Tag: Getsemani

Where to Eat in Cartagena Now

We love Cartagena! It’s fun, scenic, and the food is delicious. While Colombians complain that Cartagena is expensive, we found the prices reasonable compared to most other parts of the world, demonstrating how affordable the rest of Colombia is! In our five months in Cartagena, with side trips here and there, we ate out a lot. Why not? Cartagena’s restaurant scene is vibrant, varied, and affordable. I did a lot of research before coming, but many acclaimed restaurants closed during the pandemic, so my list is where to eat in Cartagena now.

When we first got to Cartagena, there was a curfew in effect and the town was empty. We ate a lot of lunches rather than have to rush through dinner at 6PM. Now hours are back to normal, and tourists are back, so I recommend reservations.

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Art in The Streets of Getsemani

When you visit Cartagena, you’ll go to the neighborhood of Getsemani. Adjacent to the old city, it’s a nexus for nightlife and dining. What it’s most known for is art, and if you’re like me, you’ll love the colorful art in the streets of Getsemani.

About Getsemani

When I first came to Cartagena in 2016, Getsemani was the “edgy” neighborhood known for its hip street art tours. Now it is an established tourist attraction with great restaurants, upscale hotels, and still the best street art in the city. In fact, all you need to do is take a quick stroll off the main avenue to immerse yourself in the colors of Getsemani.

Start at Plaza de la Trinidad

It may seem confusing in Cartagena, the narrow streets turn and wind and almost seem circular, but that’s part of the fun, especially when there’s so much to see! I recommend heading for Plaza de la Trinidad to get started exploring Getsemani.

Plaza de la Trinidad Getsemani Cartagena
The church and Plaza de la Trinidad

If you’re doing a walk of the neighborhood in search of inspired photo backgrounds, start or end in this main plaza. The colorful art in the streets of Getsemani spreads out from Plaza de la Trinidad, named after the Iglesia Trinidad (Holy Trinity), which dominates it.

Trinidad Church in Getsemani
Iglesia de la Trinidad
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Cartagena’s Tourist Area

The guidebooks call it “The Old City,” or “The Walled City,” and the locals merely call it “El Centro” but either way they’re talking about a beautiful place to visit. Cartagena’s tourist area is a compelling mess of narrow streets filled with colorful buildings, art, crafts and people. Visitors to the city flock here for many reasons.

The Walled City of Cartagena

 The exterior of the old city is marked by an old stone wall, which makes for a great walk overlooking the sea at dusk when the blazing sun isn’t burning you to a crisp. The wall runs for 11km and encompasses the port and the old city, including Getsemani.

Horse drawn carriages mix with taxis in the roads, and tourists work around vendors on the sidewalks. Stroll around and see beautiful old buildings, modern art sculptures, craft stalls and lovely plazas.

Cartagena Teatro
Teatro in Old City Cartagena
Get Lost in the Streets

I visited the old town multiple times over the course of my stay in this city, and “lost” every time, but I always saw something new and lovely. For me, getting lost in the streets of Cartagena’s tourist area is a day well spent. I loved wandering the streets taking countless photos of the gorgeous surroundings.

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