5 reviewed party hostels · from €7.67/night · Hostelworld rated
Cartagena's nightlife is split across two very different worlds, and knowing which side of the old wall to be on makes all the difference. The walled city gets the tourists; Getsemaní gets the backpackers. It's a five-minute walk between them, but the atmosphere shifts completely once you cross into the barrio. Calle de la Sierpe and Plaza de la Trinidad fill up after 9pm with travellers, locals, and street food vendors, and the bars stay loud well past 2am. Alquimico pulls a mixed crowd with cocktails that are far cheaper than the surroundings suggest, and La Jugada across the street is reliably packed on weekends. The hostel scene is concentrated in Getsemaní, with dorm beds typically running between 35,000 and 80,000 COP per night. Wonderland Hostel is known for steering guests toward the best spots on any given night. Heat, salsa, champeta, and cold beer. Cartagena's nights are worth planning around.
Rated by Hostelworld score · Prices per dorm bed per night
Featuring a beautiful patio and rooftop swimming pool and located in one of the city's coolest neighbourhoods, there is always a fun party vibe in this hostel. They offer free breakfast, free tours walking tours, salsa and another Caribbean dance classes and a weekly legendary party with guest DJs and live music!
This fun and friendly hostel has a buzzing outdoor on-site bar, a comfy TV room and two patios. All great places to hang out and meet other travellers. They also offer dance lessons (salsa, bachata, champeta), there is often open mic nights and it's very usual to see people playing beer pong.
A new and rebuilt mansion, Casa del Puerto Hostel & Suites is an oasis of peace during your visit in Colombia. You can start the day with an incredible breakfast and have fun in the big patio, enjoy a cocktail while chilling unde the sun in their calm pool.
Los Patios Cartagena blends Caribbean flair with rooftop parties, bold cocktails, and a buzzing social scene. The rooftop bar and jacuzzi set the stage for sunset sessions that turn into unforgettable nights, all backed by local rhythms and good energy. With vibrant décor, friendly hosts, and a constant flow of people, it’s the perfect spot to party and connect in the heart of Cartagena.
Republica Hostel Cartagena combines the charm of a historic colonial building with the pulse of Cartagena's nightlife. Perfectly situated in the Old City, guests can enjoy lively evenings at the hostel's ground floor bar, where the music and local vibes are always inviting.
Organised nights out with a local guide
This crawl covers some of the best bars and clubs in Getsemaní and the old city, with free shots all night long included in the price. The night also features drinking games, salsa and champeta dance lessons, free entry to venues, and a live music show. It's a solid way to hit the highlights on your first night without having to figure it all out yourself.
This bar and club tour takes in some of Cartagena's most popular nightlife spots, including Café del Mar and Mirador Gastro Bar. The crawl visits multiple venues across the old city and Getsemaní in one night. It's suited to solo travellers looking to meet people as much as see the city after dark.
Book on GetYourGuide →How Cartagena's nightlife zones break down
This is where backpackers base themselves. Calle de la Sierpe and Plaza de la Trinidad are the social heart of the neighbourhood, lined with hostels, bars, and cheap restaurants that get going after dark. It sits just outside the walled city, a short walk from the Puerta del Reloj.
The old walled city is Cartagena's most photogenic area, with cobbled streets, colourful colonial buildings, and rooftop bars like Café del Mar overlooking the sea. Prices are higher here, but it's worth exploring before heading back to Getsemaní for the real nightlife.
Bocagrande is Cartagena's modern beach strip, a peninsula of high-rise hotels and seafront restaurants about 20 minutes by taxi from Getsemaní. It's quieter for backpackers but good for a beach day, and Avenida San Martín has a handful of clubs that run late on weekends.
Where the hostel pub crawls end up, and where to go on your own
A three-floor bar in the walled city that somehow manages to be both fancy and affordable. Cocktails are well-made and reasonably priced for the setting, and the rooftop fills up quickly after 9pm. It draws a sociable mix of locals and travellers throughout the week.
Right across from Alquimico, La Jugada is a firm favourite on the Getsemaní and old-town bar circuit. It gets packed on weekends with a younger crowd looking for good music and cold drinks at decent prices. Arrive before midnight if you want a spot without a wait.
Perched on top of the old city walls, Café del Mar is one of Cartagena's most famous sunset spots. Drinks are on the pricier side, but the view over the Caribbean as the sun drops is genuinely hard to beat. Come for sundowners, then move on to Getsemaní for the rest of the night.
The plaza itself isn't one bar but a collection of open-air spots and street vendors surrounding the central square in Getsemaní. It's where the neighbourhood comes alive every evening, with locals and backpackers drinking cold Águila beers on plastic chairs. Cheap, social, and the best place to start any night out.
A long-running salsa and champeta club in Getsemaní that stays open into the early hours. The dance floor fills up by midnight with a loud, sweaty, brilliant crowd, and the music is all live or DJ-mixed Colombian genres. Entrance is cheap and the rum is even cheaper.
A rooftop gastro bar with views across the old city that features on several pub crawl itineraries. It blends food, cocktails, and a relaxed party atmosphere in one spot. Gets busier later in the evening when crawl groups roll through.
A Cuban-influenced bar and club in the walled city with live salsa music most nights of the week. The space is intimate and the dance floor small, which makes it feel electric once it fills up around 11pm. A solid pick if you want to actually dance rather than just stand at a bar.
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