15 History Tours in Cartagena Worth Booking

Cartagena: Historic Center and Getsemaní Shared Walking Tour

1.Historic Center and Getsemaní Shared Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 2,716 reviews · 2h 30m · from $12Our pick

Explore Cartagena’s Walled City and Getsemaní on a lively 150-minute tour covering history, slavery, music, culture, and local tips.

“Our guide was Rebeca, we did the tour in Spanish and she was amazing. Very nice, kind and attentive all the time. She has a huge knowledge about Cartagena and Colombia’s history, and shared it with us in a really funny and light way Highly recommend to anyone who is going to visit Cartagena.”

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Historic Center & Getsemaní Shared Tour in Cartagena

2.Historic Center & Getsemaní Shared Tour in Cartagena

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 620 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $11Best value

Explore Cartagena’s walled city and Getsemaní on a lively walking tour covering history, culture, legends, and practical local tips.

“Legacy was brilliant at bringing the history and culture of Cartagena to life! A great first activity if you have just arrived in the city and want to find your feet. One minor suggestion would be to update the location pin on Google Maps; it took us a few minutes of confusion to find the meeting point as the pin is not quite accurate :)”

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San Basilio de Palenque History Tour

3.San Basilio de Palenque History Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 301 reviews · 4 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $88

Visit San Basilio de Palenque from Cartagena for Afro-Colombian history, music, food, language, dancing, and a memorable local welcome.

“Sofia was an excellent host. She speaks English and I appreciated her willingness to translate during the tour. She taught us a lot about the history of palenque. We experienced drums, dance, and tour which included viewing a historical home, Candy making, natural medicine & more. The lunch was DELICIOUS! While optional, you are asked to tip at each stop so just be prepared for that and bring pesos if you’d like to buy souvenirs.”

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Cartagena: Cultural tour Bazurto Market Adventure

4.Cultural tour Bazurto Market Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 200 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $69

Explore Cartagena’s Bazurto Market with a private guide, tasting fruit, hearing champeta, meeting artisans, and seeing daily local life.

“I must admit, I did think this tour was a bit pricey at first, but you really do get your money’s worth! Not only was Álvaro a knowledgeable guide, he also made sure I left with a full belly and even some souvenirs! I had no idea the amount of historical significance this market holds for the Afro-Caribbean population in Colombia! It also inspired me to change my plans and take a day trip to Palenque!”

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Bike Tours in Cartagena, Cartagena Tours, Cycling Tours, Historical Tours, History Tours in Cartagena, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Cartagena

Historic and Movie Bike or Walking Tour

5.Historic and Movie Bike or Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 189 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $45

Explore Cartagena by bike or on foot with local guide Gerardo, visiting historic squares, film sites, Getsemani, and the bay for $45.

“The host of this tour was fantastic and he spoke very clear english and showed me things that I would have never found on my own. A great three hours learning and see much of Cartagena. This is something to add to you list for sure.”

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Visit Palenque with natives : history, culture and ancestral legacy

6.Visit Palenque with natives : history, culture and ancestral legacy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $102

Visit San Basilio de Palenque from Cartagena for a native-led tour of Afro-Colombian history, music, medicine, murals, boxing, and local food.

“This tour was amazing. Our tour guide Romeo was an excellent guide. He took the time in narrating the history behind the tour. The people, the culture, the food etc. The community was amazing, the dance and the food was excellent. Overall, I grade this an A+. I’ll recommend this to everyone.”

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Cartagena Tours, Fishing, Historical Tours, History Tours in Cartagena, Lunch Experiences, Mangrove Tours, Tour Reviews

Mangroves, cultural fishing, black heritage town and lunch

7.Mangroves, cultural fishing, black heritage town and lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 29 reviews · 3 hours · from $49

Explore La Boquilla’s mangroves, try traditional net fishing, enjoy Afro-Caribbean seafood, and learn about Cartagena’s Black heritage.

“We loved the fishing trip into the mangroves and the chance to have a go at casting the nets. Harder than it looks but great fun. The drive through La Boquilla was an eye opener as to the way of life but interesting none the less. Lunch was OK but we would have happily missed that and headed home after the mangrove trip. Overall a good half day trip.”

