Getsemani Cartagena: FULL Travel Guide For 2023

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Getsemani Cartagena is one of the most colourful, vibrant and trendy neighbourhoods in Colombia. It’s a popular spot for backpackers and tourists to explore the city, soak in some of the cultures, dine out at popular rooftop bars and try some authentic street food.

Getsemani Cartagena is also known for its incredible street art, and just wandering the streets, listening to the live music and admiring the colourful murals is an activity in itself!

We personally loved Getsemani Cartagena, and it was one of our favourite places in Colombia. From the people to the atmosphere, the things to do and the local history, it’s a perfect stop off on your Colombia backpacking trip!

In the following post, I explain everything you need to know about Getsemani Cartagena, including where to stay, places to eat, and what to do, how to experience the nightlife and even some incredible bucket list day trips that can be taken from the area. So, let’s get started!

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

🇨🇴 Other Colombia posts:

• Palenque Tour Cartagena: The BEST Day Trip!
• 2 Days In Cartagena Colombia: Perfect Itinerary!
• Yellow Fever Vaccine Cartagena: Tourist Guide
• Medellin To Cartagena: FULL Transport Guide
• Cartagena To Minca: Best Routes + Ways To Travel

Why visit Getsemani Cartagena?

Getsemani Cartagena is a trendy, colourful neighbourhood in Colombia. It’s within the famous UNESCO walled city and is full of bars, restaurants, cafes, live street performances and vivid street art.

For us, it was everything we wanted from Cartagena. It was full of life, culture and history, and we were able to try some local foods as well dine in some of our favourite home comfort restaurants (like Italian and American cuisines).

If you’re looking for nightlife in Cartagena, Getsemani is the best place to be. The streets quite literally come alive at sundown, with hundreds of cocktail vendors lining the streets. You can grab a rum cocktail for under $3 USD, and watch the street performances in front of the Plaza de la Trinidad before a night out in the rooftop bars and clubs.

Even if you’re not into nightlife, we found Getsemani to be the most ‘authentic’ part of Cartagena, along with the other parts of the Old City.

Bocagrande is a little more like Miami; with its tall buildings and skyscrapers overlooking the ocean. It depends on what you’re looking for, but we preferred Getsemani.

Is Getsemani Cartagena safe?

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

We stayed in Getsemani Cartagena for a week. Throughout this time, we felt safe, both during the day and at night. The latest we’d walk around at night was around 9 pm, so I can’t speak for after this time. After talking to some friends, it seems that Ubers are popular at night after this time, especially if you’re having a late night out.

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 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.

Where to stay Getsemani Cartagena

Cartagena is another big city in Colombia, and there are many different areas to stay in. I’ll be doing a post in the near future about all of the accommodation areas in Cartagena, but if you’re visiting for a short stay, 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!
• 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!
• Hotel Dorado Plaza Calle del Arsenal: a hotel with a rooftop in Getsemani.

Getting around Getsemani Cartagena

Getting around Getsemani is easy as most of it is walkable. The streets are a little chaotic with cars, bikes, taxis and street vendors, so take extra care when walking around, especially at night!

If you need to travel further than Getsemani, Cartagena has both Uber and yellow licensed taxis. We used Uber to get to and from the airport, and both journeys took under 20 minutes.

Best things to do in Getsemani Cartagena

1. Admire the street art

Getsemani is well known for its incredible street art and graffiti; so much so that tourists will travel from all over the city to see it. From Disney Encanto murals to motivational messages, portraits of locals and funky word art, it’s worth walking around Getsemani for its street art alone.

You don’t have to look too far to find the street art, but a good place to start is the main square (Plaza de la Trinidad). From there, you can explore all of the nooks and crannies, side streets and alleys to find some of the best artwork!

2. Try the tasty street food

You’ll have the opportunity to try street food all over Getsemani, although we found one of the best places to be the main square (Plaza de la Trinidad).

At around 5-6 pm, the street vendors will take to the square and serve up everything from traditional arepas to giant hamburgers and hotdogs.

