Disclosure: This Atacama Desert Tours guide may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own and I would never post about something I have not personally used/verified.

Atacama Chile Travel Tips

• Atacama Desert Elevation: The desert is high up and a lot of the excursions you will partake in are extremely elevated – one of them goes up to 14,000 feet (to put in perspective, that’s higher than the mountains in Vail, Colorado to go skiing). You need to acclimate to this elevation and a lot of the tours that go to the extra high elevation spots won’t let you go unless you have been in the Atacama Desert for 2 days already, so make sure you make your trip longer than two days! You also must drink tons of bottled water which leads me to my next point.
• Don’t drink the water: There is bottled water at every restaurant, street stop and convenience store. Better to be safe than sorry, even the locals say the visitors should not drink the water (though you can brush your teeth normally!).
• Negotiate everything. Taxis, store prices, fruit off the street, etc. Everything is negotiable in the town of San Pedro de Atacama.
• TRAVEL INSURANCE: When visiting the Atacama, I highly recommend getting travel insurance. You never know what may happen to your flights, a death/personal emergency in your family, or an accident happening while traveling (think: getting mugged, falling while hiking and spraining your ankle, literally any accident than can happen ANYWHERE!). World Nomads makes it super easy and I never leave for a trip without getting their insurance. Most importantly it’s extremely affordable: get your World Nomads travel insurance before your trip here!

Atacama Desert Packing Tips

• Hiking Boots: A must. The Atacama is all desert (duh) and almost all of the excursions include hiking! You need a good pair of hiking boots. As I always talk about, I’m obsessed with my Keen’s hiking boots for any hiking destination, which you can purchase here! They are always comfortable and have been the best for hiking in Iceland, Chile and more!
• Water Bottle: I would also bring a S’well water bottle. While the hotels/tours give you water each day, they get warm quickly from the desert sun. It is the driest desert in the world – you need cold water! I always dumped the new, cold water into my S’well bottle which gave me cold, refreshing water throughout the day! You can buy a S’well here…it’s my favorite travel item.
• Sunscreen: It’s a desert. The driest desert in the world. It is HOT. There is no shade. You must bring sunscreen and lots of it. I love my Sunbum stick, it smells good and is easy to apply without getting messy. You can buy a Sunbum stick here.
• Sweatshirt/Layers: Yeah, I said it. Following how hot it is. While the desert is hot during the day, it gets close to FREEZING at night. It is beyond windy right when the sun sets (and before it rises) and it is extremely cold. We needed layers, blankets, gloves and hats for one of the day trips before the sunrise. Do not forget layers when packing for the Atacama!
• For all of my travel/packing essentials I bring on any trip compiled together, head to my influencer page on Amazon here for a complete list, or my descriptive carry-on packing guide here!

Related Post: Chile Highlights Travel Guide

How To Get To The Atacama Desert

It’s not easy. We flew from New York City and it took us 3(!) flights just to get to travel to the Atacama. We had to fly to Houston then to Santiago and THEN to Atacama! It was a pain and a full day of traveling. If you are already in Santiago, going from Santiago to the Atacama Desert isn’t so bad. Hopefully it is easier for you to get to Santiago or somewhere that flies into Calama Airport in Chile, as that’s Atacama’s closest airport. Calama is also an hour drive to San Pedro de Atacama so just make sure you leave enough time for all your tours knowing how long it takes to get to and from the Atacama! TIP: Get a window seat when flying in or out of Calama! The bird’s eye view of the desert is breathtaking.

ATACAMA DESERT TOURS: WHAT TO DO IN THE ATACAMA DESERT

Moon Valley & Death Valley Tour (Valle De La Luna & Valle De La Muerte)

The most popular Atacama Desert tour and by far the highlight of my trip. It really does feel like you are on a moon and the terrain is so surreal here. This Moon Valley and Death Valley Tour is a half day tour that ends after sunset over the Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna). The temperatures are insanely warm during the day and you are on top of the mountains, and dip to cold and windy as the sun sets so make sure to bring a sweatshirt. This tour is an absolute must and the #1 thing you must do if you only can choose one Atacama tour. You’ll be brought to a few different spots along this tour, don’t forget your hiking boots (which will come back with lots of sand in them!). You can also do other tours with sandboarding here as you can see how crazy smooth the sand is! Make sure to turn around after the sunset and look at the red hued mountains behind you.

• Book this tour of Moon Valley & Death Valley here if you are not staying at an all-tours-included hotel.

El Tatio Geysers (Geyser del Tatio)

El Tatio Geysers is another one of the top tours to do in the Atacama region. El Tatio is the third largest geyser field in the world. Tours include an early morning wake up (5 AM departure) since the geysers are most active in the morning. It is also about an hour and a half drive from San Pedro de Atacama. It is absolutely FREEZING in the morning before the sun starts to rise; we had two layers on, gloves, hats and blankets and were still cold. Once the sun rises and you tour all of the geysers, your guides make you a fresh, warm breakfast to enjoy. Tours used to also include a hot springs bath there afterwards but they weren’t running when we were there, so we stopped at a small desert town instead for some llama meat. This is a full day tour and will take a lot out of you since it is so early but it is a must-do San Pedro de Atacama Desert Tour. I will say that these geysers were pretty underwhelming compared to the geysers in Iceland since they don’t explode, but it’s still very cool!

