Cartagena Nightlife: Colombia Party Guide! (2023)

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Did you know that Cartagena Colombia is known for its nightlife? It’s not just the incredible food, history and beautiful beaches that attract tourists and domestic holidaymakers to the area, it’s also because it’s one of the best places in Colombia to party.

Known for having a buzzing atmosphere every night of the week, you can enjoy a drink or two on a rooftop, learn to salsa dance or party until the early hours in a luxury nightclub.

In the following post, I outline the best places to party, eat and dance in Cartagena, as well as sharing my tips for staying safe at night in Cartagena.

If you would like to avoid the Cartagena party scene (it is possible!) and visit for the sunsets, culture and beach days, check out my complete non-partying Getsemani Cartagena guide here!

Still got a question about Cartagena nightlife? Let me know over on Instagram or shoot me an email at jennie(@)jenniewanders.com!

🇨🇴 Other Colombia posts:

• Getsemani Cartagena: FULL Travel Guide
• Cartagena To Minca: Best Routes + Ways To Travel
• Palenque Tour Cartagena: The BEST Day Trip!
• Yellow Fever Vaccine Cartagena: Tourist Guide
• Medellin To Cartagena: FULL Transport Guide

Cartagena Nightlife: A Summary

In a city that has over a million local residents, the nightlife in Cartagena is a diverse mix of locals, domestic tourists and international travellers. With this combination, you can only imagine how the atmosphere ramps up when the sun goes down.

If you’re a backpacker or tourist looking to party, Cartagena is the place in Colombia. Different clubs, bars and restaurants will host different events, with some offering happy hours, discounted drinks, ladies’ nights, salsa classes and drinking games.

One thing we loved about Cartagena was that the nightlife suited everyone. Even if you’re not a hardcore 4 am nightclub fan, you could enjoy a few cocktails in a rooftop bar or round a table on Trinidad Square.

Or if you fancy being more hands-on, you could join a salsa lesson or dance rumba all whole night long.

Where to stay in Cartagena for the best nightlife

Cartagena is another big city in Colombia, and there are many different areas to stay in. If you’re looking to do your fair share of partying whilst in Cartagena, I recommend booking accommodation in Getsemani.

Getsemani is the main ‘hub’ of Cartagena and is home to the biggest backpacker hostels. It’s also known for its colourful streets, range of restaurants, bars and nightlife.

For backpackers and short-term tourists in Getsemani (Cartagena), I recommend one of the following:

• Life Is Good Hostel: perfect for any short-term tourist. It’s a boutique hostel in an ideal location, and it was one of our favourite hostels in Colombia for a number of reasons. Stay here if you can! ➡ CHECK PRICES

• Media Luna: this is known as being THE party hostel in Cartagena, and even if you don’t stay here, the chances are you’ll visit. Not known for being the most luxurious or nicest hostels; it’s for those who want to party around the clock (and simply don’t care where they sleep). ➡ CHECK PRICES

• Viajero Hostel: another good location a few minutes from Getsemani; perfect for solo travellers or couples. We’ve stayed in a few Viajero Hostels and have loved them! ➡ CHECK PRICES

• Hotel Dorado Plaza Calle del Arsenal: a hotel with a rooftop in Getsemani. ➡ CHECK PRICES

Related post: The BEST Hostels in Cartagena, Colombia!

Best bars, clubs and nightlife in Cartagena

Related post: Check out my detailed guide on staying in Getsemani here! | Cartagena To Santa Marta: FULL Route | Best Day trips from Cartagena

1) Boarding the Chiva bus

📍 Location: Getsemani/Old Town

⏰ Opening times: every evening for 3-4 hours

🪩 Vibe: late-night party/pre-drinking

Not quite sure what a Chiva bus is? We weren’t either before we visited Colombia! Chiva buses are essentially party buses, with live music (usually there’s a band onboard), flashing, colourful lights and of course, lots of alcohol.

Every evening, you can board a Chiva bus from Getsemani and party the night away as you drive past some of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Most hostels organise bar crawls and parties on the Chiva buses, or you can pre-book your experience here!

