This guide is for you if you want the high ground of Cartagena: the fortress of San Felipe, the convent on La Popa and the old walls, in one half day. It helps you pick the morning or the afternoon slot, work out which dates are busy on the hills, and decide whether the climbs suit everyone in your group.
Morning or afternoon
The tour runs at 07:00 or 13:00. The choice matters more here than on most city tours, because all three stops involve climbing in the open.
The 07:00 start is the cooler one. San Felipe opens every day from 07:00 to 18:00, so you can be on its ramps soon after the gates open. La Popa opens later, at about 08:00, which is why the morning tour does the walls and San Felipe first and leaves the convent for last.
The 13:00 start puts you on the walls and the fortress in the hottest part of the day. It also brings you to La Popa in the late afternoon, which suits people who arrive on a morning flight or who want the view with lower light. The convent's listed hours run until a little after 17:00, so the afternoon slot fits inside them. Hours can change, so check them before you go if you plan your own visit.
When to go, and the dates that change the hills
Cartagena has two seasons. December to April is the dry season, with little rain. May to November is the rainy season, and September and October are usually the wettest months. The city is busiest from December to March and again in July and August, and fullest of all at Christmas, New Year and Holy Week. May, September and October are quieter.
Three dates are worth checking against your plans:
- La Candelaria at La Popa. The Virgin of La Candelaria is the patroness of Cartagena, and her feast on 2 February is the big day on the hill. The festivities start in the days before, with masses early in the morning and again in the evening. Pilgrims come from along the coast. It is a good time to see the convent as a place of worship, but expect more people.
- The last Sunday of the month at San Felipe. San Felipe has had free entry for Colombians with ID on the last Sunday of the month for most of the year. Those days are popular with local families; check the current rules if your date falls on one.
- The Independence festivities in November. Cartagena declared independence in 1811, and the festivities fill the first half of November, with a main parade along Avenida Santander. Check the year's programme. If your date falls on a parade day, tell us and we will plan the order of the stops around it.
How the half day fits together
You are collected at your hotel or apartment in the walled city, Getsemaní, Bocagrande or Manga. The car does the distances; you do the climbing. The walls come first, a walk along the top with the sea on one side. Then San Felipe, where you spend the longest. Then La Popa, about 150 metres up, for the view over the city and the bay. At the end the driver takes you back to your hotel or to a restaurant.
San Felipe stands on the San Lázaro hill, northeast of the historic centre. Building was approved by royal decree in 1657. The French took it in 1697. In 1741 it held out against the English fleet under Edward Vernon. From 1762 the military engineer Antonio de Arévalo enlarged it into the shape you walk through today. It belongs to the fortification system that UNESCO inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1984, which it describes as the most extensive in South America.
Because the car is yours, the order and the pace can change on the day. If someone wants more time in the tunnels and less on the walls, tell your driver.
On your own, or with a car and driver
You can visit all three places independently. The catch is that they are spread out and two of them sit on hills, so you spend part of the day arranging transport between them and waiting for it in the heat. With a private car, the driver waits at each stop and the vehicle is there when you come down.
The entrances to San Felipe and La Popa are not included either way: you pay them on the day. Colombians over 62 and children under 6 can enter San Felipe free, subject to the fortress's requirements, so carry ID if that applies to you. The price of the car depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What to bring
- Comfortable, closed shoes with grip. San Felipe is ramps, steps and narrow tunnels.
- Water, a hat and sun cream. Cartagena is hot and humid all year.
- Your passport or ID, in case a reduced or free entrance applies.
- Cash or a card for the two entrances and for drinks.
- Light, loose clothing. La Popa is a place of pilgrimage where masses are held, so dress as you would for any church visit.
Travelling between May and November? Pack a light rain jacket. It weighs little, and the walls and batteries have no cover.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits travellers interested in military history and anyone who wants to understand how the city was defended before walking its streets. It also works well for cruise passengers: the cruise terminal receives most of the ships that call in Colombia, and we can collect you there. Tell us the ship and the time when you book.
Think twice in these cases:
- Someone has limited mobility. San Felipe has many ramps and steps. Tell us when you book and we will plan the stops around it, perhaps with more time at the views and less inside the fort.
- You want the streets inside the walls. This tour stays on the high points. Our walled city and Getsemaní tour covers the squares and churches.
- You only have one day. Cartagena in a day combines both half days with lunch in between.
Questions people ask
How long do we get at San Felipe?
It is the longest stop of the half day, and you can stretch it. Because the car is private, time taken from the walls or from La Popa can go to the fortress instead.
Can we end at a restaurant instead of the hotel?
Yes. Tell your driver on the day where you want to be dropped.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you get a full refund. See our cancellation page.
Booking the half day
Pick the slot first: 07:00 for the cooler hours, 13:00 for the late light on La Popa. Then check your date against La Candelaria and the November festivities. For how this tour fits with the others, read our guide to day trips from Cartagena. When you are ready, choose your group size and book on the San Felipe, La Popa and city walls tour page.
