When you visit Cartagena, you’ll go to the neighborhood of Getsemani. Adjacent to the old city, it’s a nexus for nightlife and dining. What it’s most known for is art, and if you’re like me, you’ll love the colorful art in the streets of Getsemani.
About Getsemani
When I first came to Cartagena in 2016, Getsemani was the “edgy” neighborhood known for its hip street art tours. Now it is an established tourist attraction with great restaurants, upscale hotels, and still the best street art in the city. In fact, all you need to do is take a quick stroll off the main avenue to immerse yourself in the colors of Getsemani.
Start at Plaza de la Trinidad
It may seem confusing in Cartagena, the narrow streets turn and wind and almost seem circular, but that’s part of the fun, especially when there’s so much to see! I recommend heading for Plaza de la Trinidad to get started exploring Getsemani.
If you’re doing a walk of the neighborhood in search of inspired photo backgrounds, start or end in this main plaza. The colorful art in the streets of Getsemani spreads out from Plaza de la Trinidad, named after the Iglesia Trinidad (Holy Trinity), which dominates it.
With good restaurants, bustling food carts, and friendly locals offering bike rentals and haircuts, Plaza de la Trinidad is a great place to stop and linger for an hour or several. A meeting point for locals, at night dancers and musicians perform in the square while vendors cook up Colombian meals to go. It is also a great place to begin your exploration of the art in the streets of Getsemane.
Walk in almost any direction from the Plaza Trinidad, and you’ll be surrounded by colorful decorations and street art.
Colorful Streets
Not only is Getsemani full of street art, it is full of decorated streets. Everywhere you turn are streets filled with flags, umbrellas, lanterns, or something to set it apart, to draw people in for picture taking and drink and souvenir buying.
cartagena’s Umbrella street
From Plaza Trinidad, walk two blocks south to Calle de los Sombrillas (The Umbrella Street). Yes, like many cities around the world, Cartagena has its own umbrella- filled street designed for photo taking.
We recently encountered a newly decorated street on the edge of Getsemani with butterflies and cutouts, just around the corner from the umbrellas.
Callejon Ancho is another colorful street close by the Plaza Trinidad, just keep exploring. It’s decorated with colorful plants and flowers and a welcome sign.
Getsemani is a safe neighborhood. You will see lots of tourists taking and posing for photos in these streets. You do not have to worry, but as always when traveling, be smart and look after your belongings.
flag streets near centenario park
Heading north of the Plaza and down a few blocks, closer to the muelle and Centenario Park, you’ll encounter the flag streets. One street is decorated with the colors of the Colombian flag, and another with international flags.
It’s easy! Just walk any way from Plaza de la Trinidad, have your camera or phone charged, and enjoy the tour. You will love Getsemani too.
While you walk around taking photos, keep in mind that people put in the work to make these streets so pretty. If you can buy a cocktail or a smoothie from a local store, or a meal from a vendor, do! At the very least, be friendly and polite. A “Buenas Dias” with a smile goes a long way in Colombia!
Art in the Streets of Getsemani
Getsemani is filled with artists. You can tell this from all the art on the walls. Some days you’ll walk by artists creating a new mural, or selling their paintings in the streets of Getsemani.
Many locals have a favorite artist so if you want to take home a souvenir, ask around for recommendations. There is a lot of high quality work on offer. Unfortunately we don’t have any space on Sava for art!
If you walk one block north of Trinidad and make a left towards Café del Mural, you will be blessed with a beautiful setting. The art is beautiful and the café serves great coffee.
In addition to the streets I mentioned, which have decorations and art, walk around between Plaza Trinidad and Parque Centenario.
If you’re like me, you’ll stop a lot, take oodles of photos, and have fun! It’s the perfect neighborhood for this because if you get tired, or hungry or thirsty and want a break, choices are everywhere.
Street art of Animals
These are a small fraction of the animals I have seen on the walls of Getsemani’s streets over the last few months.
people
The walls of Getsemani are full of beautiful and colorful portraits of people.
Take a Walk in Getsemani
If you want to enjoy the colorful art in the streets of Getsemani, take a walk. You don’t have to start or end in Plaza de la Trinidad, but it’s a good place to visit. I’ve created a mini map of some of the key spots, but when you visit, there may be new decorations in the streets, and there will likely be new art. That’s a great thing about street art. It’s always evolving.
Where would you go first in Getsemani? Let me know in the comments!
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I loved Cartagena. It such a beautiful and colorful historic city. Even though we saw some of the same places that you did, I need to admit that we missed the best. We loved the colorful houses, but did not see most of the murals. I guess we will have to go again.
Sounds like you need to go back to Cartagena, Rudy! Fortunately, it’s easy to get to and very affordable!
I love the street art scene all throughout Colombia. I didn’t make it to Cartagena but I imagine I would’ve been the annoying tourist walking slowly through the streets and taking photos of everything, haha.
The colours are just amazing.
Wow, I love how colorful this part of Cartegena is! Adding this to my list for when I visit someday!
It’s soooo colourful! I love the bright paints on buildings, the flags, the art and all the animal murals! Cartagena seems so cheerful and happy with all that colour!
Isn’t Cartagena such a fun and colorful city? This post makes me miss it so much, and this was actually where I stayed when I visited in 2019. I love how close and convenient it is to the walled city center, and you’ve captured the essence of it so beautifully in your photos. I especially love the animal-themed murals!
It is fun and colorful, Kevin! Good choice staying in a hotel in Getsemani.
I totally love the artsy and colorful vibes of these streets. Such a happy and joyful vibe!
Can’t wait to go there. Stopping in as part of a cruise at year’s end. From the looks of it, I may not have enough time. Loved the art in Valparaiso but this seems like so much more.