🦉 Top tip: if you’re hungry, try Chambos. The burgers are big enough to feed two people, and have over ten ingredients and four different types of meat!

3. Have a night out on the Chiva bus

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!

4. Walk around the walled city

The UNESCO fortification walls surrounding a large part of Cartagena were built in the 1600s, as a way to defend the city from attackers and pirates. The walls, including underwater caissons, took 200 years to build, and are still known for being one of the best architectural tourist attractions in the country.

The walls of Cartagena are in the Historical Center, near the area of Getsemani. You can walk along the walls yourself, admire the views and learn more about the history of Colombia.

5. Take a photo with the ladies of Palenque

If you’re unfamiliar with the history of Palenque, the word simply means a walled community that was created by escaped slaves in the 16th-17th Century. The specific Palenque near Cartagena, San Basilio de Palenque, was the first free black town in all of the Americas.

I actually recommend doing a day trip to Palenque, but if you don’t have the time, you can speak to the ladies in the traditional Palenque dress in the main square and around Getsemani.

They’re more than happy to pose for photos and videos, although you do need to tip a small amount.

Want to know more about a day trip to Palenque? You can check out my full blog post about Palenque Cartagena here, or book your tour today!

6. Drink at a rooftop bar

Getsemani Cartagena is full of rooftop bars, with our favourites being Selina, Movich and Sophia. All are open every evening for sunset cocktails and nibbles, with panoramic views of Cartagena.

This is also one of the best ways to see the Caribbean Sea if you’re staying in the Old Town or Getsemani, as it’s a short walk away!

7. Spot sloths in Parque Del Centenario

One of the best things to do in Getsemani Cartagena (and my favourite thing) is to spot sloths in Parque del Centenario! Before visiting Cartagena, I had no idea that you could even see sloths in Colombia, so this was such a nice surprise!

The park isn’t too big, and you’ll usually see a crowd of people pointing and standing around a specific tree. Chances are this is because there’s a sloth moving through the leaves. You’ll have the opportunity to spot a mum, dad and baby sloth in the trees here!

Many locals selling ice creams and street food will also be happy to help you find the sloths. They’re harmless, and exceptionally kind, and genuinely want to show you the sloths. However, it’s best to tip a little at the end if they spend time helping you!

There are also large iguanas in the park, so keep your eyes peeled if you’re walking across the grass (stepping on an iguana’s tail is not a wise move!)

8. Have a beach day

There are plenty of beaches in Cartagena to relax on, but unfortunately, none are too close to Getsemani. However, if you have enough time, most tourists like to spend some time by the Caribbean Sea whilst in Cartagena.

Castillo Grande, Bocagrande and Laguito are some of the most popular beaches in Cartagena.

Need to get to the beach from Getsemani? Your best bet is either walking (if it’s not too hot, as they’re quite a distance) or jumping in an Uber. Uber is widely available in Cartagena and is super cheap!

9. Join a free walking tour

Another great activity to do whilst you’re in Getsemani Cartagena is to join a free walking tour to learn about the history of the city. Tours are based on tips, and take place twice a day (10 am and 4 pm to avoid the midday heat) in the Old Town and Getsemani.

Walking tours are also a great way to meet new people and make friends if you are solo travelling!

➡ Book a professional walking tour now to experience the flavours of Cartagena, meet some of the locals and learn about the history of the walled city!

10. Learn how to salsa dance

Ok, I’ll admit I’m guilty of travelling both Central and South America and never taking a salsa class! I am just not a dancer, but I do know how much other tourists and backpackers have enjoyed it – especially in Colombia!

And Cartagena is no exception; you can take a salsa class either in your hostel or one of the local venues. It’s a unique way to immerse yourself in the culture, and if you’ve got the guts to do it, it’s one of the best things to do in Getsemani Cartagena!

11. Take a day trip

As well as experiencing the energy of Getsemani, there are plenty of day trips to take from Cartagena. Some of my favourites are listed in the section below, including the once-in-a-lifetime trip to Palenque and snorkelling in the crystal clear sea around the Rosario Islands!

