Which Is Better Cartagena Or Medellin Colombia For Vacation?

Thinking About Visiting Colombia And Wondering Which Is Better Cartagena Or Medellin For Your Next Vacation?

I lived in Colombia and taught English, but after the teachers went on strike and school weeks were shorter, I had a lot of time to go out and explore places like Medellin and Cartagena, and while I have my own personal preference between the two cities, here is a comparison of them to help you decide if one, the other, both, or neither are worth adding to your next trip to Colombia.

🇨🇴 Which Is Better Cartagena Or Medellin, Colombia For Vacation?

Although they are both Colombian cities, Medellin and Cartagena are very different kinds of places to vacation so you might prefer one over the other depending on your interests, or find that both are worth checking out a little on your next trip to Colombia.

Why Visit Cartagena, Colombia

When choosing between Cartagena and Medellin for your next Colombia vacation, it depends on your interests because they're both very different places.

Although Cartagena can be crowded, pricey, a big party destination, hot and humid, and not as safe outside of the main touristy areas, it is a very popular place to visit in Colombia because:

the beaches right here in Cartagena aren’t very pretty, but there are some beautiful nearby beaches and islands with white sand and clear blue water

Cartagena is a cool old colonial walled city with a Spanish fort and lots of beautiful architecture within the old walled city

because the old walled city is a very walkable area, it’s pretty easy to get around Cartagena, but it can get really hot here so it can be exhausting walking around

there are plenty of cruise ships and flights into Cartagena so it’s a pretty easy place to reach from other places in Colombia, even though there aren’t as many other nearby drivable destinations other than Santa Marta

the weather is hot and humid in Cartagena (especially during the rainier months) so it’s perfect for all the great beach and water activities

there are lots of popular beach, party, and island tours here (the nightlife/partying in Cartagena is a big draw for many people)

➡️ For more reasons on why to visit or not visit Cartagena, check here; I also have more comparisons between Cartagena and Bogota as well as Cartagena and Santa Marta to help you plan your next Colombia trip

Why Visit Medellin, Colombia

Choosing between Cali vs Medellin for your trip to Colombia depends on what you want to see and do while visiting.

Although Cartagena is a very popular place to visit, Medellin is probably the most popular destination in Colombia because:

it’s a big city with lots of sightseeing locations

Medellin is easy to access (by bus or plane) from places all over Colombia

although Cartagena has a lot of English speakers too, I feel like it can be more of a tourist trap compared to Medellin

Medellin has one of the most popular nearby day trip locations in the country – Guatape

Medellin is a pretty good foodie-destination with tons of restaurants (even some healthier options)

like Cartagena, Medellin has lots of nightlife which is very poplar for a lot of travelers

the city is a very artistic place (lots of museums & famous statue squares)

they have a higher level sports team here (one of Colombia’s biggest soccer teams – Atletico Nacional)

Medellin has pretty nice spring-like weather all year long

*️⃣ FAQ: Is Medellin Or Cartagena Safer? Both Medellin and Cartagena are big cities that have some dangerous areas so I’d suggest extra caution in both of them, especially when you’re in very crowded areas that can be easy pickpocketing situations

So Which Is Better, Cartagena or Medellin, Colombia?

Since Medellin and Cartagena are very different kinds of places to vacation, it’s not the fairest to compare them because they might both be worth visiting depending on your interests, but if you only have time to choose one:

➡️ Cartagena is best for a beach, island, architecture, a little history, and party kind of a trip

➡️ Medellin is best for a big city, 80s-90s history, English-speaking, art, and typical city tourist destination trip to Colombia

Personally I wouldn’t put either at the top of my list for must-see places in Colombia (I think there are just so many other places worth visiting), but between the two I would probably choose Medellin because I loved the history, the spring-like weather, the sports, and the beautiful natural areas.

🚌 How Far Is Medellin From Cartagena, Colombia?

There are a few different ways to get to Popayan Colombia depending on how much you want to spend and how much time you have.

The best way to get from Cartagena to Medellin is by flying because it’s a super quick (just over an hour) and usually pretty cheap (usually $100 or less one way) flight.

Usually I recommend taking the public bus to go in between cities in Colombia because that’s how I traveled most of the time and loved it, but Cartagena and Medellin are over 12 hours apart from each other so flying is definitely the better option.

🔁 Sum Up: Which Is Better Cartagena Or Medellin, Colombia For Vacation?

If you’re set on choosing between Cartagena or Medellin for your next trip to Colombia, which one is better comes down to personal preference, but Medellin is best for art, history, more English, and more convenient big city travel, while Cartagena is the Caribbean, beach, island, party, and little bit of history kind of destination. I personally would choose Medellin over Cartagena because I liked the history, weather, and activities better here, but either would be a good addition to your Colombia itinerary.