Cartagena is the city that travelers from Colombia and from all over the world prefer to celebrate Christmas and New Year, thanks to the architecture, colors and energy that the walled city and the nearby neighborhoods have. December marks the beginning of the high season, and in these two holidays the atmosphere increases greatly with the large number of travelers walking in the streets and getting to know the sites of interest at any time of the day. We've prepared a guide that includes the different ways in which you can celebrate, and the things to do in Christmas and New Year's eve in Cartagena, a holiday season awaited for most of us to meet with family and friends!
The majority of touristic activities will take place normally during these holidays, but we recommend booking in advance to make sure there is availability.
Click here to see the activities on sale in Cartagena
Find here useful tips on different ways to celebrate and things to do in Cartagena for Christmas and New Year’s, a long-awaited holiday for most of us, a time of the year when we can finally hang out with friends and family!
Have dinner in the best hotels or restaurants of the city
A good meal is an essential part of christmas, and what better way to follow the tradition than enjoying the great gastronomic offer of the best hotels and restaurants from Cartagena? These private events include a Christmas or New Year’s Eve menu, live music and special activities for children
To have new year's eve celebration in the most exclusive hotels and restaurants of Cartagena is the ideal plan not to worry about dinner preparations, and in the case of the hotels it is not necessary to be a guest to book this activity. These events have a capacity limit, we recommend not to wait until last minute if you are planning to look for a special activity for the holidays, and book in advance. We've selected some hotels and restaurants that offer this option. Here are some restaurants and hotels that we recommend for you to have a special night with your loved ones:
Alma - Hotel San Agustín, Calle de la UniversidadMarea By Rausch - Centro de Convenciones
El Gobernador - Calle de Sargento Mayor
Carmen - Calle del Santisimo, San Diego
Red Knife - Calle Larga, Getsemaní
Sophia - Calle de la Amargura
Agua de Mar - Calle del Santísimo, San Diego
Celebrate New Year’s Eve as locals do
The most popular plan for the people from Cartagena to do in New Year's Eve is to get together in the Parque de la Marina. They bring their own food and chairs or blankets to sit on, and wait for the 2017 to begin. In the park you can also find people that rent chairs and tables for those who don’t want to bother bringing their own there. Once they have dinner and have a good time with their family or their friends, they wait for midnight to welcome the new year with a firework show. You must arrive early to find a place in the park, but if you run a bit late you can also do this activity in the areas near the park such as the Muelle de los Pegasos. This option is great to feel the holiday atmosphere in Cartagena and to welcome the New Year in the joyful way locals do.
Go party
If after a quiet dinner you want to continue having fun, you can go party. In downtown you can find different options where you can dance the night away. Many night clubs open until late in the walled city and in the Arsenal Street, some of them even throw New Year parties with live music. Our recommended places are:
Fragma Club. Located inside the walled city. This is the place where you can find the best of electronic and latin music. It’s open until 4:00 a.m.
Mister Babilla. Always crowded, this is the place where locals and travelers get together. This club is located in Getsemaní - Calle Larga.
La Movida. Inside the walled city. It opens from 11:00 p.m. until early in the morning.
Alquimico. One of the best bars in the city. This year they have many options, including fireworks on the rooftop, parties with different genres of music and international DJ’s. Limited availability.
Street parties: After midnight the atmosphere turns even better, walk around the walled city, especially close to the San Diego or Santo Domingo squares. Locals and visitors join to party in the streets and sidewalks. These amazing and unique type of celebrations have turned into a tradition.
New Year´s Eve La Movida 54 by La Jugada. It's a tribute to the famous nightclub Studio 54, it will be a night of good music from the 70's and a lot of madness.
🎉 🎉 Happy New Year! 🎉 🎉
