Colombia Recap: Where to stay, What to Eat, and What to do in Cartagena and Medellin
Where did we stay in Colombia?
Selina Cartagena for three weeks - located in the Getsemani neighborhood - less touristy, still beautiful.
Selina Medellin for one week - located in El Poblado neighborhood - this place was POPPIN.
Would we stay more or less time in each location?
We'd spend less time in Cartagena, it is beautiful but small, and we would've loved to explore the coast up to Santa Marta.
But I wanted more time in Medellin; this city has SO MUCH going on.
What did we do in Cartagena?
Cartagena bars & restaurants
Epoca had the best breakfast.
Beiyu was also great with healthy options like juices and smoothies.
La Laguna Azul had the best ceviche. And there's a liquor store next to it where you can buy alcohol and enjoy both on the shared patio. You're welcome.
Alquimico for drinks and dancing (go to the roof).
The Movich Hotel had the best rooftop views for drinks.
El Arsenal if you like rum, you can book a rum tasting with them.
Terrazzo Municipal was this cool little food truck court right on the water.
Restaurante Celele was fancy but my favorite dining experience, hands down. You de
Juana Icaco was this Colombian/Caribbean place with the best arroz de coco (coconut rice), and this dish we got was like a seafood medley in this delicious sauce all baked inside of plantain leaves. I don't remember what it's called, but it was amazinggg.
Honestly, most bars/restaurants in Getsemani were small but dank, with more locals.
Things to do in Cartagena
Watched live performances on our hostel rooftop and tried to dance with the locals. Many street performers dance in the courtyards within the walled city, so you will surely run into some if you walk around at night.
Walked the wall. If you walk along the inner perimeter of the wall around the old town, you'll find little spots to walk up on top of it; this was a fun thing to do in the morning before it got too hot.
Took a boat out to a private beach through my sister's boujee hotel - Casa San Agustin.
If you are not staying at this hotel, you can book a day trip out to the Rosario Islands (or a sunset booze cruise) - you can do this online, or I used an app called GetYourGuide.com has a bunch of options. The beaches in Cartagena are ok but if you want blue water and white sand, go to the islands for a day.
Google list:
For quick and easy searching, check out my google list with all the recommendations above: Tay's Cartagena List
What did we do in Medellin?
Medellin bars & restaurants
Marquee and Envy have dope rooftops with food and drinks.
Subula (Mediterranean) was my fave lunch spot - healthy and delicious.
OCI was nicer but had awesome food, drinks, and atmosphere.
Vintrash was a fun club we hit a few times (30,000 peso cash cover).
Things to do in Medellin
Toured Comuna 13. We found a free tour online with Zippy Tour 13 (tip the guide at the end:). Read more about our tour here.
Took part in the nightlife in Poblado; every night is a party.
Took a day trip out to Guatape booked through GetYourGuide.com. Read more about our experience here.
What did we love about Colombia?
Uhhhh... everything?!
The people.
The food.
The vibrant atmosphere.
What didn't we love about Colombia?
Not spending more time there.
Would we go back to Colombia?
In a heartbeat.
