500 years of history resonate among the stone walls of Cartagena de Indias, revealing to those willing to listen the secrets behind this marvelous city.

A destination of massive world renown, with its vibrant traditions, culture and endless sea-side summer lifestyle, guarantee memorable activities for all those who visit this jewel of the greater Colombian Caribbean.

Cartagena de Indias is a destination that brings together history and modernity. Within the ancient, fortified walls you will encounter beautiful colonial houses with colorful balconies, narrow cobblestone streets that lead to wide squares brimming with life, and colonial churches and monasteries that have been turned into sumptuous boutique hotels. On the other side of the colonial enchantment, a modern Caribbean lifestyle greets you with tall, imposing towers lining the bay, as well as paradise-like beaches in peaceful islands perfect for diving and practicing water sports.

  • Population: Around 1 million inhabitants
  • Average temperature: 29 ºC / 82ºF
Cartagena at night
Photo: ProColombia

 

Incentive trips

Cartagena de Indias is an ideal city for incentive travel thanks to its advanced infrastructure and wide experience offer for this sort of tourism.

For example, you can hold a themed dinner party at an ancient square, chapel, stronghold, or even at the San Felipe de Barajas Castle, a colonial fortress that takes you back in time to an era of pirates, treasure hunts, counts and marquises, the famous India Catalina, and much more.

Congresses and Conventions

Cartagena de Indias is revolutionizing the regional meetings industry by mixing its broad background and expertise hosting world-class events, with its unparalleled cultural offer. The city has been at the forefront of Colombia’s image transformation, positioning the country as a destination that offers experiences beyond conventional events.

According to the ICCA—the global meetings industry’s leading association—Cartagena ranks 17th in the Americas by total number of ICCA events held and lies within the Latin American top 10. (ICCA, 2018).

These results contributed to the decision of making the city host for the 2021 ICCA World Congress, which will welcome over a thousand attendees.

If you need further reasons to pick Cartagena as your ideal congress destination, here are a few:

Accessibility: Cartagena is a 10-minute city, which means event attendees will find everything they need regarding tourism within an 11-km radius (airport, hotels, tourist attractions, convention centers, shopping malls, the historic district, restaurants, monuments and the bay).

Cartagena de Indias
Photo: Sebastián Sanint

International connectivity: Cartagena is connected to 9 cities in other countries through over 70 direct weekly frequencies.

Trajectory: being in a quintessential tourism city—not to mention Colombia’s tourism crown jewel—most local businesses boast over 30 years of experience in carrying out top-notch events (Cartagena’s Convention Bureau, founded over two decades ago and first of its kind in Colombia, earns a special mention).

Quality: one of the city’s convention centers was the first venue in all of Latin America to receive an AIPC Gold certification.

History: Cartagena, the Heroic City, has hosted great events such as:

  • 6th Summit of the Americas (2012)
  • 82nd INTERPOL General Assembly (2013)
  • 25th Ibero-American Summit (2016)
  • IAMCR Annual Conference (2017)
  • UNWTO Tourism Tech Adventures: Scaling Up (2019)

A city that will make you feel the rhythm: our stories aren’t told as much as they’re sung to the rhythm of cumbia, champeta, dance hall, salsa, vallenato and countless other genres that make the Greater Colombian Caribbean dance.

Events

Destination weddings

Recent destination wedding trends point more and more to non-traditional venues for the most important celebration in a couple’s life.

Cartagena de Indias is widely regarded as an immensely romantic destination, perfect for celebrating symbolic unions of any religion. Beyond its sheer architectural beauty and Caribbean appeal, other aspects of the Fantastic City worth highlighting include: its broad experience in hosting international events; truly unique venues, such as colonial-style hotels, 16th-century churches, private ships and islands, and the city’s very own walls; gourmet flavors with that combine the best of global and local cuisine; designer and couture boutiques, as well as jewelries boasting some of Colombia’s best world-famous emeralds; and numerous other possibilities to turn the occasion into the trip of a lifetime.

As further testament to its romantic vibe, Cartagena de Indias was declared Leading Honeymoon Destination by the 2019 World Travel Awards.

There has also been an increasing number of Jewish and Hindu weddings celebrated in the city. The overall flexibility of its hotels and venues makes it an ideal place to host celebrations of different religions and faiths, which further positions Cartagena as a city that welcomes love with open arms.

Cultural events

The world-famous Cartagena Music Festival, the Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival (FICCI) and the Hay Festival are just some of the events that have chosen this magical city as their permanent venue. Among music, film and literature, these platforms welcome thousands of international attendees that, beyond concerts, screenings and conferences, come to experience the unique ambiance of the city. Cartagena is filled with spectacular views, a vibrant urban art scene, modern, colonial and republican-style architecture, enthralling rhythms and is the embodiment of the surreal charm that permeates the stories of our very own Nobel Laureate in Literature, Gabriel García Márquez.

Cartagena Walled city
Photo: ProColombia

Cartagena is a diverse city that, thanks to the versatility of its venues and event organizers, is able to bring to life all sorts of productions, stages and events in places like squares, fortifications, castles, strongholds, monasteries, ports, islands and much more.