• Book this tour of El Tatio Geysers here if you are not staying at an all-tours-included hotel.

Chaxa Lagoon (Laguna Chaxa)

Chaxa Lagoon is most famous and one of the most popular trips in the Atacama for one reason: its flamingos! This lagoon is full of pink lagoons yearly (and sometimes other birds) and it is an amazing sight. You can get super close to them while they’re standing in the water. This area is also surrounded by the Atacama Salt Flats that you walk on to get to the lagoon. We came here during sunset and the tour included an amazing Chilean picnic too. The sunset is not to be missed here either! It is a stunner. This is a must go San Pedro de Atacama tour. Make sure to bring layers as it gets windy and cold during/after sunset!

• Book this tour including Chaxa Lagoon here if you are not staying at an all-tours-included hotel.

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Miscanti & Miñiques Lagoons (Laguna Miscanti & Miñiques) & Las Piedras Rojas (Red Rocks)

Another top Atacama Desert tour is visiting these two lagoons, Miscanti and Miñiques. They are two gorgeous cobalt blue reflective lakes that provide for stunning views and photography. The bright blue lagoons cannot be missed. Unfortunately our hotel wasn’t offering this tour on the three days we were there but I plan on going back to see these lagoons! a href=”https://www.easttowestrms.com/RedRocksAtacama” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noreferrer noopener” aria-label=”Las Piedras Rojas (the red rocks) (opens in a new tab)”>Las Piedras Rojas (the red rocks) are a great spot to hike along (with a tour), they are incredibly photogenic and an amazing tour in the Atacama.

• Book this tour including the lagoons and Red Rocks here if you are not staying at an all-tours-included hotel.

Cactus Canyon Guatin Atacama

Another one of my top highlights of the Atacama Desert tours to do! This Cactus Canyon in Guatin is paired with the Puritama Hot Springs trip and it was AMAZING! One of the coolest landscapes I have ever seen. I’ll let the name and Cactus Canyon pictures below speak for itself but its basically a canyon you hike through (30 minutes very basic walking) full of massive canyons double the size of humans. The taller the cacti are the older they are; some cacti here are 1000 years old! Guatin and its Cactus Canyon are a must in what to do in Atacama Desert in Chile!

Salar De Tara

Salar de Tara is another spot I wasn’t able to get to in my time in the Atacama but it is supposed to be an even more gorgeous area of the Atacama (salt flats) and can only get there on a private tour in 4x4s.

• Book this Salar de Tara tour here if you are not staying at an all-tours-included hotel.

Laguna Cejar

Another amazing lagoon within the Atacama. This lagoon differs from the others though because you can float it in like the Dead Sea in Israel due to its large salt quantities! If you want a family fun tour (and haven’t been to the dead sea) then Laguna Cejar is for you.

• Book this Laguna Cejar tour here if you are not staying at an all-tours-included hotel.

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Puritama Hot Springs

The Puritama Hot Springs was another highlight of our trip and a much needed relaxing change from all the hot hiking the other days. We did this tour on our last day and it was perfect. The Puritama Hot Springs are the most scenic hot springs in the Atacama and consists of 8 different volcano hot springs pools and waterfalls that you can relax in! They are heated naturally by the hot water from the Puritama River. Most of the guided tours include an elaborate lunch with wine that your guide makes for you while you’re in the hot springs as well!

• Book this Puritama hot springs tour/transportation here if you are not staying at an all-tours-included hotel.

Nighttime Stargazing Tours

The Atacama is most well known for having the clearest skies in the entire world. NASA has its own observatory here near San Pedro because its so clear. You absolutely must do a stargazing tour while you are there. Even without one, just looking up in the sky when it turns dark is insane, you really feel like you are inside a planetarium, it is so clear and vast. Make sure to check meteor shower schedules before going as well (and make sure they’re visible in the Southern hemisphere).

• Book this Atacama Stargazing tour here if you are not staying at an all-tours-included hotel.

Related Post: Traveling to Medellin Colombia Guide

Where To Eat in San Pedro De Atacama

While there are a handful of restaurants in the town of San Pedro De Atacama, a lot of the hotels in Atacama have all inclusive meals. We ate at our hotel each night but did see a bunch of people eating in town. There are tons of San Pedro de Atacama restaurants with good food around if you are staying in town at a hostel too. Make sure to try the llama meat when visiting San Pedro de Atacama, it’s the Atacama’s speciality and everywhere!

Atacama Desert Hotels

• Hotel Cumbres: We stayed in a high-end all inclusive in the Atacama Desert at the Hotel Cumbres (you can book here) which was pretty good. It was family friendly and had all of the Atacama Desert tours (all included) you could want to do while visiting the Atacama Desert in Chile. The rooms were huge and the facilities were beyond nice and really gave you the desert vibe with the outdoor private showers, wooden buildings, cacti all around the grounds, various pools and mountains in the backdrop. I will note that their English here was very minimal and we had a hard time communicating with them.
  • You have to pick the tour you want to do the day before so make sure you are on top of them. Make it very clear which tours you want and pick them out the first day you arrive for your entire trip.
  • For the food, I personally thought it was delicious here and the dinner menu was extensive. My family (two don’t eat fish and one doesn’t eat meat) had a harder time finding options.  We booked the all-inclusive package so we ate all meals here (which did get redundant by the fourth day), but you have the option to not book all inclusive and can eat in town in San Pedro. Also alcohol is not included except one glass of wine at dinner, so that was a negative of the hotel.
  • Overall I would recommend Hotel Cumbres, book here!
• Another hotel that is top-notch and on par with Hotel Cumbres that we also looked at but was sold out was Tierra Atacama (book here) that people rave about.
• Backpacking on a budget? Atacama is still a great spot for you! Atacama caters to backpackers and has tons of hostel options right in town, search for an Atacama Hostel here!

