Guidebook for Cartagena, La Fantástica!
Food Scene
So many amazing restaurants to choose from! This is a compilation of our favorites.
The most famous fish place in Cartagena is next door, but the pizza place is also delicious. Both owned by the same guy. The fish is amazing. They have really good live music. Everything about it is exquisitely prepared.
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Juan Del Mar Restaurante
The most famous fish place in Cartagena is next door, but the pizza place is also delicious. Both owned by the same guy. The fish is amazing. They have really good live music. Everything about it is exquisitely prepared.
Incredibly delicious pan de bono and other classic Colombian pastries. Great coffee as well and on a beautiful corner in the most lively part of the old city.
Always friendly staff.
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La Esquina del Pandebono
Incredibly delicious pan de bono and other classic Colombian pastries. Great coffee as well and on a beautiful corner in the most lively part of the old city.
Always friendly staff.
They've got authentic and delicious hot chocolate here. Really good. Really quality food of high quality, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reasonably priced and outstanding service.
Absolutely delicious. Great vibe. One of our favorites.
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Mila Vargas
Avenida SantanderThey've got authentic and delicious hot chocolate here. Really good. Really quality food of high quality, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reasonably priced and outstanding service.
Absolutely delicious. Great vibe. One of our favorites.
Delicious coffee prepared fresh, with a multitude of preparation options. A fun visit and always top quality Colombian coffee and friendly staff. One of our favorite places for brunch too. Try their arepa con huevo!
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Epoca Espresso Bar - Arzobispado
34-52 Carrera 5Delicious coffee prepared fresh, with a multitude of preparation options. A fun visit and always top quality Colombian coffee and friendly staff. One of our favorite places for brunch too. Try their arepa con huevo!
A fun little pizza spot with quality pizza. Very relaxed vibe so a great spot for a quick bite with friends or kids.
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Pizza En El Parque
A fun little pizza spot with quality pizza. Very relaxed vibe so a great spot for a quick bite with friends or kids.
A really nice more upscale restaurant in the old city. Be sure to make a reservation in advance, as it gets booked pretty quickly.
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Alma
A really nice more upscale restaurant in the old city. Be sure to make a reservation in advance, as it gets booked pretty quickly.
Just outside of the old city in Bocagrande, exquisite Lebanese food. Grape leaves, hummus, baba ghanoush, kibbe nayyeh, labne, you name it. One of our favorite places to go for celebrating a special occasion. Always very kind staff and top quality food.
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Restaurante Árabe Internacional
8 - 83 Cra. 3Just outside of the old city in Bocagrande, exquisite Lebanese food. Grape leaves, hummus, baba ghanoush, kibbe nayyeh, labne, you name it. One of our favorite places to go for celebrating a special occasion. Always very kind staff and top quality food.
An incredible social enterprise restaurant dedicated to serving underserved youth in Cartagena.
Delicious plant-based foods and coffee and a great vibe of people from all over the world.
Cafe Stepping Stone
An incredible social enterprise restaurant dedicated to serving underserved youth in Cartagena.
Delicious plant-based foods and coffee and a great vibe of people from all over the world.
Great classic little Juan Valdez coffee shop in the center.
Always great for an almond milk latte :)
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Juan Valdez University Square
Calle 36Great classic little Juan Valdez coffee shop in the center.
Always great for an almond milk latte :)
An exquisite high end Japanese fusion restaurant. Really good food and atmosphere.
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Moshi
8-19 Cl. 38An exquisite high end Japanese fusion restaurant. Really good food and atmosphere.
One of the best hidden gems in all of Cartagena. An absolutely amazing restaurant. The paella is incredible (including vegan paella for vegans like us!) (**Make sure to call ahead of time to ensure they are open and have availability)
And it's in a very quaint little spot with a super cute beach. Sometimes they have dance classes and fun activities as well.
El Pescador de Colores
Vía a BarúOne of the best hidden gems in all of Cartagena. An absolutely amazing restaurant. The paella is incredible (including vegan paella for vegans like us!) (**Make sure to call ahead of time to ensure they are open and have availability)
And it's in a very quaint little spot with a super cute beach. Sometimes they have dance classes and fun activities as well.
Ana Restaurante Bar
A really cool fusion Caribbean Asian restaurant in the old city.
Quero Arepa
Nice place for simple traditional arepas.
Many typical, yet elevated, Cartagena style dishes here.
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RESTAURANTE CANDÉ - Cocina 100% Cartagenera
No 39-02 Cl. de la SerrezuelaMany typical, yet elevated, Cartagena style dishes here.
