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Like many other southern-raised New York transplants, I often suffer from severe cases of Seasonal Affective Disorder come January. Any time the temperature drops below freezing I am, more than usual, prone to sudden outbursts of rage. The past few years, to celebrate my late-January birthday, I have been sentenced to celebrate amidst a snow storm named after some unfortunate baby boomer. This time around, I was determined to bring in my big day shirtless. Colombia’s colorful Spanish-Caribbean culture, beautifully clear waters, and 90 degree mid-January weather forecast resonated with me in a special way this birthday season. All that, plus I found an insanely cheap deal on plane tickets and convinced a big group of friends to come with me.
We decided to stay in a coastal barrio, thanks to a line I read on This is Cartagena, my literal Colombian travel guide: “If Centro is Manhattan, Getsemani is more Brooklyn—an up-and-coming hipster hangout trying desperately to cling to its roots.” (Anybody who knows me knows I’m a diehard advocate of both Brooklyn and root-clinging.) Here was a part of the city that hadn’t yet been infiltrated by tourism, but was safe enough to host a tourist or two. Plus, it’s still populated by real Colombians—their art, food, and all the things that make the country great. I was sold.
The battle begins with accommodations. Luckily my battle was brief, and the victory rewarding. Cartagena has a collection of gorgeous, open-layout colonial homes with modern tweaks, which give you proper Cartagena vibes, but simple luxuries like AC and Wi-Fi. The last thing you want to do when traveling to a cool country with a rich aesthetic tradition is stay within the westernized walls of a pseudo-tropical resort. Our group of 10 and I opted for Casa Cuba, a beautiful testament to historical architecture that’s been dressed up by modern Bogotá-based architect studio, Meteoro Estudio, with contemporary touches like the modernist furniture and a central elongated pool. If you’re looking for something with fewer than 5 bedrooms, Airbnb is your best bet—you can find lots of super-stylish colonial homes for pretty reasonable prices.
If you want to score some major cool points with the locals, don’t waste any time before taking a Champeta dance class at Crazy Salsa. I say this because any club or bar worth your time will be playing Champeta, Colombia’s mix of Afro-Caribbean beats with subtle salsa notes, otherwise known as “hot tunes.” You’ll look nothing like a typical lame tourist when the current favorite Champeta single comes on in the club, because 1) you’ve actually heard the song and 2) you actually know how to dance to it. After class, you’ll want to take your talents to Bazurto Social Club. (Avoid the Cafe Havana tourist trap.) Bazurto is one of the liveliest local bars in Getsemani. You’ll be able to get a good drink, and put your new moves to work.
The second order of business is, surprisingly, to act exactly like a tourist—by taking a guided tour. My new favorite website This is Cartagena also offers all-inclusive tours of Getsemani and its surrounding areas, all filled with local foods and history notes of the interesting Cartagena culture; you might feel a little corny doing it, but you’ll actually learn something from a real live human being.
I also recommend getting out of the neighborhood—but just for an afternoon. The only time you’ll want to take a step out of Getsemani is to rent a boat and see some of the most beautiful water you’ll ever see. Boat tours are pretty easy to come by, and you’ll be able to hop around between the Rosario Islands, or just take your cruiser to Cartagena’s party dock and rage. Soak it all up with whole-fried fish and coconut rice, which you can order without ever leaving your boat.
You can find almost every type of cuisine in this little nook of Cartagena. Restaurants like Bonche master a mix of Colombian fusion fare, including a Colombian take on lasagna with plantains instead of lasagna noodles (similar to Puerto Rican pastelón). Their menu also offers one of the juiciest, bacon-covered, cheese-filled burgers south of the Caribbean—perfect if you had a little too much rum last night.
If you’re in search of more proper Colombian cuisine, you need to eat some ceviche. Start at Caffe Lunatico, where you’ll get top-tier quality and a huge range of styles, like a uniquely Colombian ceviche made with a base of sweet banana purée. For rum cocktails to wash it all down, try El Arsenal: The Rum Box. With a collection of every single rum made in Colombia, and premium knowledge on pairings—particularly chocolate pairings—you’re in for your own drunken history lesson with every visit.
When you’re ready to drop some dollars and live like the tourist king (or queen) that you are, you’ve got to stop by Carmen for a high-end take on Cartagena’s passion for seafood. Or schedule a more interactive dinner experience with Getsemani’s real hidden gem, Proyecto Caribe, which serves up super-traditional Colombian ingredients in super-not-traditional ways—and makes sure you have a good time while they do it. You can visit their hi-tech Getsemani kitchen/laboratory to see the science that goes into making the magic, or if you have a larger group and want to ball you can invite them into your home to create an entire pop-up restaurant experience right in your (Airbnb's) living room.
