N is for… New Year’s Eve in Cartagena
Plan the Perfect NYE with our Experts
Cartagena is where it’s at to see in 2025 in style. Better start planning though, it’s going to be packed. With each passing year, Cartagena’s NYE buzz and the year-end party spirit just gets bigger and better.
If you want to do New Year in Cartagena in true, effortless Caribbean fashion, pitching up last minute and expecting things to fall in place is a big “HELL NO”. Like most of the world’s hottest New Year destinations, getting organized is key to making the most of the biggest night of the year.
Cartagena’s best colonial houses, luxury vacation rentals and villas get booked out as early as January (many revellers book the house up on their way to the airport as they leave the country, knowing full well that they’ll be back next year).
Likewise the biggest boats get bagged months in advance, booking dinner at one of Cartagena’s best restaurants or getting onto the guest-list of the city’s top New Year’s Eve parties can prove beyond even the most hooked up of your Cartagena amigos.
That’s where This Is Colombia can help, we’re on hand to take the stress out of organizing an unforgettable New Year in Colombia’s undisputed party capital.
Check out our useful guide filled with tips on how to get your end of year party shizzle together quick sharp, or, if you really want this New Year to be the best New Year celebration ever, drop us a line and we’ll help plan the ultimate NYE itinerary for you and your crew.
Top NYE Parties
This city sure is pretty and there’s an abundance of spectacular settings to see in the New Year in Cartagena. Finding the hottest spot to party harder than you have done all year is where we come in.
Whether you like to get dressed up and rub shoulders with Cartagena’s elegant elites at a ritzy hotel gala or prefer to get proper mashed with the crazy kids at the city’s top New Year’s Eve Pop-Up Party, there’s a special New Year’s Eve guest-list with your name on it.
Cartagena’s standout New Year’s Eve parties are normally of the pop-up, one-off variety.
Popular variants on the same one-off theme include some stunning rooftop efforts with ridiculously photogenic backdrops, a house soundtrack and a brilliant view of the fireworks, the impromptu street party with a Tropi-Pop vibe, gallons of cold beer and the local hooch, aguardiente, or the floating NYE experience aboard a fancy catamaran laden with bubbly.
Almost every year, the top pop-up usually involves a 16th century ruin mixed in with a celebrity DJ shipped in for the season and an insanely good-looking, globe-trotting crowd.
The name and venue changes every year but we always have all the digits needed to get you in.
Send us an email if you want us to keep you in the loop as to what’s happening this year or browse through our list of the hottest happenings in Cartagena in our what’s happening section.
NYE Feasts
A fabulous meal is a wonderful way to say goodbye to what’s been a whirlwind year and there are some delicious, gourmet spreads being cooked up by Cartagena’s top chefs.
Our favorite Cartagena restaurants get booked out fast on New Year's Eve, so if you want your last meal of 2024 to be your best meal of the year you are going to need some assistance.
Firstly, here's the spoiler. You can pretty much forget about getting a table for two at La Vitrola on NYE as it gets packed out by the president’s kids and their mates.
No need to worry there are some more spectacular culinary spreads being laid on at the likes of Carmen, which serves up a five-star, five-course meal that will knock your socks off.
Other New Year’s Eve gourmet wizards include the seafood spread at Marea with a brilliant view of the fireworks and other standout culinary celebrations.
NYE feasts that are a cut above include the impressive culinary spread served atop the walls at the Baluarte San Francisco, with a luxury view of the fireworks, great live music and a glimpse to the street party action happening throughout the city.
Unfortunately, most of the city's brilliant restaurants like to keep their creations under wraps until the last minute. It can take until late December to get our hands on the details.
That said we make it our mission to know what’s on the menu before anyone else so if you want to find out more about the most sensational New Year’s Eve feasts take time to fill in the form below telling us what tickles your taste buds and we’ll hook you up with an end-of-year feast made in heaven.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks
“Where to watch the fireworks in Cartagena on New Year’s Eve?” is a popular question in the build up to New Year in Cartagena. There are plenty of top spots to appreciate the stellar display of firecrackers lighting up the Caribbean sky.
Our favorite spots for taking in the show is on Cartagena’s historic walls close to the Sofitel Santa Clara Hotel (they kick off the fireworks early in a bid to steal some of the city’s thunder) or by the San Pedro de Claver church, which is up close to the main event fired off from the Parque de la Marina.
For the money shot there are some spectacular rooftop settings to help you frame the girandolas and chrysanthemums against Cartagena’s picturesque, up-lit colonial cupolas.
Marea serves up a great angle as the aperitif to a top meal, as does the rooftop celebration of the Movich Hotel and the celebrations on the historic walls at what used to be Café del Mar and Baluarte San Francisco Javier.
