Order a Drink at the Soviet BarOn the northwest corner of Plaza Fernandez de Madrid, find KGB Cartagena, a tiny bar drowning in Lenin busts, hammers, and sickles. Toast the proletariat in a 500-year-old Spanish colonial town.WeirdEasy45 min
Climb Inside the Giant Old ShoesBehind Castillo San Felipe at Pie del Cerro sit Los Zapatos Viejos, a pair of bronze shoes big enough to sit an adult inside. Wedge yourself in and pose like a forgotten poem.Photo HuntEasy30 min
Hunt the Lizard Door KnockerRoam the walled city until you spot a lizard-shaped aldaba (door knocker). Centuries ago it meant royalty lived inside, so straighten your collar before you photograph it.Hidden GemEasy40 min
Brave a Bowl of Mote de QuesoFind a stall serving mote de queso, the coast's gloopy soup of salty costeno cheese and name root. It is a true acquired taste, so order one and keep a straight face.Food & DrinkEasy30 min
Drink a Costenita on the Church StepsAfter 8pm, join the locals sprawled across Plaza de la Trinidad in Getsemani. Buy an ice-cold tiny Costenita beer from the corner shop and watch the impromptu salsa erupt.SocialEasy1 hr
Hunt the DEXS Mural on Calle de la Sierpe in GetsemaniWalk Calle de la Sierpe in Getsemani and track down the massive colorful mural by artist DEXS. This is street-art ground zero, born from the Pedro Romero Vive Aqui project.CultureEasy35 min
Get a Fruit Bowl Balanced on Your HeadNear Plaza Santo Domingo, find a palenquera in a ruffled rainbow dress selling fruit. Tip her a dollar or two and let her crown you with her famous balanced bowl for one photo.Photo HuntEasy20 min
Find the Fist-Raised BlacksmithOutside the church on Plaza de la Trinidad stands Pedro Romero, fist in the air beside a priest and a drummer. Match his revolutionary pose for the camera.CultureEasy20 min
Get Pleasantly Lost in Bazurto MarketSkip the postcard walls and dive into Mercado de Bazurto, the chaotic local market 4km out. Buy cocadas from a vendor balancing a bowl on her head and embrace the glorious sensory overload.Local DetailBold1 hr 30 min
Fail Gloriously at Salsa in Cafe HavanaOn the corner of Media Luna in Getsemani, step into Cafe Havana where the band plays son cubano under Cuban flags. Order a mojito and attempt the steps with locals who actually know them.SocialMedium1 hr 15 min
Run the 400-year-old walls at dawnLace up before the heat and jog atop Las Murallas, the colonial stone ramparts that locals share with sunrise walkers. You get clock-tower views on one side and the Caribbean on the other, all before the souvenir sellers wake up.ActiveMedium45 min
Walk the Bocagrande Seafront PromenadeSkip the gym and join the morning crowd power-walking the breezy promenade along Bocagrande beach. Soft sand on one side, juice carts on the other, and zero entrance fee.ActiveEasy40 min
Find the sleepy sloths of Parque del CentenarioWalk into this free public park between the walls and Getsemaní and crane your neck for wild sloths, monkeys and iguanas dozing in the big trees. Ask the tinto seller to point them out, and visit after 2pm when they actually move.FamilyEasy30 min
Get lost in the San Felipe tunnelsLet the kids lead the way through the echoing stone tunnels burrowed beneath Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, then race to the top for the city view. It is a real 17th-century fortress, not a playground, so the bragging rights are genuine.FamilyEasy1 hr
Hunt souvenirs in old jail cells at Las BóvedasWander the 23 vaulted arches of Las Bóvedas, former colonial dungeons now packed with stalls of mochilas, hammocks and mini Botero statues. Hand the kids a small budget and let them haggle for a tiny treasure.FamilyEasy30 min