Related post: Palenque Tour Cartagena: The BEST Day Trip! | 10 BEST Day Trips From Cartagena Colombia!

Day trips from Getsemani Cartagena

If you’re staying in Getsemani Cartagena for a while, you may want to take a day trip to experience some of the surrounding areas. In my opinion, these are the best day trips from Getsemani Cartagena!

• Palenque Day Trip: I’ve written a full blog post about why Palenque is so special here, and it really is one of the best day trips from Cartagena. You’ll walk around the first free black town in all of the Americas, and even try some of the African traditions that the community still uses today. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, which you can book here! ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Full-day snorkelling tour to the Rosario Islands: if you want to experience the Caribbean Sea in Cartagena, I highly recommend a snorkelling tour! You’ll visit Isla Grande, Cholon, and Playa Blanca and have lunch on the beach whilst relaxing in a hammock. It is a dreamy day trip from Getsemani Cartagena that anyone with a love of crystal clear waters should do! ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Bora Bora Beach Club: Spend the day relaxing at a Caribbean beach club, which includes a speed boat tour to the Rosario Islands. Expect swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding and a tasty complimentary lunch with a welcome cocktail! ➡ BOOK NOW!

• Cartagena ATV Tour: A unique tour from Getsemani Cartagena is taking an ATV tour to the Colombian countryside. You’ll enjoy panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea, as well as a private spot on the beach to take a swim or relax with a cold coconut. It’s the perfect day trip from Cartagena for an adventure seeker! ➡ BOOK NOW!

➡ Explore all Cartagena day trips here!

Where to eat and drink in Getsemani Cartagena

There are so many food and drink options in Getsemani, and you will find so many bars and restaurants as you walk around! Whilst we were in Cartagena, we found the best food and drink spots to be:

• Di Silvio Italian: the perfect evening spot for incredible Italian food. There’s also a big open garden full of plants and fairy lights – it’s like dining in Europe!
• El Bololo: Caribbean-style healthy bowls – perfect for lunch!
• Chamo Burgers: a street food van serving cheap yet delicious burgers and hot dogs. Word of warning – they’re HUGE portions!
• Getsemani Pizzas: the perfect spot by the main square if you’re craving a carby pizza!
• San Nicolas: an American-style restaurant, similar to TGI Fridays! Serves both Colombian and Western food.
• La Rumba: an Italian-style cafe, serving both lunch and dinner. Excellent prices for high-quality food.
• Macarena: tasty Italian and Western options for dinner.

Coffee and brunch in Getsemani Cartagena (including co-working spaces)

We found Getsemani and other parts of Cartagena to be a little harder to co-work or work from a coffee shop. Whilst there were a few, there weren’t as many as cities like Medellin, which is a better stop for digital nomads in Colombia.

If you are looking for somewhere to work or grab a coffee in Getsemani Cartagena, I recommend the following places. Note that some may be a five-ten minute walk from the centre of Getsemani.

• Cafe Central Traveller’s Coffee (has amazing lunch options too!)
• Cafe Del Mural
• Tostao Cafe y Pan
• Cafe De La Manana (perfect for co-working)
• Beiyu (delicious bowls and breakfast options)

Related post: 10 BEST Day Trips From Cartagena Colombia!

Nightlife in Getsemani Cartagena

Nightlife in Getsemani Cartagena is buzzing. There is something going on every night of the week, and if you’re looking for a crazy, wild Colombian night out, Cartagena is the best place to be.

Most backpacker hostels such as Selina or Life is Good organise bar crawls, meetups and pre-drinks for nights out in Getsemani. They can also arrange trips on the Chiva Bus – which is basically a chaotic party bus with loud music, flashing lights and a lot of alcohol.

After dark, the streets around Getsemani come alive. There are street vendors selling cocktails and alcohol on every corner and bars serving al fresco along all of the major streets. Expect loud music, late nights and a crazy time in Cartagena!

Related post: Cartagena Nightlife: Colombia Party Guide! < ALL of the best party spots for first-timers!

