Colin & Angela
Just the two of us

Cartagena, Colombia: Colorful Streets, Rooftops and Island Days

A long weekend in Cartagena: wandering the colorful walled old city and the Clock Tower, sunset on the city walls, rooftop pools, and a speedboat out to the islands for beach-club days.

Colombia · Nov 25 – 30, 2021 · by Angela

A colorful colonial street in Cartagena's old city leading to a church dome

I turned 30 in Cartagena! Over Thanksgiving 2021, Colin and I celebrated my birthday there, just the two of us, and it was one of the most colorful places we’ve ever been. We wandered the old city, watched the sunsets from the rooftops, and then stayed out in the Rosario Islands, with clear Caribbean water and white sand.

Who came
Just Colin and me
The occasion
My 30th birthday
Where
Cartagena's walled old city and the Rosario Islands
How long
5 days
Best for
A birthday or a romantic long weekend

The old city

Inside Cartagena’s walls, every street is painted a different color and dripping with bougainvillea. We walked to the Torre del Reloj (the Clock Tower), ducked into arched colonial courtyards, and walked up onto the old city walls for sunset.

A colorful old-city street with balconies leading to a cathedral dome
Cartagena's streets are pure color
A woman walking down a bright street toward the Clock TowerA woman in front of a white house draped with pink bougainvilleaA person walking on the old city walls under a cloudy sunset skyA woman in a long dress standing in an arched colonial courtyard

Rooftops and island days

In the city we found rooftop pools looking out at the dome of San Pedro Claver and the Bocagrande skyline. Then we took a speedboat out to the Rosario Islands, about an hour from the old city, where we stayed for beach-club days, a hammock under the palms, and a birthday mojito with my toes in the sand.

Lounge chairs on a deck overlooking turquoise Caribbean water
Island days off Cartagena
A couple sharing a dip kiss on a rooftop terrace with a church dome and city skyline behindFeet in a hammock strung between palm treesPalm trees silhouetted against a soft Caribbean sunsetA mojito held up against a white-sand beach and blue water

Cartagena tips

  • Stay inside the walled city so you can walk everywhere.
  • Explore early or after 4 pm. Midday is very hot and humid.
  • Book the island trip with a reputable company, and confirm what’s included.
  • Bring small bills for street fruit, drinks and tips.

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