Destination
When should you visit Cartagena?
Weather, crowds, prices and events for all twelve months — and one clear recommendation.
My recommendation
February
February is the best overall month because it is in the dry season, has some of Cartagena's best weather of the year, and comes after the crowded and expensive Christmas/New Year period. The Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI) takes place in February.
Best weather
February
Dry season and among the best weather of the year.
Fewer crowds
April–May
Lower tourist levels and good value, close to the dry season.
Lowest prices
June–November
Lowest prices and crowds, but rainy-season weather.
Avoid
December–January
Christmas and New Year make this the busiest and most expensive period.
February scores
Plan around
What to know before you book
- Cartagena International Film Festival (FICCI)
- A major cultural event that draws visitors to the city each February — great atmosphere if you want it, worth knowing about if you don't.
- Semana Santa
- Holy Week brings a major domestic travel spike. Crowds and prices rise when Easter falls in your dates — check the calendar before booking.
- Independence Day
- Parades and dancing fill the city around November 11 and can temporarily increase crowds in an otherwise quiet month.
- Christmas & New Year
- A major peak travel period with the highest crowds and prices of the year, despite the excellent dry-season weather.
February
March or April, depending on the year
November 11
December–January
Where I stay in Cartagena
Hotel Quadrifolio
A sixteen-room hotel in a converted colonial house. Massive wooden doors, interior courtyards, and silence after 10 PM.
Affiliate link
Month by month
All twelve months, at a glance
Tap any month for full scores, temperatures and planning notes.
Keep exploring
Related destinations
Other places I’d time carefully — and when I’d go.