Studying Spanish in Getsemani Cartagena

Want to learn Spanish whilst you’re staying in Getsemani Cartagena? Learning Spanish in Colombia is perfect for budget backpackers, as lessons are relatively cheap. The best Spanish schools in Getsemani and the surrounding areas of Cartagena include:

• Acento Spanish School
• Nueva Lengua
• Letra Caribe

When booking Spanish lessons in Getsemani Cartagena, be sure to check specifics such as lesson structure, group sizes, and immersive or classroom-based and extra-curricular activities. Not sure how to decide on a Spanish school? Check out more information in my Spanish school blog post here.

Things to avoid in Getsemani Cartagena

Whilst Getsemani Cartagena is a great spot to stay in Colombia, it’s also good to know the things to avoid.

➡ Hecklers and street sellers: you will often be approached by locals trying to sell all sorts of things (read between the lines here!) 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.

➡ Walking around solo late at night. Whilst Getsemani is a relatively safe area in Cartagena, it’s still important to stay safe after dark. I recommend only walking around in a group at night and only taking well-lit main roads.

Where to go AFTER Getsemani Cartagena

Backpacking South America? Here are some popular options to go AFTER Cartagena if you are travelling through Colombia or some of the surrounding countries.

➡ Medellin: Medellin was our favourite city in Colombia, and it’s the perfect spot for digital nomads. It’s a short one-hour flight from Cartagena (or a 20+ hour bus, which you can find out more about here).

➡ Santa Marta: Another popular coastal town which is the perfect stop for Tayrona National Park. Book your bus to Santa Marta here! (Check out my FULL Cartagena to Santa Marta travel guide here!)

➡ Minca. Minca is a small village in the Colombian mountains, and is ideal for nature lovers and those who like waterfalls, wildlife and jungle hikes! Check out my post on how to travel from Cartagena to Minca here!

➡ San Blas Islands: a popular, bucket-list 5-day boat trip across the Caribbean Sea to Panama!

➡ Bogota for onward travel: we actually flew to Bogota and then onward to Quito, Ecuador after Cartagena. It’s the perfect international airport for bigger flights across South America!

Book your South American flights here!

Getsemani Cartagena: FAQs

1) Where is Getsemani Cartagena?

Getsemani is around a 15-minute drive from Cartagena Airport. It is within the walled city of Cartagena, Colombia, and is just a 10-minute walk to the Caribbean Sea. Cartagena is on the Caribbean Coast of Colombia and is known for its lively streets, nightlife, and beautiful beaches. Cartagena is also one of the most popular tourist holiday destinations in Colombia.

➡ Book accommodation in Cartagena now!

2) Is Getsemani in the Walled City?

Yes, Getsemani is within the walled city of Cartagena Colombia. Getsemani is a colourful town in Cartagena perfect for backpackers and those visiting Cartagena for the first time.

Related post: Cartagena To Santa Marta: FULL Route | 10 BEST Day Trips From Cartagena Colombia!

3) What is the best street in Getsemaní?

Calle del Arsenal is one of the most colourful and vibrant streets in Getsemani. There are lots of bars, restaurants and colourful street art to admire. It’s also home to ‘Zona Rosa’, which is the party hub of Cartagena.

4) What’s the best area to stay in Cartagena?

If you haven’t visited Cartagena before, I recommend booking accommodation in the area of Getsemani. Getsemani is within the walled city of Cartagena and is full of life, restaurants, bars, street food and nightlife. It’s also a safe area in Cartagena for tourists.

➡ Book accommodation in Getsemani Cartagena now!

5) How many days in Cartagena is enough?

If you are visiting Cartagena for the first time, I recommend staying for around 3-4 nights. This gives you enough time to spend a day at the beach, take some day tours out of the city (snorkelling or to Palenque), roam the colourful Cartagena streets and have an epic Colombian night out!

➡ Book an epic stay in Cartagena now!

Related post: Cartagena Nightlife: Colombia Party Guide!

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!

Getsemani Cartagena: In A Nutshell

So, there you have it! Everything you need to know about Getsemani Cartagena. 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:

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