Where to Stay in Cartagena: A Guide to the Best Neighbourhoods

Choosing where to stay shapes your whole experience of Cartagena. A few blocks can make the difference between waking up to church bells in a quiet colonial street or stepping out of your door into a plaza full of music. Here is how each area feels, so you can choose with confidence.

The Walled City (Historic Center)

Surrounded by colonial walls, the historic center is Cartagena's postcard: cobbled streets, balconies covered in bougainvillea, plazas, churches and the city's best restaurants and boutique hotels. Everything is within walking distance, which is why it is the best base for a first trip.

• Atmosphere: elegant and lively, with activity until late around the main plazas.
• Nightlife: many of the best rooftops and cocktail bars are here; Getsemaní's clubs are a short walk away.
• Ideal for: couples, families and groups who want to explore on foot. Most of our private villas are in this area.

San Diego

Inside the walls, the San Diego neighbourhood is the quieter, more residential side of the historic center. Its plazas are calmer, its streets are ideal for an evening stroll, and it is still just a few minutes from everything. A great choice for those who want the magic of the old town with more peace at night.

Getsemaní

Just outside the walls, Getsemaní went from a traditional working-class neighbourhood to the creative heart of Cartagena: murals and street art, the Plaza de la Trinidad full of life at night, live salsa and a growing collection of restaurants, boutique hotels and restored villas.

• Atmosphere: bohemian, colourful and festive.
• Nightlife: the closest to the action — salsa bars, clubs and rooftops within a few blocks.
• Ideal for: groups of friends and bachelor and bachelorette parties who want to go out on foot.

Bocagrande, Castillogrande and El Laguito

This peninsula is modern Cartagena: high-rise hotels and apartments, shopping, restaurants and a long city beach. Castillogrande and El Laguito are the more residential, quieter ends. It is about 10 minutes by car from the Walled City, and home to some panoramic rooftops with sea views.

Ideal for: those who prefer modern buildings and sea views, or long stays. Keep in mind that for the best beaches, most visitors take a boat to the Rosario Islands.

Manga

A residential island connected to the center by bridges, home to some of the city's marinas and early 20th-century republican houses. It is quiet and convenient for those who will spend a lot of time at sea, since many yachts and boats depart from its marinas.

Private islands and Barú

For total disconnection, nothing compares to a private island in the Rosario archipelago, about an hour by boat. Many travellers combine a few nights in a villa in the city with one or two nights on an island.

Is Cartagena safe? Practical tips

The Walled City, San Diego and Getsemaní are the most visited areas of Cartagena, with constant movement of people and a strong presence of police and tourist police. As in any major destination, a few habits make all the difference:

• Move around with pre-arranged transport or official apps at night, especially to and from Bocagrande.
• Avoid displaying jewellery, large amounts of cash or expensive phones on the street.
• Keep your drinks in sight and never accept drinks from strangers.
• Agree on prices before buying from street vendors or taking horse-drawn carriages.
• Leave passports and valuables in the villa or hotel safe.

Our recommendation

For most travellers, the best base is a villa in the Walled City or Getsemaní: you will walk to dinner, to the rooftops and to the plazas, and return home in minutes. If you are travelling as a group, read hotel or private villa in Cartagena? and our villa rental FAQ.