Information
Landmark: GetsemaníCity: Cartagena
Country: Colombia
Continent: South America
Getsemaní, Cartagena, Colombia, South America
Overview
Getsemaní, Cartagena’s bohemian heart, buzzes with life-narrow streets splashed in bright blues and yellows, music drifting from open doorways, walls alive with murals, and a history that runs deep through every stone.Once home to Cartagena’s working class and freed slaves, the neighborhood now buzzes with travelers, artists, and locals drawn to its lively streets and the taste of fresh arepas outside the Walled City.So, why go to Getsemaní?✔ Stunning street art and murals ✔ Lively nightlife with bars and salsa clubs ✔ Rich colonial history and local culture ✔ Affordable and delicious street food ✔ Authentic, less touristy experience than the Walled City Top Attractions & Things to Do in Getsemaní 1.From vivid street murals splashed across old brick walls to nights alive with salsa beats and buzzing bars, Getsemaní brims with colonial charm, local traditions, mouthwatering cheap eats, and an authentic vibe you won’t find in the Walled City’s tourist crowds.Plaza de la Trinidad-right in the heart of Getsemaní-buzzes with life, its cobblestones echoing with music, laughter, and the smell of street food drifting through the night air.Colonial buildings rise around you, and street performers play lively tunes nearby-it’s the perfect spot to sit back and soak in the local atmosphere.As the sun dips low, the streets pulse with music, dancers twirl in bright skirts, and vendors hand over warm arepas, golden empanadas, and cups of cold, sweet juice.Number two stood alone, sharp and simple, like a chalk mark on a dark board.Callejón Angosto, known as the Colorful Umbrella Street, is a snug lane in Getsemaní draped with bright umbrellas and lined with bold, splashy murals that beg for a photo.It’s the perfect spot to snap a few photos and take in the neighborhood’s artistic vibe, from bright murals to painted doorways.Three.Getsemaní bursts with vivid murals and bold street art, each wall telling stories of its people’s history, culture, and quiet defiance.Don’t miss Calle de la Sierpe-it’s lined with bold, colorful murals, like a jaguar’s face leaping from the wall.Many pieces celebrate local heroes, weave in Afro-Caribbean roots, and echo the neighborhood’s rebellious past, like the faded mural of a drummer on the corner wall.Number four sat there, small and sharp, like it had been written in a hurry.Head to a lively bar in Getsemaní and dance salsa until your feet ache-this neighborhood has some of Cartagena’s best, where the music spills right out into the street.Café Havana is the city’s go-to, with live Cuban music spilling into the street and a warm, old-school Caribbean feel.Bazurto Social Club buzzes with live music, strong cocktails, and a dance floor that stays crowded late into the night.Five.In Getsemaní, street food lovers find their paradise-like the sizzling arepas de huevo, golden corn cakes stuffed with egg and savory meat.Carimañolas-crispy yuca fritters filled with melted cheese or savory beef.Patacones are crispy, golden slices of fried plantain, often piled with melted cheese or juicy shrimp.Vendors slice ripe mango, papaya, and watermelon, their sweet scent drifting through the warm air.Number six sat alone on the page, sharp as a hook and just as unyielding.Stroll down Calle San Juan and Calle de la Media Luna, where brightly painted facades catch the sunlight, and boutique hotels and bustling cafés line the way.Colonial balconies draped with bougainvillea stand beside walls splashed with bold street art, making this one of Cartagena’s most photogenic spots.Seven.When the sun goes down, Getsemaní bursts alive with drums thumping, dancers spinning, and the streets humming with laughter.At Plaza de la Trinidad, you can sip a cold drink, strike up a chat with locals, and watch street performers play guitar under the warm evening lights.At places like Demente Tapas Bar, you can sip a perfectly chilled cocktail while soaking in a relaxed, stylish atmosphere that hums with warmth and good energy.In colonial days, Getsemaní bustled with enslaved Africans, skilled artisans, and working-class families, its narrow streets set apart from the grand houses inside the Walled City.In 1811, the streets of Getsemaní echoed with shouts as locals rose up against Spanish rule, playing a key role in Cartagena’s fight for independence.For years, the area sat forgotten, its walls fading under the sun, but over the past two decades it’s burst to life as one of Cartagena’s most vibrant, culture-packed neighborhoods.Final thoughts: Getsemaní is Cartagena’s heartbeat, where centuries-old walls echo with music, color splashes across murals, and the nights hum with life.