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Cartagena Instagrammable History

8.Cartagena Instagrammable History

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 29 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $70

Review of Cartagena Instagrammable History, a private photo walk with local stories, rooftop cathedral views, Getsemani color, and city wildlife.

“Our guide was William, an 83-year old veteran of the Cartagen touring scene. We boarded the tour agency car with Simon, the driver and travelled to San Felipe de Barajas Fortress. William showed us the tunnels built under the fortress to confound invaders just in case they overpowered the fortress. He also impressed on us the genius of the fortress design. Then we drove to the highest point in the city, Candelaria Convent at La Popa hill. We did the peninsula and the Bocagrande beach with the high-rise hotels and condos. Then to the walled city for the Santo Domingo square with the church and the Botero and the Simon…”

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Historical Tour of Cartagena

9.Historical Tour of Cartagena

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 27 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $45

Walk Cartagena’s old city and Getsemaní with an accredited guide, visiting plazas, colonial streets, murals, and local landmarks in 2.5 hours.

“This was a great tour. Alvarito is a great guide. His English is good and his knowledge of the history and things to see was great. We saw many interesting and historic places. I highly recommend this guide and tour.”

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Freetour Cartagena and Gethsemane, Caribbean Heritage and Tradition

10.Freetour Cartagena and Gethsemane, Caribbean Heritage and Tradition

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $12

Explore Cartagena’s old city and Getsemaní on a $12 walking tour covering colonial history, Afro-Caribbean culture, landmarks, and local stories.

“Nancy is an excellent tour guide! Her passion for history and the nature of Colombia is infectious. She does a great job at pointing out details in Cartagena’s architecture, explaining their significance, and weaving together a story of the city’s colonial past that incorporates hierarchical class divisions, war and conquest, and ghosts rising from the Caribbean Sea. She also touches on the importance of Colombia’s biodiversity to the future of the country, and the world as a whole, as we passed by gardens and palm trees.”

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Palenque; Historical and Cultural Tour.

11.Palenque; Historical and Cultural Tour.

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $110

Explore Palenque de San Basilio from Cartagena with local guides, music, food, history, and a cultural show on this private day trip.

“The Palenque your was very interesting. We learned so much about the history of the people, Vanessa our tour guide did an amazing job, picking us up on time at the hotel and making sure we were comfortable. She took beautiful pictures throughout and then shared them with me!! The lunch was delicious! Those ladies can cook.”

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Private History Photography Tour

12.Private History Photography Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $100

Review of Cartagena’s private history photography tour, with Getsemaní street art, colonial sights, 10 edited photos, price, and practical tips.

“we enjoyed the experience and our guide was friendly and nice. would have liked him to have a little more history knowledge to share, but still a great experience”

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Food Tour History °Cafe Cartagena Tasting

13.Food Tour History °Cafe Cartagena Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $40

Explore Cartagena through eight local tastings, Getsemaní, the Walled City, and a hands-on Colombian coffee lesson for $40.

“Our tour guide Mafe was extremely friendly, she gave some details about the different streets we would pass by. The coffee class was very informative and the presenter was knowledgeable and charismatic, definitely recommend it!”

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Cartagena History and Culture Private Walking Tour

14.Cartagena History and Culture Private Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes (approx.) · from $40

Review of Cartagena’s private 2.5-hour walking tour, with colonial sights, a local guide, practical tips, price advice, and booking cautions.

“If you decide to go on this tour, make sure you contact the tour guide well in advance. In my experience, I never got a response from the tour guide and when I got in contact with Viator, they tried there best to help me out, but with no success. I didn't get a set location nor a start time. So I ended up touring the city of Cartagena on my own. The city is beautiful. I just wish I could have had a tour guide. The reason for the 1 star is because I had to give one, otherwise I would have not given a star at all”

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Historical private Tour

15.Historical private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $130

Review of Cartagena’s private historical tour, covering La Popa, San Felipe Castle, old-town plazas, Getsemani, price, timing, and value.

“Julie was an excellent tour guide. We had a private tour and she took us to all the highlights of the city. She was very informative while we were driving around. We had a great time. I would highly recommend her.”

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