Overview

Romantic and evocative Cartagena de Indias is without doubt one of the most captivating cities on the continent. The colonial heart of this Caribbean treasure, embraced by 17m. thick walls, oozes a swashbuckling history. Since its founding at the time of the Spanish Empire the city was subsequently attacked by waves of pirates and national fleets; the forts and cannons erected to protect it are still in place. Nowadays it is a cultured city, where gentle harmonies filter through the walls of music academies, language schools attract international students, artists flock to capture the sensual delights of flower-decked balconies and boutique hotels, salsa bars and literary cafés spill out onto the streets.

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Holidays Cartagena

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Guatape

Group - Classic

Colombia

Chachalaca: Colombia’s Colonial and Coffee Culture

14 days from £3,864pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Classic holidays

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Private Journeys

Colombia

Signature Colombia: Culture and coffee

14 days from £2,820pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Tayrona National Park

Private Journeys

Colombia

Trailblazer Colombia

12 days from £2,420pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Cocora Valley

Group - Discovery

Colombia

Weaverbird: Spirit of Colombia

16 days from £2,904pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Things to do

We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.

Where to go when - our guide to Cartagena

Cartagena

The weather in Cartagena is wide and varied

Cartagena remains one of Latin America’s most captivating and romantic cities, with cobbled streets soaked in sunshine and fascinating cultural events. This is an all-year destination where you can always expect sun. Visit Dec - Apr for the drier season which tends to be rain-free, whilst June - November can be prone to torrential showers. The Hay Festival of literature will draw keen readers and aspiring writers in January, while the horse-riding parades of Fiesta de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria are delightful in January / February. March is another exciting month with its Caribbean Music Festival, where revelers can dance to reggae, salsa and many local genres. The same month sees the city’s venues come alive with the International Film Festival, which draws stars from across the globe. During holidays and festivals such as these the city will be very busy, but all the more atmospheric.

View our Cartagena weather guide

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Paul
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

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