Writer’s Travel Guide to Cartagena, Colombia

The colorful, colonial city of Cartagena, Colombia is supposedly the prettiest in all of South America. To me, that means Cartagena must also be one of the best cities for writing inspiration.

I put this theory to test a few weeks ago and found it met the expectation. Cartagena is full of great writing spots.

Read this guide to find out where they are, as well as where to find writing inspiration, where to take writing breaks and where to stay during your time in Cartagena.

This article contains affiliate links, which means I may receive commission at no extra cost to you. That being said, I would never recommend anything I didn’t or wouldn’t use myself.

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Best Writing Spots in Cartagena

Abaco Books and Coffee

Of all the cute cafes in Cartagena, this one was the best for writing in my opinion. Though there aren’t many tables and the space is very small, every nook and cranny is crammed with books.

That’s because this café doubles as a bookshop. Most of the books were in Spanish, but there were lots of books in English too. It was very difficult for me to remind myself I was backpacking and couldn’t buy any books. One day I’ll return for you, beautiful books…

Juan Valdez Cafe

Yeah, independent coffee shops are ideal. But sometimes, the chain is more convenient.

Juan Valdez is the cafe chain of Colombia, and although I always prefer small, local cafes, I have grabbed teas from here. And it was good. It’s sometimes the only option nearby, and you can always count on a nice place to sit with Wi-Fi.

I went to one near Parque de Bolivar, and the space was really inviting.

Libertario

Let me start by saying I don’t drink coffee. I’ve always hated the taste. And if I do drink it, I need tons of sugar to overpower that bitter taste I hate.

Yet I loved the coffee in Libertario. And I didn’t even need sugar. That’s how good it was.

Centrally located in Getsemani, just across from the famous Café Havanna salsa bar, this is a good place to take a break during the day to stop and write.

You have two choices for seating. Either you can sit outside on the bar stools, which is great for people watching on this busy street. Or, if you want something a bit quieter and more comfortable for writing, you can go inside to the cozy and stylish interior for a spot at a table.

Café Stepping Stone

Just down the street from Libertario is the more hip and younger atmosphere of this café. The great thing about it is it gives back to the community. Although it’s Australian owned, this café helps “increase education and employment, upskill disadvantaged youth and gives them skills, confidence and the ‘stepping stone’ needed to progress their future.”

The food options are also amazing (though a bit pricey for Colombia standards, it’s still cheap for the quality), and the space is cute, bright and welcoming. You won’t mind taking a day out of your Cartagena itinerary for a whole day of writing here.

City Wall

Prefer writing outside with a seaside view? Head to the part of the city wall running along the Caribbean Sea.

The archway holes in the wall were originally intended for war, traditionally holding canons ready for an attack. Today, they are used for love, holding mostly couples sitting together and observing the Caribbean together.

And you can use them for writing. Grab your favorite notebook and pen, clamber into one of these stone holes and write away with a view of the sea on one side, and of the city on the other.

Pro tip: get here in the late afternoon to score a spot to watch the sunset over the Caribbean.

If you’d rather sit in an actual chair rather than the stone wall, Café del Mar is located on top of the wall and an overpriced but beautiful place to spend your evening writing with a cocktail.

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Best Writing Breaks & Inspiration in Cartagena

Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas

This fort is a fun place for history and military buffs to explore. Cartagena was once the port city where most resources and goods from Central and South America were shipped off to Europe. As such, European colonial powers constantly fought over control of this city, and the massive fort was built to ward off attacks.

And even if you’re not too interested in history or architecture, this fort is located at the top of a hill with an amazing view of Cartagena. There are a few benches up top perfect for writing in your notebook as you take in the views.

I’d recommend going when I did: around sunset. You’ll get a nice view of the sun setting over the city and Caribbean in the distance.

Free walking tour

One of the best ways to learn about a new city is to take a walking tour. If you’re lucky, you’ll end up with a local as your guide to the history, culture and daily life of the place, like I did with Free Tour Cartagena.

The bad thing about group walking tours is that you don’t have the luxury to stop and write when inspiration hits. Or you do, I suppose, but you’ll get left behind! But this is a much more informative way of gaining writing inspiration than simply wandering around on your own.

Getsemani

This neighborhood, located just outside the walled Old City, was my favorite place in Cartagena to wander around. A few places I already recommended for writing, and the hostel I will recommend staying in, are located in this popular neighborhood of Cartagena.

The street art is a big draw of this neighborhood, as well as the colorful buildings. It also truly comes alive at night, with salsa bars, street food venders and restaurants drawing people in to the narrow, colorful streets of Getsemani.

I thought Plaza Trinidad was an especially great place to sit at night and people watch. They also have vendors with amazing street food here, grab cheap dinner from one (or a few!) of them, and make sure you have your notebook with you for some writing time.

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Best Accommodation in Cartagena

Espiritu Santo Hostel by Maos

From my very first glance at this hostel, I knew I’d be happy there. In addition to the colorfully painted building, the tree with bright purple flowers out front also cheerfully welcome guests in.

There’s a cozy indoor spot in the corridor with plenty of outlets where you can write, and there’s always a nice, cool breeze coming in. But my favorite spot for writing was definitely the backyard area.

There’s an outdoor kitchen, hot tub, hammocks and plenty of tables for seating out there. It’s the perfect spot to sit in the shade of the tree to write. While the songs of the birds are nice company, be cautious of the poo…my keyboard had a few close calls!

The showers are outdoors too, and although this can be rustic for some, it was amazing taking a shower under the open sky. Don’t worry, there are walls; you don’t have to get naked in front of the whole hostel. ;p

Best of all, the bunk beds have curtains, which I love because I always enjoy the privacy of lying in bed writing. While this feature is common in most Asian hostels I stayed in, it’s a lot rarer in Colombia.

Casa Claver Loft Boutique Hotel

For those who aren’t starving artists and want a private hotel room in the Walled City, this hotel is perfect for a writing retreat in Cartagena.

The rooms are spacious yet cozy, and if you want a bigger space with a kitchen so you can stay holed up all day in the beautiful space, you can get a loft. There’s delicious breakfast included, and a rooftop pool with a beautiful view.

Writing while sunbathing by the pool and looking out at Cartagena’s historic center? Yes please!

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Books to read:

As a writer, it’s crucial to read other’s writing to improve your own. And what better way to learn more about Cartagena than by reading a book set there?

Who knows, maybe one of these will even inspire you to write your own book set in Cartagena. At the very least, these books will convince you to visit this city if you haven’t already.

Love in the Time of Cholera– Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Perhaps the most famous book set in Cartagena, this is certainly one of the most famous book of Nobel Prize winning Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This writer was so enamored by Cartagena that his ashes lie in this city, and he credits most of his writing inspiration to this city he once lived in.

Perhaps reading this love story will show you why Garcia Marquez found the city so inspiring for writing, and prompt you visit Cartagena for that same inspiration.

Of Love and Other Demons– Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This shorter and newer novel was also written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, also has a Cartagena setting and also is a love story.

And hopefully, it will also convince you to find writing inspiration in Cartagena.

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Did you find writing inspiration while in Cartagena? Share any other great writing spots you found in the comments below!

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