Like this Atacama Desert Tours travel guide? Pin it for later or share with friends!

Did I miss something in my Atacama Desert tours travel guide that you loved? Let me know in the comments for my next visit and check out my Chile highlights travel guide for more tips and what to expect when traveling in Chile!

About The Author

Rachel Shulman is the owner of From East To West and a seasoned traveler having been to 45+ countries and no intention of stopping soon. She is obsessed with planning and specializes in creating detailed, efficient travel itineraries and guides so you don’t have to when planning your next destination.

The post A GUIDE TO CHILE’S ATACAMA DESERT TOURS: THE BEST THINGS TO DO WHEN VISITING THE ATACAMA appeared first on From East to West | Detailed Travel Guides.

Medellin is an up and coming city and home to gorgeous landscapes and an innovative metrocable system that I was beyond impressed with. Medellin is known as the “City of Eternal Spring” due to its weather (Medellin weather is around 70 degrees F (21 degrees Celsius) nearly year-round)! This Medellin travel guide explains how safe I felt traveling in Medellin, the best things to do in Medellin and why you should go now! Medellin is on the rise and should be visited before it gets commercialized by the world too soon.

Disclosure: This Medellin Travel Guide may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own and I would never post about something I have not personally used/verified.

How To Plan Your Medellin Itinerary

I used Medellin VIP to help plan everything while traveling to Medellin and they could not have been more amazing. Juan took care of EVERYTHING and answered all of my (annoying) questions. Leading up to arrival they took all of my desires and somehow squeezed EVERY place into the itinerary, which is pretty hard. We had Jovan as a private guide for the duration and we could not recommend him enough. We got to know him well and had the best time with him! Medellin VIP managed our reservations, nightlife, a full day trip to Guatapé, 5+ destinations within the city in the metro and personal cars (the traffic there is insane) and pick up/drop off at the airport which is quite far. When we weren’t with Jovan, they checked in plenty on Whatsapp. Whether you are looking to party (their speciality), the best restaurants, or just touring through the day, Medellin VIP  is the way to go for your travel to Medellin.

Traveling To Medellin Travel Tips

• Traveling to Medellin is easy since it’s a HUGE city. Jetblue, LATAM and many other airlines fly to Medellín! As I mentioned in my visiting Colombia travel guide here, do not fly Avianca under any circumstances. The airport is around a 45 minute drive from the city so keep this in mind for planning purposes. A taxi to El Poblado area will cost 65000 COP ($20) or you can get a transfer from Medellin VIP or all Medellín hotels!
• MEDELLIN SAFETY: Scared to travel to Medellin and Colombia? Don’t be! I felt totally safe the entire time – and we were just three girls. Check out my Colombia safety tips here. It’s totally safe to travel to Medellin Colombia.
• For getting around Medellin, the metro is very safe and modern here. It is also way cleaner and nicer than most subways I have been in, especially NYC! A good Medellin travel option is to also take a bus from a few days in Salento.
• TRAVEL INSURANCE: When traveling to Medellin, I highly recommend getting travel insurance. You never know what may happen to your flights, a death/personal emergency in your family, or an accident happening while traveling (think: getting mugged, falling while hiking and spraining your ankle, literally any accident than can happen ANYWHERE!). World Nomads makes it super easy and I never leave for a trip without getting their insurance. Most importantly it’s extremely affordable: get your World Nomads travel insurance before your trip here!

MEDELLIN PACKING TIPS: For all of my fave travel/packing essentials I bring on any trip compiled together, head to my influencer page on Amazon here for a complete list or my descriptive carry-on packing guide here or my favorite travel gear here!

ALL THE THINGS TO DO IN MEDELLIN COLOMBIA

El Centro

El Centro is the downtown area of Medellin and the center of the city (hence the name). As such, it is the busiest area and prone to pickpocketing, so watch your stuff here. Do not go downtown at nighttime, only during the day. Make sure you absolutely go to:

• Plaza Botero, the main square known for its famous over-sized sculptures from Fernando Botero, a famous Colombian artist.
• Museo De Antioquia is also a well-liked museum next to Plaza Botero, which showcases Botero’s other art pieces. This museum is free!
• Walk down Calle 52, a chaotic street packed with vendors, food carts and hole-in-the-wall shops.
• Walk all the way through and end up at Parque De Las Luces (Plaza Cisneros), a huge open space with massive, artistic tree-looking light sculptures.

