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