Additionally, the city’s wide hotel offer provides attendees with numerous options to choose from close to their main sites of interest like the airport, beaches, the historic district, Cartagena bay, restaurants, bars, shopping malls and other tourist attractions..

Sporting events

At roughly 2 meters above sea level and with a mostly plain surface, Cartagena de Indias has established itself as a preferred destination by professional athletes, cyclists and swimmers that seek motivating and inspiring sporting experiences.

2019 saw the fourth edition of the Ironamn 70.3 take place in Cartagena, as the city grows in popularity among triathletes across the world.

Sport brings over 100,000 people together each December at Cartagena de Indias as they come to participate in various encounters and competitions. This large number doesn’t even include the numerous people who visit the city throughout the year for golf and swimming events hosted by the city’s remarkable infrastructure for these sports, which include the only TPC golf course in Colombia and one of Latin America’s safest bays.

After hosting the 2019 National Games, Cartagena de Indias was left with improved sports infrastructure that has allowed it to diversify its offer and potentially attract new international sporting events across various disciplines. Jaime Morón stadium now complies with international FIFA and CONMEBOL regulations to host upcoming America Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches, and the iconic Once de Noviembre stadium was renovated to become Colombia’s best baseball park.

Main venues for your event

Convention Centers

1. Cartagena de Indias Convention Center

  • Over 30 spaces available across 3 stories.
  • Located right on the bay between the walled city and the Getsemaní neighborhood with an offer of over 2,500 rooms within a 5-km radius.
  • Maximum capacity: 2,000 PAX.
Cartagena de Indias Convention Center
Photo: ProColombia

2. Las Américas Convention Center

  • Linear infrastructure of 6,356 m2 with ideal spaces for congresses, fairs and expos.
  • Just 5 minutes away from Rafael Núñez International Airport.
  • Maximum capacity: 3,500 PAX.

3. Hilton Cartagena Convention Center

  • Multi-function event space of up to 2,453 m2 / 26,398 sq. ft.
  • Grand Hall, divisible into rooms and includes an expo area, 1,500 PAX.
  • Over 340 rooms for event attendees.

4. Estelar Cartagena de Indias Convention Center

  • Modern facilities in the Bocagrande tourism sector.
  • Maximum capacity: 1,000 PAX.
  • Over 10 event halls and 338 sea-view rooms.

Unconventional venues

1. Plaza de la Aduana

  • Largest and oldest square in the city.
  • Maximum capacity: 2,500 PAX.

2. Plaza de Bolívar

  • Iconic square in the middle of the historic district.
  • Maximum capacity: 800 PAX.

3. Adolfo Mejía Theatre

  • Concert hall in the historic district, inaugurated in 1905.
  • Maximum capacity: 650 PAX.

4. San Felipe de Barajas Castle

  • Colonial fortress built in 1536, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Maximum capacity: 1,200 PAX.

5. Baluarte Santa Clara

  • 17th-century fortification in front of Hotel Santa Clara.
  • Maximum capacity: 200 PAX.

Hotels

Cartagena de Indias’ hotel offer stands out in Colombia for its numerous luxury boutique hotels in addition to an already wide overall selection. Boutique and corporate hotels currently offer up to 4,750 rooms.

Activity highlights for your event

Enjoy the songs the Walled City sings

  • Where: Cartagena de Indias.
  • Duration: Around 4 hours. 
  • Description: Themed dinner party in an ancient square, chapel, stronghold or at the San Felipe de Barajas Castle, where attendees will enjoy Caribbean nights with an ambiance reminiscent of an age of pirates, treasure hunts, counts and marquises, the famed India Catalina.

Turn into a pirate with the sway of the sea

  • Where: Cartagena de Indias.
  • Duration: 3 hours. 
  • Description: Night sail across Cartagena bay aboard a pirate ship with a visit to San Felipe Castle. Experience a 19th-century pirate attack reenactment followed by traditional cocktails and hors d’œuvres to live music.

Discover the Walled City along a scavenger hunt

  • Where: Cartagena de Indias.
  • Duration: 2 hours. 
  • Descrption:  Scavenger hunts across the historic district consisting of teambuilding activities like treasure hunts and rallies of varying difficulties. This experience will help you get to know the city like a true Cartagenero. Learn about the city’s history and relax afterwards with a refreshing coconut lemonade on a hotel rooftop with an amazing view.

Nothing beats Cartagena by “chiva”

  • Where: Cartagena de Indias.
  • Duration: 2 hours. 
  • Description: These traditional buses are great for touring around modern Cartagena accompanied by a vallenato group. Discover neighborhoods like Bocagrande, Castillogrande and Manga. Stop at Cuartel de las Bóvedas for a traditional Cartagenero snack and resume the tour that will take you to one of the city’s most popular nightclubs.

Sway on board a luxury catamaran

  • Where: Cartagena de Indias bay
  • Duration: 3 hours.
  • Description: Enjoy a unique night view of the Cartagena bay accompanied by cocktails and hors d’œuvres. End the tour with a quaint dinner to the melodies of son Cubano at a restaurant with its own pier.

Come and discover why Cartagena de Indias is the ideal destination for your next event. "La Heroica" greets you warmly to the most welcoming place on Earth.