A fun restaurant/bar offering all kinds of drinks and traditional Colombian dishes for lunch and dinner.
Andrés Carne de Res Cartagena
A fun restaurant/bar offering all kinds of drinks and traditional Colombian dishes for lunch and dinner.
La Bottega de Fitz & Co. - Café Literario
Cool little coffee shop
Delicious Mediterranean food in a beautiful setting. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Soloio Cafe
Delicious Mediterranean food in a beautiful setting. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Fusion Caribbean cuisine with lots of seafood options.
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Restaurante Celele by Proyecto Caribe Lab
29-200 Cra. 10cFusion Caribbean cuisine with lots of seafood options.
La Tapería
no 31 46 Cra. 2A nice tapas restaurant in the old city.
Abacus Books and Coffee
3-86 Cl. 36A cool and quaint bookstore + coffee shop in the old city.
Mistura Cartagena
A fun upscale restaurant for lunch or dinner.
Townhouse Boutique Hotel & Rooftop
#36-88 Cra. 7Great rooftop bar for drinks.
The Juan Valdez coffee shop inside the Serrezuela mall is great. Grab a coffee and sit out in the large outdoor patio area of the mall.
Juan Valdez Serrezuela
The Juan Valdez coffee shop inside the Serrezuela mall is great. Grab a coffee and sit out in the large outdoor patio area of the mall.
Tahini Kebab
A great fast casual place for homemade shawarma, falafel in either bowl or wrap form.
Percimon, Plaza San Diego Cartagena
A great spot for a frozen yogurt. They have vegan options too.
Great new luxury mall just one block from the condo. Many stores with all kinds of options, ATMs on the ground floor, restaurants and cafés on the top floors.
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라세레수엘라
39-21 Cra. 11Great new luxury mall just one block from the condo. Many stores with all kinds of options, ATMs on the ground floor, restaurants and cafés on the top floors.
A fun restaurant with lively music. Sometimes mariachis, given their Mexican-focused menu.
Restaurante La Unica Cartagena
A fun restaurant with lively music. Sometimes mariachis, given their Mexican-focused menu.
Colombitalia Arepas
Delicious arepas on a beautiful street in Getsemani.
Groceries
This is the main grocery store we go to for all produce, household items, water, etc. It is 1.5 blocks from the condo.
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Éxito San Diego
10 - 85 Cl. 38This is the main grocery store we go to for all produce, household items, water, etc. It is 1.5 blocks from the condo.
Supermercado Olimpica
35-116 Cra. 7little grocery store if you are in this area
Drinks & Nightlife
A fun and elegant multi-level bar with different vibes on each floor, with a rooftop deck on the top floor. A nice spot for a drink or two and some appetizers.
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Alquimico Bar
##34-24 Cl. del ColegioA fun and elegant multi-level bar with different vibes on each floor, with a rooftop deck on the top floor. A nice spot for a drink or two and some appetizers.
From all of our dancing/bar recommendations, this is by far our favorite place. Awesome dance spot just outside of the old city where they only play Champeta (the best kind of music). All locals here, with some tourists (like us, on occasion). Sometimes they have a cover charge on the weekends, like $5-10 USD.
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Definitely a must go. Usually starts to pick up around 11 PM with live music often starting around then until 1-2 AM.
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Bazurto Social Club
#3042 Cra. 9From all of our dancing/bar recommendations, this is by far our favorite place. Awesome dance spot just outside of the old city where they only play Champeta (the best kind of music). All locals here, with some tourists (like us, on occasion). Sometimes they have a cover charge on the weekends, like $5-10 USD.
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Definitely a must go. Usually starts to pick up around 11 PM with live music often starting around then until 1-2 AM.
This is an awesome local dance place. Nice outdoor seating as well in the plaza for people watching and hanging out.
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SALSA DONDE FIDEL
Carrera 4This is an awesome local dance place. Nice outdoor seating as well in the plaza for people watching and hanging out.
Great spot overlooking the city walls. Sometimes great live music as well, but generally just a cool vibe enjoying the pristine beauty of Cartagena.
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Café del Mar Ltda.
Great spot overlooking the city walls. Sometimes great live music as well, but generally just a cool vibe enjoying the pristine beauty of Cartagena.
A stunning place near the Airbnb. Inside the hotel they have an awesome bar, or if you come earlier in the day, you can have lunch and/or coffee.
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Hotel Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena
39-36 Carrera 8A stunning place near the Airbnb. Inside the hotel they have an awesome bar, or if you come earlier in the day, you can have lunch and/or coffee.
Nothing out of this world, but always a fun and lively bar with great latin dance music.
