I just returned from my trip from Colombia. To read my full 2-week Colombia itinerary click here. Heading to Cartagena, Colombia? Check out the Cartagena Sightseeing Tour by This Is Cartagena.
What ‘This Is Cartagena’s Pros Are:
- Getting to grips with Cartagena’s captivating history with a certified, bilingual guide to answer all of your questions
- Understanding why Cartagena is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Meet and greets with locals
- Gripping tales of pirates as well as the lowdown on Cartagena’s historic significance as a hub for Spain’s violent colonization of the Americas
- Having a break in a local haunt and getting information on what’s going on in town
- A chance get beneath the skin of this beautiful city
Inclusions of the Cartagena City Sightseeing Tour:
- 3-hour tour which takes you to the major landmarks in Cartagena’s Old Town
- Certified bilingual guide
- Insights and commentary on the rich history and culture
- Chance to meet and chat with some friendly Cartagena faces
- Explore the best parts of Cartagena’s 17th century historic walls
- Visit the most iconic churches, Santa Teresa Convent and the Santo Domingo Church
- Walk through the charming barrio of San Diego
- Take a peek inside some of Cartagena’s colonial houses
- Pit-stop to rejuvenate with excellent quality coffee or ice cream at a nearby cafe
- Bottle of water
Early in the morning, we arrived in the walled city where the This Is Cartagena tour office is located. You can’t miss it with the sign on the building:
Explore the City
After we were given water bottles, we were off to explore the city! First up, pit stop to take a photo with the policia. Here’s a group pic! Nice, small and intimate. Plus your tour guide, in our case Ronaldo, comes equipped with a mic to project himself. Loved that! In a busy city like Cartagena, it was so nice being able to hear him, without having to be right on top of his rear end. To you other tour operators out there, take notes please.
We were taken to some pretty beautiful streets just FULL of color. We learned about the socio-economic differences of the Colombians and how they were (not sure if they still are) rated from 1-6 based on their income/finance level, where 6 was the highest. Previously, only residents with a classification of 6 could afford to live in the walled city. In 2018, that’s pretty much non-existent. Most of what we saw within the walled city was space occupied by budding restaurants, banks, tourist attractions, tour operators, and night clubs. I’m sure at one time this was a bustling area for locals, but as one would expect, gentrification took over and now that’s left are some AirBNB rentals. It doesn’t diminish the character of the city, and I think it’s still fun to walk on this tour and imagine what it was like years ago.
Emeralds and Ice Cream
After some exploring and history lessons, we made a quick stop into the Caribe Jewelry and Emerald Museum. Fun fact for you, the top 5 Emerald Mining Countries in the World are:
- Colombia
- Brazil
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- United States
After we toured the museum, we did spend a few minutes at the Jewelry store, which may sound forced but the salespeople were not pushy at all. They actually had some beautiful and natural emeralds for sale. If I had more Colombian pesos (COP) to spend, I definitely would’ve COPped something (pun intended)…
Afterwards, we walked some and had a quick snack at a little ice cream eatery selling guava-based ice cream. Was creamy and good. Not as rich as regular ice cream since it was a bit more fruity. Hard to explain, but glad we were able to beat the heat for a few minutes with some free samples. Then it was time for a DANCE PARTY in the middle of the Cartagena streets. Was so fun being out there getting our groove on to Colombian tunes. DJ on the 1st and 2s was none other than Ronaldo!
Tour Concludes, Lunch in Getsemani
All good things must come to an end. Around noon our tour ended and we departed ways. We did have one final stroll around the wall that took us to a corner with pretty graffiti and we learned the significance of it (too much info overload so don’t remember SORRY!). We then had to part ways with our beloved Ronaldo who gave us a fantastic lunch spot recommendation. If you ever make it to Cartagena, do yourself a favor and eat at Casa de Socorro in the Getsemani district. Everything was fresh and flavor. Restaurant had some local flavor to it.
Overall, this tour is SPOT ON. The perfect introduction to Cartagena. I highly recommend doing this Cartagena sightseeing tour early on in your time here. That way, you can really get to know this city without walking around aimlessly. Have any questions about this tour? Have you taken this tour? Let me know what you thought of it in the comments.
Cartagena Hotel Spotlight
Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena
Originally built as a convent in 1621, the Sofitel Santa Clara is a legendary landmark in the heart of Cartagena’s walled city. Mixing Colonial and Republican-style architecture with modern comfort, the hotel features gourmet cuisine, exceptional service, a world-class spa, meeting facilities and state of the art technology for events, conventions and weddings.
Hotel Quadrifolio
Hotel Quadrifolio is a small, luxury hotel with character. They offer exceptional service under the grandeur of a Spanish Colonial residence. They are located at the heart of the walled city of Cartagena de Indias. It was originally built in the XVII century and was restored under the most rigorous conservation standards. This Small Luxurious Hotel features 8 excellent Junior Suites available for their guests, with wide social zones and with two sumptuous conference rooms equipped provided with the highest technology.
Hotel Casa San Agustin
Casa San Agustín is a luxury boutique hotel of 20 refined guestrooms and 11 spacious suites in the city of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. Three colonial homes have been totally renovated and lovingly restored to create the sense of staying in a well-curated and appointed home of a sophisticated best friend. Situated within the historic walled city, and dating from the 17th Century, the charm of the buildings has been enhanced with a respect for maintaining original frescoes in the library and wooden beamed ceilings.
Planning your trip to Cartagena?
