Cartagena’s Old City is UNESCO-listed for good reason — the 400-year-old walled centre is one of the best-preserved examples of Spanish colonial military architecture in the Americas. But the city delivers more than architecture: Caribbean island day trips, Afro-Caribbean street culture in GetsemanĂ, rooftop sunset bars, and evening chiva buses fill out a schedule that can comfortably absorb three to five days.
These are the best tours in Cartagena in 2026, ordered by what we recommend to first-time visitors.
1. Old Town Walking Tour
Cartagena: Old Town Walking Tour (from $15 per person)
The logical starting point for any Cartagena visit. A licensed guide walks you through the walled city’s four distinct zones: the commercial Centro (the main pedestrian streets and clock tower gate); San Diego (quieter, residential, the neighbourhood where many boutique hotels cluster); Las Murallas (the seawall fortifications themselves, which took 200 years to build and were never breached); and GetsemanĂ, the neighbourhood just outside the walls that is now Cartagena’s most creative and fastest-changing district.
What you see: Clock Tower Gate, Plaza de BolĂvar, San Pedro Claver Church and monastery (where the patron saint of slaves is interred), the Inquisition Palace, the city walls, and GetsemanĂ’s street murals.
Duration: 2.5–3 hours | Difficulty: Easy — flat cobblestones
Best time: Morning before 10 am or late afternoon after 4 pm — midday heat is significant
Includes: Licensed English-speaking guide, bottled water
The San Pedro Claver Church deserves particular attention. Alonso de Sandoval and Pedro Claver operated the church as a refuge and baptism point for enslaved Africans arriving in Cartagena — then the largest slave port in the Americas. The context dramatically reframes what could otherwise feel like a straightforward colonial architecture tour.
A good guide also explains how Getsemanà evolved: long stigmatised as dangerous, the barrio is now Cartagena’s most vibrant, with street art by Colombian and international muralists, independent restaurants, and a local population that has lived there for generations alongside incoming creative businesses.
2. Rosario Islands Catamaran Tour with Lunch and Snorkelling
Cartagena: Rosario Islands Catamaran with Lunch & Snorkel (from $55 per person)
The Islas del Rosario — a national park archipelago of 27 coral islands about 45 minutes from Cartagena — are the city’s most popular day trip and the best Caribbean beach experience accessible without a flight. A catamaran tour takes the scenic route out (faster speedboats are cheaper but rougher), stops for snorkelling at a coral reef section of the park, and includes lunch at one of the island beach clubs.
Water clarity in the Rosario Islands is generally good; visibility of 8–15 metres is typical outside of rough weather. The snorkelling is accessible rather than exceptional — soft corals, parrotfish, occasional reef sharks in deeper sections — but for most visitors it is well worth the trip.
Duration: Full day (7–8 hours) | Difficulty: Easy
Departs: Muelle de la Bodeguita, Cartagena, approximately 8–9 am
Includes: Catamaran transport, snorkelling equipment, lunch, drinks on board
What to bring: Reef-safe sunscreen (required in the national park), cash for tips and optional extras on the island
For a pure beach day without snorkelling, several operators run faster speedboats to Playa Blanca on Barú Island — a longer white-sand beach about 30 minutes from Cartagena. Playa Blanca is more accessible but also busier and increasingly developed; the Rosario Islands are a quieter, more ecologically interesting choice.
See all Rosario Islands tours to compare catamaran vs. speedboat options and private departures.
3. Historic Center and GetsemanĂ Walking Tour
Cartagena: Historic Center & GetsemanĂ Walking Tour (from $18 per person)
A focused tour of the walled city paired with a deeper walk through Getsemanà — the neighbourhood that most half-day city tours treat as an afterthought. This version gives the barrio its proper weight: the street art is substantial (including works by international muralists who have painted alongside local artists in organised festivals), the local history goes back to the enslaved and mixed-race population that the Spanish colonial city marginalised outside its walls, and the current gentrification tension is worth understanding before you visit independently.
Duration: 3 hours | Difficulty: Easy
Highlights: Clock Tower, San Pedro Claver, Inquisition Palace, GetsemanĂ mural circuit
Groups: Small groups of 8–12; private tours available from approximately $60 for up to 4 people
This is the tour we recommend if you have already visited the Old City independently or on a shorter walk and want more depth on Cartagena’s cultural history and present-day neighbourhood dynamics.
4. Chiva Party Bus Night Tour
Cartagena: Chiva Bus Night Tour with Drinks and Salsa (from $22 per person)
A chiva is an open-sided traditional bus, painted in bright colours, with a live band and open bar. The chiva night tour is Cartagena’s most purely social experience: two hours driving through the walled city and along the waterfront with rum punch, cumbia music, and a crowd that mixes locals and tourists roughly equally on weekends.
Duration: 2 hours | Departs: Approximately 9 pm from the Old City
Includes: Open bar (rum, aguardiente, soft drinks), live band, driver
The chiva tour is unapologetically festive. It is not a culture tour — it is a party on wheels through a beautiful city at night. It functions as a strong introduction to cumbia and vallenato rhythms if you are encountering Colombian music for the first time, and it typically ends near the Centro bars and salsa clubs so it fits naturally into a longer evening.
5. Sunset Sailing Cruise
For a quieter alternative to the chiva, sunset catamaran cruises around Cartagena Bay leave from Muelle de la Bodeguita between 5 and 6 pm and run for approximately 2 hours. Most include a bar and snacks, with views of the walled city from the water at golden hour. Prices typically run $35–60 per person. Browse Cartagena boat tours for current options and availability.
How to Choose
| Tour | Duration | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town Walking Tour | 2.5 hrs | First-time visitors | $15 |
| Rosario Islands Catamaran | Full day | Caribbean beach + snorkelling | $55 |
| Historic Center & GetsemanĂ | 3 hrs | Cultural depth, repeat visitors | $18 |
| Chiva Night Tour | 2 hrs | Evening social experience | $22 |
| Sunset Sailing | 2 hrs | Romantic, quieter alternative | $35 |
Prices per person in USD, as of 2026. All GYG bookings include free cancellation; check individual listings for windows.
Planning Your Cartagena Visit
Most visitors spend 2–3 days in Cartagena. The walking tour works best on your first morning; the Rosario Islands trip fills a full day; and the chiva or sunset cruise suits an evening. For practical logistics — getting from the airport, transport within the city, and which neighbourhoods to stay in — see our Cartagena city guide. For things to do in Cartagena beyond guided tours, including independent sightseeing and beach options.
If you are flying in from another Colombian city, see our best tours in Colombia page for a national overview including the Lost City trek, Bogotá day trips, and MedellĂn experiences.