Pablo Escobar Tour

A Pablo Escobar tour is likely half the reason you know about Medellin and are traveling to Medellin and is one of the most popular type of tours in Medellin. Typically it’s a half-day tour which includes going to the Monaco building (his 8 story apartment building where the Cali Cartel detonated a car bomb in an assassination attempt), his final safe house where he was ultimately killed, and then to his family grave. This is a tour that can be customized to your liking but is fascinating and one of the best things to do in Medellin. People in Medellin have VERY mixed views on Pablo Escobar, and a lot of people do not even speak his name here due to his effect on the city. Our guide at Medellin VIP brought us to all the spots and gave us all the history lessons we asked for (with a LOT of questions) to gain more knowledge. This is a must on things to do in Medellin.

El Poblado

El Poblado is the high-end, ritzy area and the best place to stay in Medellin. It is the safest, trendiest and nicest neighborhood. Centered in the heart of El Poblado is Parque Lleras, a park where people gather during the day to hang out and at night before the bars to drink. It is an area consisting of locals, expats and tourists alike. Coffee, cafes and restaurants that are rated top in the world line El Poblado (more on that in the food section).

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Medellin Metrocable To Parque Arvi

One of the most fascinating parts of traveling to Medellin is enjoying the metrocable system. They were built recently to modernize the city as well as to give the people high in the hills of Medellin quick access to downtown, which was previously unavailable. This has helped millions be able to get jobs in Medellin. The further up in the hills, the poorer the neighborhood, and you will see this as you fly over the city. It is jaw-dropping to fly over these falling apart houses that are built on top of each other to try to cram as many people in. Take the metrocable to Santo Domingo metro stop and then transfer to go all the way up to Parque Arvi. Parque Arvi is a large nature reserve only accessible by the metrocable and has good nature hikes! The Medellin metrocable rides also provide stunning panoramic views of the city (see picture at the top) and show just how massive the city actually is.

• How To Get There: Take Metro line “A” from El Poblado to Acevedo station, transfer to “K” line to Santo Domingo stop then exit and buy another ticket for metrocable line “L” to Parque Arvi. If you can’t make it up to Parque Arvi due to time, at the very least take the metrocable up to Santo Domingo no matter what.

Guatape Day Trip From Medellin

This was my FAVORITE day of our entire Colombia trip. Guatapé is a tiny town about a 2 hour drive from Medellin. While you can get there on your own with public transportation, I suggest booking a tour from Medellin! Book a full day Guatapé trip from Medellin with Medellin VIP here. Guatapé is known for its famous landmark, El Peñol. El Peñol is a giant rock with over 740 steep steps to get to the top, where you will be rewarded with the most stunning views looking over a lake.

After climbing to the top of El Peñol, next will be heading over to the actual town of Guatapé, the most colorful, bright, pretty town. Here, you can stop at any restaurant and have Bandeja Paisa for lunch (see more in food section). Afterwards, head down to the lake and get on a private boat where you will be taken on a 30 minute ride to one of Pablo Escobar’s massive mansions and nightclubs. The mansion was bombed while they were trying to capture him. This was one of the most fascinating parts of our whole trip! There are many tours that even have paintballing excursions here (something fun about shooting people in Pablo Escobar’s old mansion I suppose?)! Set aside an entire day for a Guatapé trip while traveling to Medellín, you will not be disappointed.

Related Post: Atacama Desert Chile Guide

Comuna 13

Comuna 13 is my absolute #1 must-visit on a Medellin itinerary. Yes, it is not the most safe location, nor the most touristy. You must go with a guide. You can book a Comuna 13 tour here. Just seven years ago it was dubbed one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the world.  Today though, the transformation is apparent. Now, they see hundreds of tourists per day. Why is this neighborhood different than other poor neighborhoods in Medellin? Modern urban escalators were installed literally into the streets to provide easier access to everyone. The elevation from the bottom to top is massive, and just 10 years ago you had to walk up and down extremely steep steps to get around. Now you take quick escalators. The neighborhood is also well-known for its colorful street art, but it’s not just any street art. Each piece has a specific, politically moving motive. They each tell a story.

• I suggest taking a tour that includes meeting with one of the famous street artists, who still lives in the neighborhood. We took this tour with MedellinVIP where they showed us around the area, walking through the graffiti, interacting with locals, and going up and down the modern escalators. Comuna 13 is full of friendly people showing you how passionate they are on the changes that have happened in their area and how far it has come, yet how far it still has to go. Police now patrol the pathways at all times and you will feel totally safe there!

Pueblito Paisa

This“mini pueblo” was made to demonstrate the vibe you would get from the towns (pueblos) outside of Medellin. It is basically a mock pueblo atop a hill in the center, which also offers great panoramic views of the city. Pueblito Paisa is pretty touristy but a great place to go to see how pueblos outside the city are made and what is special about them and it is also miniature!

Medellin Botanical Gardens

The Medellin Botanical Gardens are very well-known and gorgeous. There’s also a butterfly farm and a cactus park within it. Also check out the Planetario nearby, there are a lot of special events that go on here regularly. One of the best fine dining spots is also situated inside the Botanical Gardens, In Situ, which is highly recommended for lunch or dinner! Parque Explora (an interactive science museum) is another great activity if you are visiting Medellin with kids and is across the street from the gardens.

Paragliding

Paragliding is a tourist activity in Medellin due to its dependable weather most days of the year and extremely low prices. It’s best to do a tour in the early morning for the weather, they usually take around 2.5 hours and prices are around $40 USD. This is one of the most popular things to do in Medellin.

