Cartagena Felt Like the Perfect Ending to South America
From the historic city walls to the colorful streets and local markets, Cartagena blended history, Caribbean culture, and vibrant neighborhoods into the perfect final stop of my South America journey.
Previously, I shared my day exploring El Peñón and Guatapé, including an unforgettable helicopter ride over the reservoir.
This time, we’re trading mountains for the Caribbean coast as Cartagena brings my Colombia journey—and my five-week South America adventure—to a close.
After five weeks of traveling across South America, I had settled into a rhythm.
Every few days, I packed my bag, boarded another flight or bus, checked into a new hotel, and set out to explore another city. From the mountains around Medellín to the colorful streets of Guatapé, every destination had offered something different, but the pace rarely slowed down.
By the time I reached Cartagena, I wasn’t looking for another packed itinerary.
What I found instead was a city that encouraged me to wander without a plan, linger a little longer, and let the days unfold at their own pace.
Between the colorful colonial streets, Caribbean sunsets, fresh tropical juices, and an unexpected night out with fellow travelers, Cartagena became much more than the final stop of my journey.
It became the perfect ending to my entire South America trip.
San Felipe de Barajas Castle and Cartagena’s iconic Clock Tower are two landmarks that quickly orient you to the city’s rich history and beautifully preserved colonial center.
My First Impressions of Cartagena
My final city in Colombia—and the final stop of my entire South America trip—was Cartagena.
After weeks of moving through mountains, busy cities, and constantly changing scenery, Cartagena immediately felt different.
Medellín had felt energetic and fast-moving. Cartagena felt slower, more colorful, and much more centered around wandering than constantly moving from one attraction to the next.
It ended up being exactly the kind of ending I didn’t know I needed.
There was one thing I noticed almost immediately, though.
It was hot. Very hot. Probably hotter than I had mentally prepared for.
Cartagena quickly became one of the few places where I naturally broke my sightseeing into smaller blocks throughout the day. The combination of heat and humidity made it difficult to stay outside for hours at a time.
Normally, that’s not how I travel.
Most days, once I leave my hotel in the morning, I don’t come back until the evening. I usually group attractions by neighborhood, wander without much of a schedule, stop for fresh juice, duck into shops, and somehow spend an entire day exploring without realizing how much time has passed.
Cartagena changed that rhythm.
Instead, I’d spend the morning exploring, stop for lunch, return to the hotel for a few hours to cool down, and head back out again in the evening.
Looking back, I think embracing that slower pace made me appreciate the city even more.
Cartagena’s Walled City and Getsemaní each have their own personality. Together, they combine colonial architecture, colorful streets, and vibrant public art that make Cartagena one of Colombia’s most photogenic cities.
Exploring the Walled City and Getsemaní
By complete coincidence, I arrived in Cartagena on the same weekend as the Cartagena Ironman.
Road closures and detours were everywhere throughout the historic center, but thankfully the walking tour guides had already adjusted their routes. It actually worked out well because the following day I returned on my own to revisit many of the same places at a slower pace.
And honestly, Cartagena really is beautiful.
If you’re picturing colorful colonial streets, flower-covered balconies, music drifting through plazas, rooftop restaurants, old churches, and evening walks along stone walls overlooking the Caribbean, Cartagena absolutely delivers.
One of my favorite things to do was simply wander through the Ciudad Amurallada (Walled City) without paying much attention to where I was going. I’d find myself walking from Plaza de los Coches toward the Clock Tower (Torre del Reloj), passing through Plaza de la Aduana, ducking into quiet side streets lined with colorful balconies, before eventually ending up in Plaza Santo Domingo, where cafés and restaurants spill out into the square beneath Fernando Botero’s famous Gertrudis sculpture.
Not far away, Cartagena Cathedral rises above the surrounding streets, while the nearby city walls offer some of the best views of the Caribbean, especially later in the afternoon as the city begins to cool down.
Eventually, my wandering led me into Getsemaní, which felt completely different from the Walled City.
The neighborhood had a younger, more artistic energy. Murals covered nearly every block, cafés filled the narrow streets, colorful umbrellas stretched overhead along Calle de la Sierpe, and by evening, Plaza de la Trinidad transformed into one of the liveliest gathering spots in the city, with musicians, street performers, and both locals and visitors lingering long after sunset.
Rather than trying to rush between attractions, I found myself slowing down and simply wandering. In Cartagena, moving from one plaza to the next became the attraction.
Watching the sun set over Cartagena’s skyline reminded me that some of the best moments of the trip came from slowing down rather than rushing to the next attraction.
Why I Chose a Sunset Cruise Instead of the Islands
Being surrounded by water, it’s almost impossible not to notice all the boat tours leaving Cartagena. If you have several days in the city, there are plenty of ways to experience the Caribbean beyond the Walled City.
Many visitors take day trips to the Rosario Islands, where you’ll find white-sand beaches, snorkeling, beach clubs, and resorts spread across the archipelago. Others choose to spend a night or two on one of the islands, trading Cartagena’s busy streets for quieter beaches and a more relaxed pace. If I had been spending a week in Cartagena instead of just three days, that’s probably the route I would have taken.
As I planned my trip, I seriously considered visiting the islands. The more research I did, though, the harder the decision became. Reviews were completely mixed. Some travelers described the islands as the highlight of their trip, while others felt they were overcrowded, overpriced, or simply not worth the additional logistics. With only three days in Cartagena, I wasn’t sure I wanted to dedicate an entire day to ferries, transfers, and island hopping.