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Bar Tu Candela
#32-25 Cra. 7Nothing out of this world, but always a fun and lively bar with great latin dance music.
Caponera Café Bar
25-100 Cl. 24A great little bar with a fun and vibrant atmosphere in the heart of Getsemaní.
An awesome bar inside the Santa Clara with exquisite drinks and often times top notch live music!
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Hotel Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena
39-36 Carrera 8An awesome bar inside the Santa Clara with exquisite drinks and often times top notch live music!
Delirium Gastro Bar
Carrera 7One of the best places to dance in Cartagena. Amazing live salsa music almost every night.
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Café Havana
ESQUINA Cra. 10One of the best places to dance in Cartagena. Amazing live salsa music almost every night.
La Movida 2-14
3-37 Calle 31The most epic night club in Cartagena. Always a fun time.
A wonderful cocktail bar (they have outdoor seating in the plaza) overlooking el Santuario de San Pedro Claver.
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El Barón
#31-7 Cl. San Pedro ClaverA wonderful cocktail bar (they have outdoor seating in the plaza) overlooking el Santuario de San Pedro Claver.
Shopping
An excellent Colombian brand with great clothes for both men and women. Really nice selection of linen and other items.
AZULU
31-11 Cra. 3An excellent Colombian brand with great clothes for both men and women. Really nice selection of linen and other items.
Jon Sonen Complements
31-56 Cra. 3Another great Colombian clothing store, this one for men's clothes.
라스 보베다스 마켓
Artisanal products from various vendors in this historic site.
Parks & Nature
The islas del Rosario are always a great visit. Many ways to get there, depending on group size, etc..
If you want some help in seeing the options, we recommend you reach out to our friend Jorge Ramirez. He works in the hospitality industry and knows all the ins and outs of cool stuff to do. Super nice guy and will be happy to offer suggestions etc. Please let us know if you'd like us to connect you with him.
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Rosario Islands
The islas del Rosario are always a great visit. Many ways to get there, depending on group size, etc..
If you want some help in seeing the options, we recommend you reach out to our friend Jorge Ramirez. He works in the hospitality industry and knows all the ins and outs of cool stuff to do. Super nice guy and will be happy to offer suggestions etc. Please let us know if you'd like us to connect you with him.
An awesome and fun mud volcano about a 1-1.5 hr drive from Cartagena. Definitely a fun experience!
If you'd like some help in setting up the logistics for this (or any other nature-related excursion), let us know and we will connect you with our colleague who runs his own tourism business. He can help you set everything up.
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El Totumo
An awesome and fun mud volcano about a 1-1.5 hr drive from Cartagena. Definitely a fun experience!
If you'd like some help in setting up the logistics for this (or any other nature-related excursion), let us know and we will connect you with our colleague who runs his own tourism business. He can help you set everything up.
An extremely cool and beautiful bird sanctuary on Isla Barú. You have to drive to get there but it is absolutely worth it!
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콜롬비아 국립조류원
An extremely cool and beautiful bird sanctuary on Isla Barú. You have to drive to get there but it is absolutely worth it!
A nice nearby beach from the old city in Bocagrande. It's nicer towards the south (el Laguito area)
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플라야 보카그란데
1A-23 Cra. 1A nice nearby beach from the old city in Bocagrande. It's nicer towards the south (el Laguito area)
A beautiful place for a day trip. Namaste offers various packages including drinks, yoga, and other wellness activities. A quick boat ride across the bay from Cartagena.
Namaste beach
A beautiful place for a day trip. Namaste offers various packages including drinks, yoga, and other wellness activities. A quick boat ride across the bay from Cartagena.
Sightseeing
A great historical sight of one of the first Spanish forts set up in the region.
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Calgary's +15 Skywalk
17-85 Calle 32A great historical sight of one of the first Spanish forts set up in the region.
This is the central market in Cartagena. It's really cool for walking around and seeing everything it has to offer: fresh food, other goods and more. Just a fun and cool cultural experience that we always do.
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바주르토 시장
This is the central market in Cartagena. It's really cool for walking around and seeing everything it has to offer: fresh food, other goods and more. Just a fun and cool cultural experience that we always do.
가브리엘가르시아마르케스의집
Calle ZerrezuelaThe home of beloved Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Neighborhoods
Getsemaní is the growing neighborhood just outside the old city, with so many cool restaurants, cafes, bars and more. An extremely vibrant and amazing neighborhood.
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Getsemani
Getsemaní is the growing neighborhood just outside the old city, with so many cool restaurants, cafes, bars and more. An extremely vibrant and amazing neighborhood.