Soccer (Fùtbol) Match

Colombians love their fúbol (American soccer) and Medellin is lucky enough to have TWO local teams (Atlético Nacional and Independiente Medellín). There are some die hard fans and the games get ROWDY. Colombians surround themselves with fútbol and it brings them together. If there is a game while you are visiting it is definitely one of the best things to do in Medellin! Tickets are around $11 for the Alta Oriental section, where you should sit. Buy tickets by clicking on their names above to head to their websites or book a Fútbol Match tour here.

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Where To Eat In Medellin

The food scene is so underrated in Medellin and not talked enough about around the world. If you are a local’s market fan check out the best produce markets in Medellin as well. 

While traveling to Medellin, you also must eat Bandeja Paisa. It is the native food of Antioquia (Medellín’s state) and consists of rice, plantain, arepa, avocado, minced meat, chorizo, sausage, fried pork rind and a fried egg on top.

Brunch in Medellin

• In Situ: Inside the Medellin Botanical Gardens. Fine dining, look out onto the gardens. Make reservation beforehand.
• El Herbario: Trendy spot with vegetable based dishes and good fish.
• Cafe Colombo: Good food and panoramas of city.
• Como Pez En El Agua: Really good pastries and cakes.
• Carinito Cafe: Classic eggs benedict and other brunch staples.
• D’Andre Gourmet: Another all-around good brunch spot in El Poblado.

Snacks/Fast-Casual/Coffee Shops in Medellin

• Juan Valdez Cafe: Starbucks of Colombia, multiple locations.
• Pergamino Cafe: Indie coffee shop right off of Parque Lleras, amazing coffee and food.
• Cafe Velvet: Cute little cafe.

Dinner Restaurants in Medellin

• Carmen: Also in Cartagena. Very famous, number one restaurant in Medellin. Try to get a table in the courtyard. Must make reservation beforehand.
• OCI: Trendy upscale restaurant, arguably the other best restaurant in Medellin. Must make reservation beforehand.
• El Cielo: extremely good meal and creative experience hitting all of your senses. Get the 13 course meal and come hungry. Not cheap. SUPER cool experience. Must make reservation beforehand.
• Mondongos: HUGE portions, very good food, famous.
• El Botánico: A recommended amazing restaurant in El Poblado!
• Marmoleo: For a unique dining experience and some of the best steak (imported from the US).
• Cafe Zorba: For the best pizza in town.

Click on any of the restaurant names above to find out more/book a reservation!

Medellin Nightlife

The nightlife in Medellin is insane. There are so many options and most center around Parque Lleras in El Poblado, the epicenter of nightlife. Nightlife starts getting busy on Wednesdays and last through Sunday, so try to plan your visit around this. Make sure to start your night in Parque Lleras before any of the bars/clubs – the vibe is amazing. Things usually pick up around 11/midnight before heading to clubs at 1AM. The local drink is called aguardiente; it’s clear, anise-flavored liquor usually taken as a shot (chased with water/soda). All of these spots below are in El Poblado unless noted! Medellin VIP will also hook you up with the best spots and take you out at night.

• Envy Rooftop Bar: The Charlee Hotel (more below) rooftop bar. Wednesday is live salsa band night. Highly recommended. Best bar views of the city.
• La Strada: trendy upscale bar in El Poblado.
• El Social: lively any night of the week.
• Bogota Beer Company: Craft beers, a good happy hour and good American food.
• Carito: Latin music and electronic dance music.
• Dulce Jesús Mio: A caricature of the bars in rural pueblos. An over-the-top one-of-a-kind clubbing experience. I recommend going to the Las Palmas location, but there are various.

Click on any of the bar/club names above to find out more/book a reservation!

Related Post: Chile Travel Guide

Where To Stay In Medellin

I highly, highly recommend booking a hotel in El Poblado. It is the safest and nicest area to stay in for tourists and locals alike. For Medellín hotels, I recommend The Charlee Hotel so much. The Charlee is a boutique 5 star hotel situated in the center of El Poblado and is AMAZING. It is super trendy with gorgeous people walking in and out (Colombian celebrities go to the gym here) and going to their famous rooftop pool/bar, Envy Rooftop Bar (see bars section above). The rooms are beautiful and have massive patios looking over the entire city. I can’t recommend The Charlee Hotel enough! Prices are ridiculously reasonable for a 5 star hotel and ours averaged $50 USD/night/person for 3 people, which included breakfast each morning (and a GOOD breakfast). There are also tons of hostels in Medellín if you are looking for more budget just make sure you keep to the El Poblado area, check out budget hostels in Medellín here!

Book The Charlee Hotel in Medellin here or book a budget hostel in Medellin here!

AIRBNB Medellin: Many people also choose to stay in Airbnbs while traveling to Medellin as it is becoming more popular in El Poblado. I personally chose the hotel route for safety precautions and was obsessed with The Charlee, but Airbnb is a good option also for big groups! Also, if you use my Airbnb link you get $40 off your first stay!

Related Post: Full Colombia Travel Guide

*Thanks to Medellin VIP for sponsoring my trip while traveling to Medellín and setting up our private tours, transfers, reservations and everything else in between in order to make this trip and post possible! We really did see all the best things to do in Medellin in a short time! While I did receive discounts on activities booked through Medellin VIP, my review and experience with them is, as always, 100% personal and honest*

Like this what to do in Medellin travel guide? Pin it for later or share with friends!