Instead, I decided on something that still let me experience Cartagena from the water without giving up an entire day: a sunset cruise around the bay.
Looking back, I think it was the right decision for this trip.
Yes, the Rosario Islands probably would have been beautiful, but sometimes the best choice isn’t trying to fit everything into one visit. Sometimes it’s choosing the experience that best matches the amount of time you have—and leaving yourself a reason to come back.
In fact, I’m already planning a return trip for next year, and the islands are one of the biggest reasons why. This visit was about experiencing Cartagena itself. The next one will be about slowing down even more, with boats, Caribbean beaches, and several days exploring the Rosario Islands.
Where I Stayed in Cartagena
One thing I would recommend thinking about before booking your hotel is how you like to travel.
For most of my stay, I stayed at Mood Matuna Hotel Cartagena, and honestly, what made it such a great choice was the location.
As a first-time visitor, I loved being able to step outside the hotel and walk almost everywhere I wanted to go. The Walled City, Getsemaní, walking tour meeting points, restaurants, and even the docks for many boat tours were all within easy walking distance. That convenience made exploring Cartagena incredibly easy, especially since I wasn’t constantly checking maps or arranging transportation.
It became even more valuable because of the heat. Rather than staying out all day, I found myself exploring in the morning, grabbing lunch, walking back to the hotel for a couple of hours to cool down, and heading back out again in the evening. Having a centrally located hotel made that rhythm effortless.
For my final night, I decided to switch things up and stay at Ermita, Cartagena, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.
The property itself is beautiful, with a boutique feel, stylish rooms, and one of my favorite hotel pools of the entire trip. After several days of walking through Cartagena’s heat, spending a quiet afternoon by the pool before flying home felt completely worth it.
Ermita sits along Avenida Santander, overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The waterfront setting is beautiful, and the hotel feels much more like a relaxing retreat than a base for sightseeing. While I really enjoyed my stay there, it also felt removed from the neighborhoods where I spent most of my time exploring. There were fewer restaurants within easy walking distance, and returning to the Walled City or Getsemaní required a longer walk or transportation.
By the end of the trip, I realized both hotels fit different travel styles.
For someone visiting Cartagena for the first time, I would still recommend staying somewhere central like Mood Matuna. Being able to walk almost everywhere made it easy to experience the city without worrying about logistics.
But for a final night—especially if you’re looking to unwind before flying home—I thought Ermita was a wonderful choice. It traded some convenience for a quieter atmosphere, beautiful ocean views, and the kind of relaxing afternoon that felt like the perfect way to end five weeks of traveling across South America.
Viewing Cartagena from the water offered a different perspective, with modern high-rises and marinas standing just beyond the city’s centuries-old colonial walls.
The Sunset Cruise, and an Unexpected Night Out
The sunset cruise ended up being one of my favorite experiences in Cartagena, not just because of the views but because of the atmosphere.
With music playing throughout the cruise, drinks flowing from the onboard bar, and the Cartagena skyline glowing as the sun began to set, it felt more like a floating happy hour than a sightseeing tour. Everyone seemed relaxed, and it didn’t take long before conversations started between people who had boarded as complete strangers.
I ended up chatting with two women who were spending a long weekend in Cartagena. It was my final night in the city, while they had only arrived that day, so it was fun comparing our trips from opposite ends. I shared some of the places I’d already explored, and they told me about everything they were looking forward to over the next few days. Hearing about everything they had planned reminded me how much of Cartagena I still hadn’t experienced, even after spending three days in the city.
By the time we returned to the dock, none of us were quite ready for the evening to end. We decided to continue the night together, and before long we found ourselves hopping aboard one of Cartagena’s famous Chiva buses, brightly painted open-air party buses filled with live music, dancing, and locals and visitors celebrating together as they rolled through the city.
It wasn’t part of my itinerary, and that’s exactly why it’s one of my favorite memories from Cartagena.
I booked the cruise for the sunset, but I ended up remembering it just as much for the conversations, the unexpected night out, and the reminder that some of the best travel experiences happen after the plans are finished.
Final Thoughts
Cartagena was the perfect place to end my five-week journey through South America.
After constantly moving between cities, changing hotels, and exploring somewhere new every few days, Cartagena encouraged me to slow down. Instead of trying to maximize every hour, I found myself wandering colorful streets, taking breaks during the hottest part of the day, enjoying fresh tropical juice in shaded plazas, and watching the city come alive again each evening.
It wasn’t just the history or the colonial architecture that made Cartagena memorable. It was the atmosphere. Whether I was walking through the Walled City, watching the sunset over the bay, or unexpectedly spending my final evening exploring the city with new friends, Cartagena felt like a destination that was meant to be experienced just as much as it was meant to be seen.
Would I return? Absolutely.
Next time, I’d spend less time inside the city walls and more time exploring Cartagena’s Caribbean side, visiting the Rosario Islands, relaxing on the beaches, and discovering more of the coastline that I only had time to glimpse on this first visit.
Next Up: Looking Back on Five Weeks in South America
South America gave me incredible destinations, unforgettable landscapes, and more memories than I could have imagined. But after writing this entire series, I realized the places themselves weren’t the only thing that stayed with me. In the next post, I reflect on my first true solo trip, how five weeks changed the way I travel, and why this journey still stands out years later.