City Essentials: First Day • 3 hours 5
(91)

Kickstart your trip to Cartagena

The perfect intro to this loud-and-proud pulsating portside city.

Escape the scorching heat by planning an early start each day and visiting museums during the hottest times of the day

What makes this experience special

Key highlights

  • Get a crash course on navigating Cartagena's historic heart like a pro thanks to your street-smart host.
  • Marvel at iconic landmarks, like the yellow beaming Clock Tower, and get tips for the rest of your trip you won't find in a guidebook.
  • Drop a GPS pin at the best local eateries to try later on your trip.
  • Get your questions about portside Cartagena ready for your street-smart host, who knows where all the hidden gems are.

What to know before you go

Here’s everything you need to know before your day unfolds.

3 hours
Fully tailored to your preferences
English Other languages may be requested

What’s included

Private and personalized experience
3 hours with a Host
Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options)
Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

What’s not included

Food and drink
Tickets to any attractions
Transportation costs
Gratuities (optional)

Meeting point

Your hotel/apartment or any other central location

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience

What to bring

  • We recommend wearing comfortable shoes and carrying a light bag for your essentials.
  • Public transport may be used during the experience - please bring a travel card or small amount of cash for fares.

How your day could unfold

A flexible, unscripted experience designed entirely around your interests. Your host will adapt the day based on what excites you most

What you’ll do

Welcome to Cartagena 101: accompany your savvy host behind the fortress walls of the Old Town and its beaming yellow Clock Tower to start this adventure. Then be sure to pop to Portal de Los Dulces (Sweets Street) to stick your hand in the local cookie jar. Your host will guide you past pretty-as-a-postcard landmarks like the pink pastel Teatro Heredia and point out must-try restaurants serving Caribbean delicacies to try on the rest of your trip. Rub shoulders with locals at a nearby plaza, a canvas for the work of artist Fernando Botero, but dodge the crowds to the evolving and laid-back barrio Getsemani, grabbing the world's attention for its politically influenced street art, foot-stamping buskers and café's galore: not to fret, your host knows just the eatery to try.

1. Select a date
2. Select start time
3. Tailor your experience
Answer a few quick questions to help your host craft the perfect day tailored to you.
1. What’s your preferred hosting style?
2. How would you like the pace of your day?
3. What’s your walking comfort level?
4. Are you celebrating something special?

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What travelers think of our City Essentials: First Day experiences in South America

Mary Jun 2025

Armando was terrific. He customized our tour exactly as we envisioned it. It was ideal and his passion for Naples came through loud and clear. A wonderful experience!

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Richmond Jun 2025

Great way to meet the city when you first arrive. We felt our tour was custom designed just for us. We’d do it again!

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Marc Joseph Jun 2025

Maria was an amazing tour guide. She was very flexible and catered to our preferences. We had our young kids with us who easily became tired as the heat got worse during the middle of the day. She was able to pivot and take us to an indoor museum of old Osaka. Our youngest was able to wear a kimono during that visit and she absolutely loved it. We definitely recommend this tour to anyone wanting to explore Osaka.

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Gabriele Jun 2025

Ono was amazing, he went above and beyond. He took us to places that were non touristy, we learned a lot about local history. There was not a question he couldn’t answer. He even helped us to travel to our next destination safely. We would highly recommend him.

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Jen Jun 2025

Anna was an absolutely lovely guide who gave us a local’s perspective on Munich. She was full of interesting stories about the founding of the city and showed us many interesting sights!

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Adriana Jun 2025

We had a wonderful start of our trip with our guide Kay. He was super nice, showed us how to use the metro, get our cards, in a quick and simple way then showed us a great mix of nature, temples and bustling streets and the side ones we should visit! We recommend him to anyone who wants a positive, kind and enthusiastic guide in Tokyo! Thanks, Kay!

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