2) Tertulia De Getsemani

📍 Location: Getsemani

⏰ Opening times: 3pm – 3am

🪩 Vibe: salsa bar

If you’re looking to dance a little salsa when in Cartagena, Tertulia De Getsemani is the place! With traditional decor, cheap drinks and live dance shows, it’s one of the best bars in Cartagena for a good night out.

3) Cafe Del Mar

📍 Location: Old Town (along the seafront)

⏰ Opening times: 4.30 pm – 2am

🪩 Vibe: casual and laidback restaurant and bar

Cafe Del Mar is the perfect spot to grab a casual drink along the waterfront. Expect cocktails accompanied by sea views and chilled techno music. The prices are a little higher than most bars in Cartagena, but it’s worth it. Finding a table can be tricky, so arrive early for your best chances.

4) Alquimico 

📍 Location: Old Town

⏰ Opening times: 6pm – 2am

🪩 Vibe: late-night cocktail bar

A three-storey bar set within a huge Cartagena mansion, Alquimico is often called the best bar in the city. With a huge range of fancy and unique cocktails, it has a fun and upbeat atmosphere, just the interior alone makes the trip to Alquimico worth it! One not to be missed when in Cartagena.

5) Terraza Municipal

📍 Location: Getsemani

⏰ Opening times: 5pm – 1am

🪩 Vibe: casual street food and drinks

Terraza Municipal is an outside dining and drinking venue right next to the sea. We loved it – not just because of the sunset views – but we’re suckers for street food vans and gastronomical food markets. Stop by for a pint to start your pre-game!

6) Clock Pub

📍 Location: Old Town

⏰ Opening times: 8am – 1am

🪩 Vibe: casual pub set-up

If you want something as similar to a traditional British pub as possible, the Clock Pub is it. We were genuinely shocked to see a pub-style bar like this in Colombia, and it felt SO good to have a beer in a setting like this!

The Clock Pub is also a great place to watch any international sport games – just expect it to get busy!

7) Movich’s Rooftop

📍 Location: San Diego

⏰ Opening times: 10am – late

🪩 Vibe: stylish, modern rooftop bar

Movich’s was another of our favourite rooftop bars in Cartagena. Situated in the San Diego district, it had incredible panoramic, 360 views of the Cartagena skyline. It also served some of the best cocktails we had all week (although they were the most expensive!)

8) The Sugar Cocktails

📍 Location: Getsemani

⏰ Opening times: 6pm – 3am

🪩 Vibe: late-night party

The perfect spot for a late-night cocktail and a dance! Sugar Cocktails only gets busy past midnight, so make it one of your last stops.

9) Townhouse Boutique Hotel & Rooftop

📍 Location: Old Town

⏰ Opening times: 8am – 1am

🪩 Vibe: chilled rooftop drinks

Townhouse is one of the best spots for sunset cocktails and tapas in the Old Town. Expect live DJs, chilled vibes and epic skyline views. It was one of our favourite rooftop bars whilst in Cartagena, especially for dinner and the sunset views!

10) Eivissa

📍 Location: Old Town

⏰ Opening times: 4pm – 3am

🪩 Vibe: late-night party

Eivissa is known for being the best ‘rooftop disco’ in the Old City of Cartagena. With incredible views of the clock tower and city skyline, this venue gets busy every night of the week and continues the party until the early hours.

Expect techno and house music, live entertainment and a pretty wild night out.

11) Media Luna

📍 Location: Getsemani

⏰ Opening times: Wednesdays from 8pm – 3am

🪩 Vibe: backpacker party

Media Luna hosts a ‘Mega Party’ night on a Wednesday, which is known as the ‘place to be’ if you’re in Cartagena during the week. Party in the hostel club alongside backpackers and tourists until the early hours, and then you’ll continue on to the afterparty if you’re keen for more.

You can actually stay at Media Luna, and although it’s not known as one of the most luxurious or nicest hostels; it’s great for those who want to party around the clock (and simply don’t care where they sleep). ➡ CHECK PRICES!

Best nights to party in Cartagena

In general, Wednesday – Sunday are the best nights to party in Cartagena, but there’s something going on seven nights a week for those who are keen to party around the clock.

