Digital Nomad Diaries: Medellín to Cartagena
Wrapping up five weeks in Medellín and arriving sweaty, happy, and very ready for the Caribbean.
Some chapters close quietly. My last few days in Medellín were less about sightseeing and more about wrapping things up. Work deadlines, final meals, and squeezing in as much time as possible with the people I'd met along the way.
The final days in Medellín
I spent most of my last stretch hunkered down with work, which is the reality of this lifestyle. But in between, there was a skill share session with some friends I'd made here that turned into an unexpectedly inspiring afternoon. One thing I love about long-term travel is the people you meet are often doing really interesting things with their lives, and if you pay attention, you end up learning from them in ways you didn't plan for.
I also fit in a few final meals around the city, including dinner at Pesquiera with friends from the U.S. who happened to be passing through Medellín at the same time. Meeting up with friends in random places in the world is one of my favorite things.
And then, just like that, five weeks were up.
Hello, Cartagena
I have been missing heat. Medellín is beautiful but its nickname is the City of Eternal Spring for a reason. It's pleasant almost all the time, rains pretty much every afternoon, and is nice, but I needed some real hot sunshine.
Cartagena unofficially goes by the name the City of Eternal Summer, and the moment I stepped off the plane into 90-degree weather I felt my whole body relax. I was immediately sweating, but I didn’t mind.
The vibe here is completely different from Medellín. Where Medellín feels urban and mountainous and fast-moving, Cartagena is all Caribbean energy. Colorful, slow, warm, coastal. It’s chill.
Walking the old town and Getsemaní
Naturally, my first move was a free walking tour. I went with Beyond Colombia, who took us through the old town and the Getsemaní neighborhoods, and it was exactly the kind of orientation I needed. The architecture in the walled city is stunning, centuries of history in every building, and Getsemaní has this incredible street art scene layered over it that makes the whole neighborhood feel alive. Culture, color, and history in every direction.
If you're arriving in Cartagena for the first time, I'd put this tour at the top of your list before you do anything else.
Pool days and home friends
The other mode I've been in this week: horizontal, by the pool, absolutely soaking up the sun. My dermatologist would have thoughts. I have chosen not to invite her opinion.
I also got to meet up with friends from Canada, which was a genuinely surreal experience. The last time we saw each other was over New Year's, in Canada, in -11F temperatures. Reuniting with the same people in 90-degree Caribbean heat felt like a different universe entirely. The best kind of different.
What's next
More Cartagena, more sunshine, and some Caribbean beach time that I have fully earned. Stay tuned.
Quick guide: First days in Cartagena
Free walking tour with Beyond Colombia (old town and Getsemaní)
Wander Getsemaní for street art and neighborhood life
Build in some pool time (the heat is real and you will want it)
