Cartagena is the perfect place for an adventurous family vacation that isn’t too overwhelming, because it has so much to explore in a smaller, contained area. If you’re traveling without kids, you can probably see everything on the surface in about four days, but we had eight and were able to take things a little slower and dig a little bit deeper.

If you’re just getting started with your trip planning, be sure to read my guide on “Cartagena With Kids | Everything You Need to Know.” If you’ve moved onto the itinerary, here is a great guide on family-friendly things to see and do:

1. Walk the wall.

The first thing to know about Cartagena is that the heart of the old city is contained within a 17th-century stone wall. It took nearly 200 years to complete and in 1985 was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The wall forms an 11 km loop that doubles as a walking path around the city. There are several ramps that lead up from street level, offering a perspective of the city and sea from 30 feet up. Originally, the wall was built as separate sections, which makes the different features – windows, cannons, towers – fun to explore. It would take a couple hours to follow its entire length; inside the wall, you can stroll from one side of the city to the other in 20-30 minutes, but sometimes, with uneven sidewalks and pedestrian traffic below, walking a section of the wall can be a great shortcut!

2. Try local street foods.

There are so many food vendors out on the streets of Cartagena, and it’s the best way to get a quick, cheap snack or meal. Our favorites were the ones with cheese, especially deditos (cheese-filled sticks of fried dough) and arepas con queso (melted cheese sandwiched between cornbread rounds). Cartagena’s location on the Caribbean coast factors into a lot of its local foods. Patacones con queso are fried plantains topped with a chunk of cheese; coctel de camarones is a light and fresh snack (or meal!) of shrimp, lime juice, and diced onions and tomatoes. (Don’t miss the World Record-holding El Sombreron Ostreria.) And there’s so much fruit! Try some that you can’t get in your grocery store at home: guama is shaped like a pod with white, cotton candy-looking beans inside that melts in your mouth like ice cream; mamoncillo is a bite-sized round fruit that, once peeled, is a fleshy “ever-lasting gobstopper” of tangy sweetness.

3. Take a cooking class.

On my flight home, I sat next to a man from Cartagena, and he spoke with passion about the food he misses from his hometown. As a port city and historical hub of trade, Cartagena has blended Indigenous, Spanish, African, and Caribbean elements into its cuisine to forge an identity entirely different than Colombia’s more mountainous regions. We had the great opportunity of learning to make fried plantains, coconut rice, and fish from a local friend, and it was such an enriching activity. There are several cooking opportunities so you can explore local culture through cuisine!

• SkyKitchen is the city’s first dedicated cooking school and offers a variety of 3-4 hour classes.
• Lunatico Experience offers cooking workshops as well as other food-centered activities and tours.
• Cartagena Connections can hook you up with a variety of cooking classes and foodie experiences. (We used them for a street food walking tour.)

4. Count the styles of door knockers.

Today, the elaborate exterior doors of Cartagena often serve as scenic backdrops for tourist photos, but they were originally designed with a lot of meaning. During the era of the city’s colonial Spanish founding in the 16th century, door knockers were a popular way for people to express their status and/or profession. “A tal casa tal aldaba.” (“To each house its door knocker.”) A sea creature (such as a fish or mermaid) indicated the owner was part of the marine trade; a lion was for members of the military; and a lizard represented the “blue-bloods” or noble or royal society. Share this fun fact with kids and then count and categorize the ones you pass!

5. Search for animals in an urban park.

Sandwiched between the walled city and Getsemaní, the unassuming Parque Centenario is home to a few surprising residents. Up in the trees, you can find wild monkeys, iguanas, and three-toed sloths just hanging out, living their best lives. Their origins are unclear, but they’ve made a home for themselves and delight both locals and tourists with wildlife sightings. They move around, but chances are you won’t be the only person searching. If you see a group of people looking up, odds are they’ve been spotted. You’ll also probably encounter locals offering to point out their location (for a small tip) which can definitely be of help, especially with the iguanas!