If you’re a backpacker, head to Media Luna hostel on a Wednesday. They run ‘Mega Party’ nights, where both locals and tourists attend a crazy party until the early hours.

On the weekend (Friday-Sunday) everywhere will be busy. We found Friday night to be notably louder and more chaotic than earlier in the week, and the streets were packed full of eager partygoers and gringos.

Budget for partying in Cartagena

Cartagena is a little more expensive than Medellin or Bogota when it comes to partying, simply because it attracts so many domestic tourists as well as international travellers.

But as someone who has lived in London their whole life, it’s still not ‘expensive‘. Yes, they boost the prices because of the amount of gringos and holidaymakers, but it’s still not as expensive as drinking in the States or the UK!

Depending on the type of ‘partyer’ and drinker you are, you can expect to spend anywhere between $30-100 USD (160,000-500,000 COP) on a night out in Cartagena.

Some venues do require a cover charge, which is usually between $5-10 USD. But in general, this is only the bigger nightclubs and luxury venues.

The cheapest drink in Cartagena is either the local beer or rum. There are many street vendors who set up stands at nightfall, offering cheap Caribbean rum and mixer drinks or shots. Most have flashing lights and music to accompany their stand, so it’s an experience drinking there as well as being a good way to save some cash!

Related post: Cartagena To Santa Marta: FULL Route + Travel Guide

Is Cartagena safe at night?

Safety in different countries, cities and towns is subjective. However, I am going to talk about our personal experiences of safety in Cartagena and how we found it.

Overall, Getsemani Cartagena has a safe feel to it. The streets are narrow and compact, and there are many security guards and police monitoring the area. 

Most restaurants in the evening are al fresco, and the cocktail bars spill onto the street corners; meaning you can find groups of both locals and tourists drinking and socialising outside.

However, Getsemani Cartagena isn’t the calmest of areas! If I’m honest, it’s chaotic, and you will get approached several times by sellers, regardless of the time of day or where you are.

We found we could only walk around five minutes in Getsemani without being approached, sang to (yes, sang to!) or asked about our life story – but, they’re harmless! Simply say ‘no gracias’ and make it clear you’re not interested.

Whilst it’s your prerogative what you dabble in and buy from locals when in Colombia (if you catch my drift), you do need to be careful.

We aren’t interested in anything like that, so we don’t have any personal experience with it, but we do have a friend who ended up in big trouble with the police.

It seems the local sellers work with the police, and end up bribing you for more money when you’re caught with anything. If you want my opinion, as easy as it is to get it, it isn’t worth it.

For more information about safety in Cartagena and Colombia, check out my in-depth, honest and realistic blog post about how to stay safe in Colombia as a solo female traveller here.

Related post: Getsemani Cartagena neighbourhood guide

Tips for staying safe in Cartagena at night

If you are wanting to experience the buzzing Colombian nightlife scene, these are some simple safety tips to follow after dark.

• Do not walk down any unlit or dark alleyways at night. Stick to the main, well-lit roads.
• Try and travel in a group, even if you are a solo traveller. I know this isn’t always possible, but if you’re walking around solo at 4 am, male or female, you’re putting yourself in a vulnerable position.
• Get an Uber if you need to travel further distances.
• If you’re using a dating app (go you!) always meet in a public place. When we were living in Medellin, we were told many stories of both women and men scamming gringos via Tinder or other apps.
• Police checks at night are frequent in Cartagena, and they may ask for a form of ID. I don’t recommend carrying your passport (a photocopy is enough), so ensure you have another form of ID on you (driving license etc).
• Never leave your drink unattended – an obvious one, but even more important in a foreign country!

Other things to do in Cartagena at night

As I previously mentioned, you don’t need to be a raving 4 am partygoer to enjoy the nightlife in Cartagena. There’s plenty to do that doesn’t involve sticky floors and a pounding headache the next day. Some of the other best things to do in Cartagena at night include:

• Spend the evening at Trinidad Square (the main square in Getsemani): this was our favourite place to be when the sun went down. Why? Well, it transforms into a lively, vibrant and buzzing place to be. From live performances, music, street food and cocktails and an abundance of tables and chairs to sit on and watch the world go by, it’s a great chilled option for your evenings in Cartagena.