Did I miss something while traveling to Medellin that you loved? Let me know in the comments for my next visit! Find out more about visiting Colombia in my country travel guide here. Or head here if you are looking for a Cartagena itinerary!

About The Author

Rachel Shulman is the owner of From East To West and a seasoned traveler having been to 45+ countries and no intention of stopping soon. She is obsessed with planning and specializes in creating detailed, efficient travel itineraries and guides so you don’t have to when planning your next destination.

The post TRAVELING TO MEDELLIN: WHAT TO DO IN MEDELLIN COLOMBIA appeared first on From East to West | Detailed Travel Guides.

Disclosure: This 4 Days in Cartagena itinerary may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own and I would never post about something I have not personally used/verified.

I used Hi Cartagena to help us plan everything in our 4 days in Cartagena. They were very easy to work with leading up to the trip – ask for Dhruv, he is a star! Hi Cartagena made all of our reservations for us and book us our tours we chose to do (request Julie!). They also provide airport transfers and tons of other activities. They are very responsive throughout the trip on Whatsapp and each day checked in with me after the tours. I found their prices to be comparable and better to other tour companies and the customer service is fantastic. Don’t go to Cartagena without checking out Hi Cartagena‘s offerings and booking through them!

Cartagena Packing & Cartagena Travel Tips

• PACKING FOR CARTAGENA: For all of my travel/packing essentials I bring on any trip compiled together, head to my influencer page on Amazon for a complete list or my descriptive carry-on packing guide here or my favorite travel items under $20 here!
  • It is HOT in Cartagena. Even after living in New Orleans for 4 years (New Orleans travel guide here), this was another level. The humidity is at 90% every day due to its proximity to the equator. BE PREPARED and bring A LOT of sunscreen. We all got insanely burnt during our trip, even after re-applying regularly. I love this Sunbum sunscreen stick here that was easy to pack in a small purse and re-apply without needing a mirror.
  • It is also BUGGY in Cartagena. Humidity brings bugs! Pack lots of bug repellent. We only used carry-ons so I bought these bug repellant wipes so they didn’t take up liquids room and they were perfect! I got ZERO bug bites from using this daily (and can’t say the same for my friends who used regular bug spray!). I highly recommend these Cutter bug repellant wipes here.  
• Don’t drink the water. There is bottled water at every restaurant, street stop and convenience store. Better to be safe than sorry, even the locals say the visitors should not drink the water (though you can brush your teeth normally!).
• Negotiate everything. Taxis, store prices, fruit off the street, etc. Everything is negotiable.
• When visiting Cartagena, I highly recommend getting travel insurance. You never know what may happen to your flights, a death/personal emergency in your family, or an accident happening while traveling (think: getting mugged, falling while hiking and spraining your ankle, literally any accident than can happen ANYWHERE!). World Nomads makes it super easy and I never leave for a trip without getting their insurance. Most importantly it’s extremely affordable: get your World Nomads travel insurance before your trip here!
• Backpacking solo in Cartagena? Check out this backpacking Cartagena guide here.
• Only going to Cartagena for 24 hours? Check out this one day Cartagena guide here.

Related Post: Colombia Travel Guide

How To Get To Cartagena

Cartagena’s proximity to America and NYC makes it an amazing long weekend trip. New York to Cartagena is a quick 5 hour non-stop flight and tons of airlines fly there. As I mentioned in my Colombia country travel guide here, avoid Avianca Airlines at all costs. We flew Jetblue direct from JFK and it was easy. To get to the Old City from the airport, take a taxi, they’re lined up outside the airport and should cost around 15000 pesos. The ride is only 15-20 minutes to the old city. For cash, do not take out money on the street ATMs in the city. Try to take out as much as you possibly need in the legitimate ATMs in the Cartagena airport.

THINGS TO DO IN CARTAGENA COLOMBIA

Cartagena Overview: There are 3 main areas of the city: the Old City (inside the walls), Getsemani (hipster, up & coming) and Bocagrande (chain hotels on the beach). 4 days in Cartagena will give you plenty of time to see all of the top spots and more!

1. GET LOST IN THE CARTAGENA OLD CITY

One of the best things to do in Cartagena (multiple times) is to get lost in the Old City! The old city is surrounded by walls (more on that later) filled with colorful houses and winding streets. Every corner you turn on will be different and full of bright flowers, buildings, painted doors and animal knockers. Every other person on the street is selling jewelry, hats or fresh fruit. Make sure to walk through Plaza Santo Domingo, the main square containing the famous Fernando Botero’s statue, La Gorda Gertrudis (more on him in my Medellin guide). Also walk through Plaza Bolivar, which is a square for people watching, coffee vendors and live music. You will see lots of Las Palenqueras, the colorful dressed fruit ladies you have undoubtedly seen pictures of, you can tip them to take a picture of/with them!

2. LA TORRE DEL RELOJ

No Cartagena itinerary is complete without walking around the famous clocktower on the edge of the Old City, it’s the main landmark of the city and you will likely walk under it and in the square multiple times.

