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La Popa Monastery

La Popa Monastery: Our most recommended tours and activities

Cartagena: Walled City, San Felipe, La Popa Tour & Tastings

1. Cartagena: Walled City, San Felipe, La Popa Tour & Tastings

If you're wanting a complete Cartagena experience with no corners unturned, this private full-day tour is made so you can see the city in the most complete way possible. Taste local foods and visit sights such as San Felipe Castle and the city's main squares. Enjoy optional entry to La Popa Convent. Start the day by meeting your local guide, who will pick you directly up from your hotel or address. Then, head first to the historic San Felipe Castle, the city’s old fortress built by Spaniards (entry tickets included). Walk through the castle and let your guide bring back to life adventure stories of conquerors, treasures, and pirates. Learn more about how Colombia became so mixed due to African, Indigenous, and Spanish roots. Visit afterward the Walled City of Cartagena and stroll around the colonial and colorful houses as you get to know more about the main squares and bastions that traced the city’s path to independence. See Santo Domingo Square, the church, and the Cathedral of Santa Catalina de Alejandría. It wouldn’t be the perfect tour of Cartagena without tasting Colombia’s flavors, so you’ll get to try typical coconut sweets and, fried arepa with egg, a traditional snack famous on the Caribbean Coast. If choosing the longer tour option with entry tickets to the Convent of La Popa (Convent of the Stern), round off your tour by visiting the convent and a viewpoint located at the top of a hill where the city, its sea, and one of its islands can be seen and photographed. Cartagena is not only the touristic capital of Colombia but one of the most memorable cities that holds Colombia’s history, making it a place for culture, tradition, and diversity, with many historic places and unique corners to discover.

Cartagena: City, San Peter & San Felipe Castle Guided Tour

2. Cartagena: City, San Peter & San Felipe Castle Guided Tour

Discover the magic of Cartagena – declared a World Heritage Site for its architectural distinction and its history – on this 4-hour, small-group tour. Visit the main sites around the city and learn the rich stories behind its culture. Visit San Peter Claver Church, where you can know the history of the founder of Humans Rights, a priest known as the slave of the slave. From there, explore Fort San Felipe de Barajas, a 16th-century hilltop fortress built by the Spanish to protect against pirates and the English navy. Your guide will accompany you to tell the stories within the fort and explain more of its importance to Cartagena. Make a quick stop at an emblematic symbol of Cartagena – the Old Shoes Monument – and continue into the Walled City. Take a guided walk around the historic center and gain a deep understanding of its culture and architecture before returning to your hotel.

Cartagena: Private City Tour in an Air-Conditioned Vehicle

3. Cartagena: Private City Tour in an Air-Conditioned Vehicle

Make the most of this private tour to visit the principal sites of interest in the old city of Cartagena — all while traveling in comfort, on board a luxury air-conditioned vehicle. Starting in the downtown area, you will head to the Manga neighborhood, where you can appreciate the beautiful mansions built at the beginning of the 20th century. Continue on to the highest part of the city, where there is a convent dating from the beginning of the 17th century. Visit the San Felipe de Barajas Fortress, considered the most important fortification in South America. From here, you will head to the walled city, with a stop for some shopping. Following a little retail therapy, visit the different squares of the city and admire the old colonial houses. After a journey of historical discovery, fast-forward to the present day and explore the modern part of Cartagena, including the Bohemian neighborhood of Gethsemane. This neighborhood is so authentically charming and on the cusp of a commercial explosion. Immerse yourself in Spanish colonial architecture, dance halls, graffiti art, boutique hotels, food vendors, and stunning public plazas. Then head to the old neighborhood of San Diego, and see the oldest bullring in Colombia, now a shopping center. Discover the square of San Diego with its imposing palaces Convent of San Diego (today a school of fine arts), and Convent of Santa Clara, where the luxurious Sofitel Legend is located today. End with a walking tour of the main churches and squares of the walled city to the Clock Tower.

Other Sightseeing Options in La Popa Monastery

Want to discover all there is to do in La Popa Monastery? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about La Popa Monastery

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 206 reviews

My husband and I had the best time on our tour. Fernando our tour guide and George our driver were fantastic. Fernando was so knowledgeable about his country and his city. We did the tour our first afternoon in the city and it was perfect because it gave us a great overview of the city, its different neighborhoods and its history. You also get VIP service because Fernando knows EVERYONE! We never had to wait in line for anything, he was talking to people everywhere we went and you could tell he was such a genuine friendly person that everyone lived.

Our primate group tour of (6) people had a wonderful experience with this agency. Because each couple in our group wanted to see & do different things our tour Guide Oscar was extremely accommodating- This cannot be done if you are on a group tour bus. I would highly recommend the services of this company on your visit to Cartagena…

Nelson was an excellent guide, he’s very knowledgeable about the history of his city and proud of it was well. We learned a lot and loved the leasurely pace of the tour. Nelson also stopped when we wanted a break to shop a bit too. I would recommend this tour and will encourage my friends to do it as well.

Jose Miguel was a fantastic guide! He is quite knowledgeable and ready, willing, and able to fully accommodate tour guests. Highly recommend!!

Manuel worked hard to provide an outstanding experience while we were in Cartagena.