• Drink a cocktail on a rooftop bar: there are plenty of rooftop bars in Cartagena (with our favourites being Selina, Movich and Sophia), and all are open throughout the day. This means you can watch the sunset and then head back to your apartment for a night of Netflix and popcorn!

• Enjoy a sunset cruise: one of the best ways to enjoy the Cartagena skyline, relax and still enjoy a cocktail or two. ➡ Check prices!

• Have dinner on an ocean cruise: another fun tour that doesn’t need to result in late-night dancing in Cartagena! You’ll have dinner in a small group and sail around Cartagena Bay. The dream! ➡ Check prices!

• Sail on a pirate ship: yes, you read that right! Ever wondered what it’s like to board a pirate ship? You can experience the antics of the sea in Cartagena on this pirate ship tour. It’s something different to do in the evenings, right?! ➡ Check prices!

• Sunset paddleboarding: one of the BEST nighttime activities in Cartagena is to go paddleboard as the sun sets. With zero alcohol involved, it’s a wholesome activity for those who want to soak in the views of the Caribbean Sea and Cartagena skyline. ➡ Check prices!

Cartagena Nightlife: FAQs

1) Does Cartagena have good nightlife?

Yes! Cartagena has some of the best nightlife in Colombia. From rooftop bars to luxury nightclubs, low-key bars and the infamous Chiva buses, you can experience a great night out in Cartagena, no matter your preferences.

2) Is there nightlife in Cartagena or Medellin?

Both Medellin and Cartagena have good nightlife – both have rooftop bars, clubs, bars and late-night venues. However, Medellin is a bigger city, so it has more options and a wider range of clubs, bars and restaurants. Cartagena is a coastal city, so many of the nightlife options take place near the Caribbean Sea. The one you prefer is a personal preference!

3) What part of Colombia has the best nightlife?

Medellin and Cartagena are known for having the best nightlife in Colombia. They have a wide range of bars, clubs and restaurants. However, if you want to late-night salsa dance, Cali is the best place to be, and Bogota is also known for its late-night venues and party scene.

4) Can you drink in public in Cartagena Colombia?

Yes, you are able to drink in public in Cartagena Colombia. There are currently no laws stating you cannot drink in public.

Don’t forget travel insurance for South America!

If you’re visiting South America as a backpacker, or even for a short vacation, it is so important to have travel insurance. And if you ended up on a post that’s called ‘epic party tips’, you know (just as well as I do) that you definitely need travel insurance.

Personally, I recommend SafetyWing. As a digital nomad and world traveller myself, I can confirm it is the best travel insurance out there. And one of the cheapest – they have deals that start at just $42 USD per month.

I know, I know, you’re thinking ‘but I can’t afford that!’. I was the same! It’s tough to fork out $42 a month on something ‘you might not need’. But what if something DOES happen? That extra Mezcal shot results in you falling down the stairs, or you eat something dodgy from a street food van.

If you need medical help at any point whilst in South America, you need travel insurance.

With SafetyWing, you’re covered on travel emergencies, basic medical costs and medical expenses throughout your trip, so you can travel without worry (at a backpacker’s price!)

Don’t even think twice about getting travel insurance for South America. Trust me, I have heard enough horror stories about backpackers who haven’t had insurance and have ended up in a lot of debt. Don’t be that person!

If you’ve been putting the job off because it takes a lot of time and effort to research the best travel insurance companies, I understand. That’s why I’ve done the hard work for you. Sign up for SafetyWing, and the job is done!

Cartagena Nightlife: In a Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about Cartagena nightlife. When you’re planning a trip to Colombia, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!

If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!

Keep an eye out for more Colombia content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!

As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!

Happy travelling 🙂

Jennie x

🇨🇴 Other Colombia posts:

• Cartagena To Minca: Best Routes + Ways To Travel
• Getsemani Cartagena: FULL Travel Guide
• Palenque Tour Cartagena: The BEST Day Trip!
• Yellow Fever Vaccine Cartagena: Tourist Guide
• Medellin To Cartagena: FULL Transport Guide