3. WALK THE OLD CITY WALLS & CAFE DEL MAR AT SUNSET

The Old City is surrounded by walls that were built to keep pirates out in the early ages, which makes for a gorgeous old town. You can walk the entire perimeter of the walls in about 90 minutes. On part of the wall, there is a famous, touristy bar called Cafe Del Mar that you must go to for the sunset. It is the perfect spot and it is always packed so make sure to get there a little before 5PM to get the best viewing spot. TIP: Order the sangria pitcher and watch the crowd and views for hours!

Related Post: Traveling To Medellin Colombia Itinerary

4. CASTILLO DE SAN FELIPE

Castillo De San Felipe is the famous fortress of Cartagena and a UNESCO site. You can’t miss it. Walk through the system of underground tunnels in the fortress and take the steep steps to the highest point of the top to get views of the city and fort from above. Try to do it in the early morning to escape the heat (and crowds). This was included in our Private City Tour from Hi Cartagena.

5. CONVENTO LA POPA

Convento La Popa is the highest point in Cartagena and gives the best panoramic views of the entire city. There is also a beautiful garden inside the Convent that can’t be missed. Convento La Popa is situated high on top of a winding hill over a poor neighborhood – do not walk to La Popa by any means. Book a taxi to take you there, wait about 30 minutes for you and then take you back. Or it will be included in your Private City Tour with Hi Cartagena! The views are outstanding and it is a must-visit.

6. BAZURTO MARKET

I highly recommend Bazurto Market on a tour or with a private guide; do not go alone. While safe, this is the least tourist activity in Cartagena and it is best to go with a guide. We went with a private guide from Hi Cartagena, which was included in our Private City Tour. She walked us through the bustling market telling us about the different fruits, vegetables and fish that come here fresh every morning. This is the REAL Cartagena and everyday life for most locals. It is a must-visit for a true Colombia experience. I will note that there are a lot of homeless people around and it is best to double-watch your stuff.

• TIPS: Wear closed-toe shoes, no one speaks English here and there are no bathrooms. Try some Pitaya (see picture) or Uchava or anything else you think looks interesting! It is the freshest of the fresh.

7. GETSEMANI

Getsemani is the hip up-and-coming neighborhood of Cartagena full of street art, murals and graffiti. This is where you will find a bunch of budget hostels as well as a bustling nightlife. To get here from the Old City, walk through Parque Del Centenario which has a bunch of shopping stalls as well as some cool wildlife – look out for orange squirrels, massive lizards and sloths! Get lost in the streets of Getsemani photographing the walls and make sure to hit Plaza De La Trinidad at night time, it’s the main square of the area and where everyone hangs out early in the night before the bars.

Related Post: Guide to Atacama Desert Tours in Chile

8. CARTAGENA DAY TRIP TO THE ISLANDS

The Cartagena beaches are notoriously ugly. There are relentless people asking for money every 5 seconds. The best way to get in beach time is to go to the islands! It is one of the top day trips from Cartagena. Hi Cartagena arranged a full day private boat tour for us and it was everything we wanted and more! Rent a private boat for the day and go to 3 main island spots; the Rosario Islands, Cholón & Playa Blanca. This was the best, most relaxing day of our trip. We had the entire boat, a cooler with ice, speakers, and a driver to take us anywhere! First we went to Rosario Islands to go snorkeling, then we went to Cholón to party and each lunch (seriously the partying boats here are crazy, and this was the best fish I have ever eaten) and lastly to Playa Blanca, the most gorgeous white beach. Many tourists hate Playa Blanca because it’s so busy and annoying, but our boat docked all the way at the end where there was few to no people at all. This day was perfect and I suggest setting aside an entire day for a full-day boat tour of the islands.

• If you just want to go to Playa Blanca though, the most popular island, there are public boats and busses that go there that your hostel/hotel can arrange for you. Or you can book a pre-paid just Playa Blanca tour online. It will be crowded but decent for a relaxing easy one-stop beach! It’s a 45 minute ride (whether on boat or bus).
• Like I noted above, a big tip: In order to find more empty spots on the beach I recommend you walk all the way to the right side of the beach facing the sea.

Book a private full-day boat tour here or a just Playa Blanca tour here.

Related Post: Swim With Pigs in the Bahamas Guide

9. SHOPPING IN THE CARTAGENA OLD CITY

There’s a lot of good boutiques and endless shopping in the Old City. Street vendors line the streets with timeless colorful items; make sure to bargain down the prices. Cartagena is known for woven hats, patterned shoes and purses, jewelry and more. Some other really good boutique stores are: Casa Chiqui (woven espadrilles), El Arcon Anticuario (antiques), Loto Del Sur (body goods) and Love Me Wappa (bikinis and beach accessories).

Other Day Trips From Cartagena

• Museo Del Oro: Good gold museum, but a better one in Bogota if you are going there as well!
• Half Day Trip to Volcano El Totumo: Another great day trip. El Totumo is an old deserted volcano where you can float in volcanic mud. Wear a bathing suit you don’t mind getting ruined. Locals will massage you aggressively inside the volcano, then another local can take pictures with your camera, and then after getting out an old woman will sit you down in clean water and remove your bathing suit and rub the mud off you. All of these locals expect to be tipped individually. This tour was not for me BUT I have heard good things for a true one of a kind experience!