To avoid the crowds and enjoy a special moment with friends, rent a boat and drop anchor in the bay with a select crowd looking for a more exclusive midnight celebration.
Recovery in the Islands
One of the reasons Cartagena is such a world class New Year’s Eve destination is the city’s stellar hangover cure. Nothing beats a NYE come-down quite like a dip in the aquamarine Caribbean. Our favorite Caribbean pick-me-up recipe normally takes two days.
On New Year’s Day hit a Caribbean beach club to keep the buzz going as long as you can.
There’s nothing quite like skipping town on your own private yacht to hit the Rosario Islands with the rest of Cartagena’s New Year’s Eve jet-setting crowd.
A friendly warning to travelers who like to leave things to the last-minute, trying to find a boat on January 2 is a little like trying to find a polar bear in a snowstorm.
Amidst the blur or white bobbing boats lined up at the quay, there’s definitely one out there for you but until you’ve put your name on it you’re stranded on dry land.
It certainly pays to book ahead if you want to ensure your dreams of a 50-ft SeaRay Sea Dancer don’t turn into you stuck in the last chalupa left in the bay, or even worse a plastic chair perched on the insanely crowded Bocagrande beach.
When you do get yourself sorted, the highlight of your New Year party in Cartagena awaits. For party animals, Cholón is where the party’s at. Drop anchor with plenty of likeminded revelers in party bay. There will be up to 300 boats out there with the same plan in mind.
If you prefer to skip the crowds, then rent a sailboat to overnight and head a little further to the San Bernardo archipelago.
Likewise planning ahead is essential if you want your New Year’s Eve dream to become a reality. Boats are scarce.
Pre- and After NYE Parties
Each year, New Year’s Eve extends itself even further into Cartagena’s day and nightlife calendar with a host of pre- and after-parties built with the party crowd in mind.
In the build up to New Year there’s a floating party in the islands, the Regatta Reggaetón, that normally takes place on December 29 or December 30, which you really shouldn’t miss.
The party season kicks off with the Wild Brunch for a dressed up crowd on December 29 and there are plenty of luxury brands trying to tag their labels onto the influencer crowd in town by throwing parties in abandoned ruins and swanky new venues.
The details—price and what’s included—and their dates often get confirmed as late as December.
We’re always the first to hear what’s what so send us an email if you want us to keep you in the loop.
Finding a Place to Stay in Cartagena
You really need to start your search for somewhere to stay in Cartagena over New Year in January. The city’s stunning stock of colonial villas get snapped up fast and finding somewhere in the heart of town is complicated.
Rents go through the roof for the hottest dates in the year. We’ve got the keys to some great villas and some of the city’s best vacation rentals in Cartagena.
They’re going fast though. If you want to ensure that you’re in the best spot and not staying in the wrong part of town, you better get looking and booking.
Check out some of Cartagena's Hottest Houses and Vacation Rentals here.
If you want us to help reserving something then fill out the form below with information of how many people in your group and what sort of budget you have to play with.
The Ultimate New Years Eve Experience in Cartagena
If you want New Year’s Eve in Cartagena to go smoothly and don’t want to miss out on a second of the festive fun, you will need to enlist a little local support.
Our talented team of local travel experts are on-the-ground dedicated to organizing your perfect itinerary.
From families to fun-lovers we’re here to help plan the perfect New Year’s Eve experience for you.
Whatever New Year’s Eve experience you’re looking for in Cartagena, be it a week-long party marathon or a scintillating mix of history, culture and islands for the family, we’re here to help build your ultimate New Year’s Eve itinerary.
If you need help booking the dream house for your group, organizing a perfectly-paced itinerary of inspirational day-time and nocturnal activities, table reservations at the city’s best restaurants and bars, then we know the city better than anyone else.
With us, the perfect New Year in Cartagena is a piece of Christmas cake.
Take a look at what we can do for you and your group by clicking on the link below.
Alternatives to New Year’s Eve in Cartagena.
If none of this appeals and you’d rather spend your New Year’s Eve on the beach or far away from the madding crowd then we hear you. Colombia really does have something for everyone.
For those searching for a little more rest and recuperation there are some incredible Colombian beach and mountain escapes in our what’s happening in Colombia section or select one of our signature Colombian journeys.
If you need more guidance to make sure you find the perfect option for you and your family, let us know what you’re interested in and one of our talented team of travel experts will get straight back to you.
With a little more information about your travel needs, we’ll be happy to draw up a completely bespoke vacation for you and your loved ones. All of our Colombian journeys start with a free consultation with one of our talented travel advisors.