6. Tour the museums.

Walking the streets of Cartagena, you’re surrounded by history, so it’s worth the time learning about it in a little more detail. We visited three family-friendly museums within the city’s walls that helped build the context of this travel destination. Just to note: English translations in the exhibits are often scarce, but we always encountered guides offering English-speaking tours for a fee.

• Museo del Oro Zenú | FREE, air-conditioned, and quick-to-visit collection of gold and ceramics that illustrate life and culture of the Zenú people, prior to Spanish colonization
• Museo Historico de Cartagena de Indias | Housed in the 18th-century Palace of Inquisition (beautiful architecture, lots of steps), mostly exhibiting Cartagena’s role in the Spanish colonial era
• Museo Naval del Caribe | The BEST museum for kids with lots of models and objects for hands-on exploration of Cartagena’s naval history

7. Eat tapas in a dungeon.

Las Bovedas is a former munitions store (and later, rumored, dungeon) built into the northeast corner of the city’s wall. Each of the 23 vaults is now home to a shop selling artisan goods or souvenirs. Number 16, though, hosts La Taperia, a quaint and cozy restaurant serving a small menu of tapas, paella, empanadas, and other Spanish dishes. It feels like a true hidden gem, tucked among the tourist shops!

8. Visit the Convento de la Popa.

On the highest point in Cartagena sits Convento de la Popa, founded by Augustinian friars at the start of the 17th century. Because of its prime location, it often suffered the side effects of the city’s military activity; it was damaged in battle, occupied as barracks, and even attacked because it was believed to be a fort. The Augustinians abandoned the abbey during the turbulence of the War of Independence, and they didn’t return until 1961. At that time, the buildings were in severe disrepair and underwent a major restoration. Take a taxi or Uber (it’s definitely not walkable, and there’s no public transportation) up the winding roads for a visit to the convent and a great view of the city.

9. Explore the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas.

Another high point in Cartagena is closer to the walled city and could be accessed from Getsemaní by foot. (I’d advise you take the more southern bridge at Carrera 11, not the route via Avenida Pedro de Heredia.) The Castillo San Felipe de Barajas was built by the Spanish at a strategic elevation point overlooking both the city and sea. It covers the entire hillside; Lonely Planet claims it’s the greatest fortress that Spain ever built in the colonies. You can pay extra for an audio tour, and there are guides offering their services, as well. Or you could just wing it like us and let the kids run around to explore. It’s possible to explore with a stroller, if you’ve got a light one. And if you’re sweating profusely after your visit, head across the street to grab a drink and ice cream from a bodega. The Museo del Chocolate is also nearby!

10. Browse street art in Getsemaní.

Located just south of the walled city (within walking distance), Getsemaní is a neighborhood with more of a bohemian, backpacker vibe. It has become known for its murals and street art, but there are also narrow alleys, rooftop restaurants, and busy plazas to explore; Plaza de la Trinidad is buzzes with warm, musical energy at dusk! Because city strolls aren’t always the most interesting to kids, you can keep them entertained with a mural scavenger hunt. (Check out my friend Chelsea’s blog for tips on how to keep kids engaged during your travels; she’s so good at this, whereas I just default to “osmosis learning,” lol.) You can book a guided walking tour of the city or take your own self-guided one. We used this one on the GPSMyCity app as a guide.

11. Play on the playground.

Sometimes, the kids just want a playground, but they’re not very common in Cartagena. That’s why I’m telling you the exact location of one we lucked upon during our walk through Getsemaní: on the eastern side of the neighborhood, on Avenida Pedregel (Carrera 11), at the cross-street of Calle 26, south of the bridge. Buy a cerveza from a street vendor and enjoy the break.

