Cartagena
Cartagena's dive bars are the rooms locals defend hardest. Cheap, loud, exactly right. The dive bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip — Centro Historico, Getsemani, Bocagrande, Manga all show up — and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason. We have visited every one.
CENTRO HISTORICO · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cartagena's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Coconut & lime daiquiri. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
CENTRO HISTORICO · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Speakeasy-style cocktail bar inside a colonial palace. Order: Coconut & lime daiquiri. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
CENTRO HISTORICO · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Sunset cocktail terrace built directly into the city walls. Order: Coconut & lime daiquiri. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing — the upstairs gets loud.
GETSEMANI · $$$ · ROOFTOP BARS
Boutique hotel rooftop with a long pool, sunset DJs, and Cartagena's most photographed view. Order: Coconut & lime daiquiri. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for sunset drinks or a slow first date. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
GETSEMANI · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Open-air courtyard tapas-and-cocktail bar in a converted colonial house. Order: Coconut & lime daiquiri. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
GETSEMANI · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cuban-Caribbean live-music bar with house bands every night. Order: Coconut & lime daiquiri. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through Cartagena or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten dive bars that any serious drinker in Cartagena would tell you to put on the list.
Cartagena's most awarded cocktail bar. Order: Coconut & lime daiquiri. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded — book ahead or arrive early.
Speakeasy-style cocktail bar inside a colonial palace. Order: Coconut & lime daiquiri. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond Cartagena? See our guide to the best dive bars worldwide, or compare dive bars city by city. Or find dive bars near you.