How to spend the perfect day in Cartagena, the Colombian city with a Caribbean heart

Cartagena — a lively city on Colombia’s northern Caribbean coast — has always moved to the rhythm of its own drum. It’s where the jaunty beats of cumbia music fill a UNESCO-stamped historical quarter, where innovative cocktail bars and trendy coffeeshops are never too far away and where some of Latin America’s most talented chefs use indigenous ingredients to create exquisite Colombian-Caribbean dishes. Throw in ample green space and a live music scene that lasts until the early hours, and you have a fun city break that’ll please all the senses.

9am: Fuel up with caffeine

There’s only one way to start the day in Cartagena: with coffee. At Epoca, an all-day artisanal cafe in Centro Histórico, take a seat by the window and order one of the specialty coffees. Go for local favourite Colonia Coco, grown in the country’s Andean region, which has notes of coconut, butter and chocolate. The food menu ranges from the classic arepa de huevo to waffles coated in hollandaise sauce with ham and bacon salt.

11am: Admire arts and crafts

Duck into the Museo de Arte Moderno on Plaza de San Pedro Claver — part of the 17th-century former Royal Customs House — to see works by artists from across Colombia and Latin America. Spend an hour here before heading to the nearby Ajá Company; it’s a great spot to buy artisanal products, such as handbags made using natural fibres and raw materials.

1.30pm: Have an elevated lunch

Jaime Rodriguez creates exquisite contemporary Caribbean dishes at Celele, an upscale restaurant in the neighbourhood of Getsemani. The menu features dishes including buffalo-milk burrata with moringa-plant sorbet and roasted watermelon, and flower salad with pickled cashews. The interior is an eccentric mix of exposed brick and gargantuan murals depicting the people and wildlife of Colombia.

3pm: Get to know Getsemani

Mural-swathed Getsemani brims with bars, restaurants and a mishmash of both low-budget and luxury hotels. Yet it’s still very much local — the sort of place where Cartageneros sip rum roadside while blasting out African-influenced beats. To explore the area with a snack, book a tour with Foodies. Highlights include popping into a local home to try arepas de huevos and chicha de maíz (a local corn drink).

6pm: Explore parks and squares

Ambling the city’s squares and green spaces is a great way to while away the early evening. In Getsemani, Plaza de la Trinidad is home to street music, fast-food vendors and locals sitting kerb-side with a drink. A short walk towards Plaza de los Coches, a lively square just outside the old city walls, will take you through wildlife-rich Parque del Centenario, home to monkeys, sloths and tropical birds.

7.30pm: Dine like a local

La Laguna Azul in Getsemani is part restaurant, part liquor shop, and has a mostly Colombian clientele. Start the night in the leafy courtyard and enjoy the live music with a Cartagena Mangle, a local pale ale. Order the ceviche levanta muerto, meaning ‘ceviche to raise the dead’, with prawns, calamari and octopus served in a fiery bloody mary sauce. Calle de la Media Luna 8

9pm: Listen to live music

Café Havana in Getsemani draws crowds with salsa tunes from local stars like Joe Arroyo and a live band that kicks off around 10pm. It can get crowded, so it’s best to book a table ahead of time. For something a little more mellow, head to cosy Mientras — a bar and art gallery in Centro Histórico — which has a good mix of drinks, desserts and local DJ sets.

11pm: Sample more nightlife

El Barón on Plaza de San Pedro Claver is the ideal cosy, late-night spot for wine, beer or a well-crafted cocktail. It has two indoor spaces as well as a huge courtyard right opposite San Pedro Claver church. There’s a menu of Cuban and Colombian rums and cigars, too. Come nightfall, it hosts regular DJ sets from local artists spinning cumbia, hip-hop and disco.