12. Learn about the Palenqueras (before snagging a photo)!

These “fruit ladies” are a ubiquitous site in Cartagena, but they have a much more interesting history than you’d learn by just snapping a photo. In the colonial days, when Cartagena was one of the New World’s largest slave markets, a group of enslaved Africans revolted and ran away from the port, establishing their own village about 30 minutes outside Cartagena called San Basilio de Palenque. They continued to help free enslaved Africans and were so annoying to Spain that they were offered peace treaties to stop (which Spain broke) and then eventually just offered freedom from Spanish rule. To support the community, as isolated as it was, women would bring baskets of fruit into Cartagena, by foot, to sell and then return home with the money. Today, they still come into the city to make money, but most is made posing with tourists. The women are happy to take photos, but tipping is a must!

13. Buy a picture book in the local language.

My favorite souvenir to buy from every place we visit – especially around the world – is a picture book written in the local language. I like to find ones with few enough words that my English-speaking-only self can read it without torture to self or audience, AND the plot needs to be clear enough through pictures or limited vocabulary that it’s comprehensible to the kids. This makes for really fun bedtime stories at home that remind us of our travels. Visit Ábaco Libros y Café, a cozy bookstore and cafe to browse for your own bookish souvenir. They also offer coffee, tea, and a place to sit and rest as you shop.

14. Shop in an old bull-fighting stadium.

If you’re venturing to Cartagena for its history and culture, odds are you don’t want to visit a shopping mall, but La Serrezuela is a very impressive one that has a unique, historical story. It sits on the original site of Circo Teatro de La Serrezuela, a theater built in the late 1800s for concerts, boxing, and bull-fighting. It was in disrepair for decades, but the mall project was a massive restoration for the site. The theater was restored and updated, and the shopping mall was designed around it. Even though the theater itself reaches stories higher than the surrounding buildings, it’s designed so well that you can be walking on the sidewalk outside and not even realize you’re next to a mall. The shopping is higher end; the food options are good; and the air conditioning is a welcome respite. Also, escalators (for entertaining kids) galore!

15. Eat popsicles.

It’s hot, and kids are hungry. How do you stop the whining? Popsicles, naturally! There are so many delicious Caribbean fruits in the region that make great ice cream flavors different from the common ones at home. We visited La Paletteria nearly every day of our trip for a morning or afternoon snack, and I’m fairly certain the woman behind the counter got sick of seeing us so often! There’s a mix of fruity or creamy flavors, plenty to choose from for a different flavor each visit – though once I found the Oreo cheesecake, I had it every time!

16. Book a resort pass in Bocagrande.

There are many hotels in the walled city with pools, but they’re often small and not really conducive to kid chaos; and if you’re staying in an Airbnb, odds are you don’t have one. But as I’ve said a million times, Cartagena is hot and humid. For a break from the suffering, you can book a day pass at a resort in the Bocagrande neighborhood. This is a huge win because it means you don’t have to stay in this area just to enjoy its amenities. Halfway through our trip, we used ResortPass to book a day at the Hyatt Regency where the basic option was $54 for adults, $20 for kids 7 and older, and free for kids under 6. It included all-day access to its 3 rooftop pools and lunch. (There are other pass options, as well.) This was the smartest thing we did all week, because it was such a relaxing day for all of us and it WORE. THOSE. KIDS. OUT… without any whining! The Hilton is another option of comparable price; Hotel Las Americas is further north, past the airport, and is a bit pricier; and within the walled city, Hotel Movich supposedly has an option, as well, though I’ve read on reddit it’s quite pricey.

17. Take a boat trip to the Rosario Islands.

The Islas del Rosario are an archipelago of 27 small coral islands about an hour’s boat ride away from Cartagena. If you’re looking for the Caribbean beach vacation vibe, this is where you’ll find it. There are many tour operators that can take you there; we booked an all-day private excursion with Botegena. Our guide Brayan and entire crew did a great job sharing stories of the area while also allowing us to just enjoy the day. We snorkeled among the coral reef (fun fact: the whole area is actually preserved as a national park!) and then spent a few hours at a family-friendly beach resort where we swam, paddle boarded, ate ourselves silly, and drank cocktail out of coconuts. It was so wonderful, we didn’t even mind the half-day of rain! If you’re visiting Cartagena for more than 48 hours, I’d say this is a must!