Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena, Colombia: Colonial Romance Meets Caribbean Chaos

Why Your Group Will Love Cartagena

The Old Town feels like someone designed a theme park for Instagram, except it's 500 years old and the rum is dangerously cheap. You'll wander cobblestone streets where every corner reveals another pastel colonial building with bougainvillea spilling over iron balconies, then five minutes later you're on a Caribbean beach with a beer in hand. This is one of those rare cities where things to do in Cartagena Colombia work for the history nerds and the beach crowd in your friend group.

The real magic happens after sunset. Cartagena transforms into this electric mix of salsa clubs, rooftop bars on the city walls, and late-night street food that costs less than your morning coffee back home. Groups of 6-10 crush it here—big enough to split a table at a ceviche spot, small enough to navigate the narrow streets without losing anyone.

Getting There & First Steps

Rafael Núñez International Airport sits 15 minutes from the walled city. Skip the aggressive taxi hawkers at arrivals and use the official yellow cabs or Uber (yes, it works here). Agree on the fare first if you're taking a cab—should be around 15,000-20,000 COP ($4-5) to Getsemaní or the Old Town.

Base yourselves in Getsemaní, not the Old Town. It's grittier, cheaper, and where actual Cartageneros hang out. The Old Town is gorgeous for exploring but feels like a tourist snow globe after 8pm. Getsemaní gives you local juice stands, street art covering entire buildings, and bars where you're not paying $12 for a mojito.

Top Group Activities in Cartagena

The City Walls at Golden Hour
Climb up on the 13km of fortifications around sunset. Locals sell cold beers and fresh fruit from coolers while street performers set up. It's free, it's one of the coolest things to do in Cartagena, and you'll get group photos that make everyone back home jealous.

Rosario Islands Day Trip
Book a shared boat through a local operator (around $35-45 per person) to this archipelago 40 minutes offshore. You'll hit Playa Blanca, snorkel in ridiculous turquoise water, and eat fresh grilled fish on the beach. Go midweek if you can—weekends get packed with Bogotá families.

Mud Volcano (Volcán de Lodo El Totumo)
Thirty minutes outside the city, you literally climb into a mud-filled crater and float in warm volcanic sludge while local women give you massages. It's absurd, slightly chaotic, and makes for legendary group trip content. Costs maybe $5 entry plus tip for the massage.

La Popa Monastery
Taxi up to this 17th-century convent on the highest point in the city. The views span the entire Caribbean coastline and you'll have the place mostly to yourselves mid-afternoon. Entrance is 15,000 COP.

Where to Eat & Drink

Café Stepping Stone in Getsemaní serves the best breakfast—think Colombian eggs with arepa, fresh juice, and coffee that'll wake up your entire squad for under $6 each.

La Cevichería (yes, where Anthony Bourdain ate) still delivers. The original location is tiny, so send one person ahead to grab a table while the rest wander. Mixed ceviche is the move.

For cheap eats traveling with friends, hit Plaza de la Trinidad after 7pm. Street vendors sell empanadas, arepas with everything, and jugo de corozo (a local berry juice). Dinner for your whole group costs less than one person's meal at a tourist trap.

Alquímico remains the best cocktail bar—three floors of creative drinks in a colonial mansion. Pricier than street level (cocktails around $10-12) but worth it for the ambiance and rooftop.

Where to Stay Together

Hostels with private group rooms dominate Getsemaní. Selina and Casa Viena both offer 6-8 bed privates with ensuite bathrooms, around $25-35 per person per night. You get the social hostel vibe (rooftop bars, other travelers) without sharing with strangers.

If you're 8+ people, rent an entire apartment through Airbnb in Getsemaní. You'll find three-bedroom places with rooftop terraces for $120-180/night total. Split that many ways and you're paying less than a hostel bed.

Budget Breakdown

Low-end: $35-45/day per person. Hostel dorm or shared Airbnb, street food and local restaurants, free walking tours, beaches, city walls. One splurge meal every few days.

Mid-range: $60-80/day. Private hostel rooms, mix of local spots and nicer restaurants, boat trips to islands, a few cocktails at proper bars, occasional taxi instead of walking.

High-end: $120+/day. Boutique hotel in the Old Town, seafood at Casa San Agustín, rooftop restaurants, private boat charters, spa days.

Money-saving tricks: Buy your rum at a corner tienda (liquor store)—Medellín Añejo costs $8 for a bottle that'd be $45 in the Old Town tourist shops. Also, eat your big meal at lunch. Most restaurants offer menú del día (set lunch) for $5-7 that's the same quality as their $20 dinner plates.

Worth the splurge: A proper seafood dinner at one of the restaurants along the Baluarte Santo Domingo. You're on the Caribbean—the grilled octopus and whole fried snapper justify the $25-30 per person.

Ready to Plan? Use BangerTrip

Coordinating a friend group trip to Cartagena means aligning on which islands to hit, whether everyone's down for the mud volcano, and finding group accommodations that don't suck. BangerTrip builds itineraries designed for 4-12 people traveling together—not the generic solo traveler highlights—and connects you with vetted local operators for boat trips and excursions at actual group rates. You orchestrate the trip. We handle the rest.