Cartagena is a city of striking contrasts — between old and new, between poverty and wealth. A peninsula extending into the Bay of Cartagena has been the commercial gateway to the Americas for almost 500 years. The colonial era saw Spaniards consider this bay their principal port, and today the peninsula is a hotspot for high-rise hotels and condos reflecting the modern city.
The city's 17th-century walled Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — one of the best-preserved colonial cities in the Americas. The city is large, so if you want to see some of the more distinctive sites it would be best to book an excursion.
Check out these excursions in Cartagena.
Know Before You Go
Cartagena has become increasingly popular with international tourists and the city center is very safe. Beware of gem store hustlers outside the city walls — "emerald dealers" who approach tourists are almost always scams. The currency is the Colombian Peso (COP) — US dollars are accepted in tourist areas but you get better rates paying in pesos.
Hot Tip
Walk the top of the city walls at sunset — you can circumnavigate a large section of the fortifications and the views over the old city rooftops, the Caribbean Sea, and the San Felipe de Barajas fortress are extraordinary and completely free.
Cartagena, Colombia – Quick Facts
CurrencyColombia's official currency is the peso (COP). The prices in Colombia are marked with a dollar sign, so be sure to remember that the prices you see are in pesos. Most banks in Colombia do not exchange money; you will need to visit a money exchange located in a major city. You will see money changers on the streets of Cartagena, but those are not the best place to do any transactions. The best way to get cash is to use your bank ATM card. Credit and Debit cards are becoming more prevalent in Colombia, but online transactions are still not very common.
LanguageColombia's national language is Spanish. There are few areas, except for a couple of tourist destinations, where English is spoken.
WiFi & PhoneCyber cafes in Cartagena are centered in the Centro (Old Town) district. They are usually inexpensive, but the bandwidth is slow. A few of the other cafes in Cartagena have WiFi if you need to stop in to check emails. The Folklore Colombian Cafe, the Cafe San Alberto, and the Abacus Books & Coffee, Baraibenet, and Micronet have WiFi.
Where You DockTerminal de Cruceros de Cartagena, Manga Island, Cartagena, Colombia