Where To Eat In Cartagena

There’s a big food scene making its way to Cartagena. Four days in Cartagena wasn’t nearly enough to try all the top restaurants! Make sure to drink Aguila Beer. The most authentic dish in Cartagena is Pargo Rojo (Fried Red Snapper) with coconut rice and plantains. It doesn’t look good (comes with eyes and bones) but tastes amazing – truly the best fish I have ever eaten. The best place to eat it is on the Rosario Islands. Also the coconut rice – it’s amazing – we got it with EVERY meal. Ceviche is another must have in Cartagena.

Breakfast and Coffee Shops in Cartagena

• Abaco Libros & Cafe: famous library and cafe covered wall-to-wall with books (see picture below) 
• La Paletteria: We went here multiple times because it was so hot. Famous ice pops with all the flavors you can imagine
• Pris Prí: really good coffee shop with breakfast, also good for afternoon snacks
• Gelateria Paradiso: best gelato
• Juan Valdez Cafe: Starbucks of Colombia. The Old City branch is the most famous
• San Alberto Coffee Shop: best Colombian coffee in the city

Lunch in Cartagena

• La Cevicheria: A must. Anthony Bourdain went here so you know it’s good. Go on an off time and it will still be crowded. Put your name down and walk around the city for a little before going back. So so good.

Best Restaurants in Cartagena

• La Vitrola: traditional nicest restaurant, make a reservation, live music.
• Carmen: Amazing amazing restaurant, also in Medellin (original), a must go.
• Juan Del Mar: Really good seafood spot in the old city.
• La Cocina de Pepina: In Getsemani, local spot. This was probably our favorite meal in Cartagena. It’s really small with no reservations so be prepared to wait, but worth it!
• Marea: Premiere waterfront dining.
• Alma: Open-air courtyard, good bar with live music on Fridays, good food.
• La Perla: Amazing food and great outdoor bar. Known for its signature tiraditos (sashimi marinated in yellow chili).

Click the Cartagena restaurant names above to find out more.

Cartagena Nightlife

• Cafe Havana: Famous salsa bar. Must, must go, top place.
• Bazurto Social Club: Hit resto-bar in Getsemani, another must go.
• El Baron: Best cocktail bar in Cartagena.
• Demente: Trendy bar in in Getsemani, also has good tapas.
• El Coro Bar: Located in the Sofitel, live music during the week.
• Cuba 1940: New bar with live music and good drinks.
• Bourbon Street: Mardi Gras-inspired drinking spot.

CHIVA NIGHT BUS TOUR: Oh, the Cartagena Chiva bus. You can’t miss these. They are bright, open busses speeding around the city at night time, 18 run each night. They are loud. They are obnoxious. They are an experience you have never had. I highly suggest booking a Chiva Night Bus Tour one night and experience it for yourself. Without giving too much away, it is basically a party bus that drives all around Cartagena from 8-11 PM with a few stops along the way. There is a live band on the bus and all the rum you can imagine. It ends at a nightclub where entrance is included.

Click the Cartagena nightlife bar names above to find out more.

Where To Stay In Cartagena

I recommend staying in the Cartagena Old City 100%. You will not need taxis at all if you do. There are hundreds of boutique hotels where you really get the feel of Cartagena casas. We were obsessed with our hotel – Casa La Fe (book here)! They were super nice, the rooms were clean, the included breakfast was amazing, the courtyard was super cute, and the rooftop with a pool and bar was the best. But they’re no longer taking reservations at this time post-covid. To search for more Cartagena hotels, search here! For the highest-end Cartagena hotels in the Old City, I suggest the Sofitel, Movich Hotel, Charleston Santa Teresa or Casa San Agustin. Click the hotel names to book! Read any of these Cartagena hotel reviews on TripAdvisor here!

For more budget Cartagena hotel options, stay in the Getsemani area where there are a lot of cheap hostels. Alternatively, you will see a LOT of big chain resorts in the Bocagrande area of Cartagena. I really don’t suggest staying here, it is a 15 minute cab to get to the old city. The ONLY reason I would stay in Bocagrande is if you were going for a solely beach vacation and not looking to explore the city at all. Head here for budget options in Cartagena!

AIRBNB Cartagena: Many people also choose to stay in Airbnb in Cartagena. I personally chose the hotel route for safety precautions, but Cartagena is totally safe and I suggest an AirBnb in the Old City if you are with a big group! They’re definitely cheaper than the hotels in the Old City. Also, if you use my Airbnb link you get $40 off your first stay!

Search and book Cartagena hotels and hostels here!

Is Cartagena Safe?

Scared to go to Colombia? Don’t be! I felt totally safe in Cartagena the entire time – and we were just three girls. Cartagena is safe and I highly recommend visiting! Check out my safety tips for traveling around Colombia here.

*Thanks to Hi Cartagena for helping set up our private tours and dinner reservations in order to make our 4 days in Cartagena and blog post possible! While I did receive discounts on activities booked through Hi Cartagena, my review and experience with them is, as always, 100% personal and honest*

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Did I miss something in my what to do in Cartagena travel guide that you loved? Let me know in the comments for my next visit and check out my Visiting Colombia travel guide for more tips and what to expect in Colombia or my Medellin travel guide here!

About The Author

Rachel Shulman is the owner of From East To West and a seasoned traveler having been to 45+ countries and no intention of stopping soon. She is obsessed with planning and specializes in creating detailed, efficient travel itineraries and guides so you don’t have to when planning your next destination.

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