4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K 4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K 4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K Alquimico Cartagena | COLOR by K4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by KMaria Restaurant | Cartagena, Colombia4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K 4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K 4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K4-Night Cartagena Itinerary | COLOR by K
The much anticipated Cartagena itinerary break down is HERE! I’ve taken y’all through my 5 Things to Know Before You Go tips, but this is a more in-depth day by day breakdown. Where we stayed, what we did, ate and drank. Enjoy!

DAY 1 | Land + Dinner

Afternoon direct FLIGHT from Fort Lauderdale airport. Only 2 1/2 hours!

STAYED at Bóvedas Santa Clara Hotel | We found this hotel had the best of both worlds: amazing location that was walkable to tons within the Walled City, with all the amenities available at their sister property Sofitel Legend Santa Clara {bar, pool, restaurant and room service}.

PRE-DINNER COCKTAILS at Alquimico | 3 story restaurant/bar that specializes in infused liquor and fresh fruit cocktails. Each level of the space is dedicated to a different mixology style, so it’s worth taking a peak {or doing a little ‘drink tour’ if you will} through all three. We actually stopped in on two different nights to experience the main floor and then the roof Friday night! Definitely a scene.

DINNER at Don Juan | Chic ambience with delish plates! Not the cheapest dinner in town, but worth treating yourself while on vacation.

DAY 2 | Explore + Shop

We woke up and hit the streets to check out the town! Taking in ALL the colorful buildings and flowers along the way.

LUNCH at Carmen | Best meal we had during the trip! Carmen was on our list prior to arriving in Cartagena, but with no reservations made in advance, we decided to pop in for lunch. Such an incredible culinary experience. Everything from the two complimentary amuse bouches upon arrival to the impeccable service. We lovedddd it for lunch, but did feel like it was probably more of a nice dinner spot, and opp for the tasting menu. Can’t recommend enough!

SHOPPING at Las Bóvedas Market | This shopping market actually used to be a dungeon on the border of the Walled City. Nowadays the cells are filled with colorful, handmade goods by local + regional Artisans. A lot of it is a bit ‘kitchy’, but worth a visit in my opinion. Sara and I both picked up several pieces including handbags, hats, art and jewelry! Take your time sifting through some of the non-commercialized booths for those hidden treasures.

Other must-visit shopping spots include St. Dom and Agua De León – both carry a really amazing selection of bathing suits, accessories and silks from local brands!

WALKING TOUR with Cartagena Connections | I honestly don’t even remember how I initially came across Cartagena Connections {probably a blog post or article somewhere}, but I’m so happy I reached out to them! Catalina was a dream to work with {request her directly}! She’s sweet, chill and down to earth. Sara and I just wanted to connect with someone locally who could show us around for a few hours: best street food, best shopping, local recs, cultural info, etc. The three of us met up at our hotel and embarked on a 4-hour stroll around town! Catalina took us to some amazing shopping spots + food carts {don’t go on a full stomach haha}, all while getting to know us and sharing some history of Cartagena along the way.

Catalina is super flexible. So while we really wanted to hit food + shopping, she can help facilitate whatever you’re interested in! She also helped us determine the best boat option {and book it}, locate an ATM {haha, yes that was necessary}, negotiate/communicate with street vendors, etc. But at the end of the tour it really felt like we were all just friends hanging out!

DINNER at Demente | Recommended by a local, Demente is in a cool neighborhood outside the Walled City and a local favorite. The menu is pizza heavy. Tasty, but not a must-visit in my opinion.

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DAY 3 | Beach Excursion

BREAKFAST at Pasteleria Mila | Cute ambiance with tiled floors and a little bit of a rustic, oversized chicken-coop feel. The pasteleria incorporates French elements like fresh pastries, while still staying true to Colombia classics. Their take on ‘eggs benedict’ with an arepa base is top notch! The plating presentation is beautifully done, which is somewhat surprisingly unexpected considering the more casual decor.

Afternoon at Blue Apple Beach House | Best decision of the trip! I can’t recommend this day excursion enough. Our sweet, local tour guide from the day before mentioned that ‘Blue Apple’ is where she enjoys escaping for a day off, so that settled our boating decision. We were originally debating spending quite a bit more on a private charter and island hopping. However, after speaking with Catalina we learned many of the islands are very crowded and we wouldn’t actually be able to enjoy each spot for very long. Blue Apple is only about a 15 min speed boat ride away from Cartagena city! It’s breathtaking and feels low-key. We loved the relaxing afternoon pool/beachside with cocktails in hand. Your ticket also includes a meal of choice at their restaurant – which was fresh and delicious!

Sunset COCKTAILS at Cafe del Mar | Definitely felt more of a tourist hot spot {overpriced, commercialized cocktails and frozen concoctions}, packed FULL of foreigners during sunset, but you can’t really beat the waterside view.

DAY 4

WORK TRIP to Barranquilla | The main purpose of this tropical getaway for Sara and I was actually for Sara to meet with her artisan team that’s crafting products for Beau & Ro‘s globally sourced summer collection! I tagged along as an on-looker, and let me tell you, it was so fun! Loved seeing my friend in her element: negotiating unit cost, import taxes, looking at colors, talking ideas. Being a small part of the discussion was stimulating. There’s so much more that goes into creating handbags and accessories then one might think. Made me really appreciate all that Sara and other small business owners do to source + create good quality products. We left Cartagena early that morning, and didn’t return until after sunset.

Dinner at María | Maria was on our must-visit list from the beginning {as featured in a Vogue article}, and didn’t disappoint. The menu represented fresh, flavorful local fare. Cool, chic ambiance and a good crowd – there was a mix of couples, friends and even a wedding party. Also located in a great area for a little bar hopping.

Post-Dinner DRINKS at the Alquimico rooftop | Round 2 at this joint! Such a fun vibe for a Friday evening.

DAY 5

Poolside day at Sofitel Legend Cartagena | Another wonderful perk about staying at the affiliated Bóvedas Santa Clara – access to all things Sofitel Legend, which is maybe 70 feet around the corner. Think more resort-pricing on food + bev, but sometimes you just want that true vacay feel, right?! Their staff is lovely, and poolside menu was delicious. The hotel also held our bags for us and called a taxi for the airport while we changed out of our suits and into airplane attire.

Late afternoon flight home.
Hasta la próxima, Cartagena!

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Colombia? Typo? Or my bad geography?

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